December is one of the cooler months of the year in Canterbury, with average highs near 8.3°C and lows around 5.7°C (mean 7°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 71 mm of rainfall and 89% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Canterbury. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Canterbury was 2015 — when the month averaged 10.7°C — while the coldest was 2010 at 3.1°C. Typical December days reach 8.3°C with nights near 5.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Canterbury, averaging 71 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2002 with 122 mm, while the driest was 2016 at 18 mm.
Relative humidity in Canterbury during December averages 89%. The most humid December was 1988 at 92%, and the least humid was 1996 at 85%.
December receives about 0.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Canterbury. The sunniest Decembers were 2016, 2019 and 2022, among others at 0.7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2002 at 0.4.
Average wind speed in Canterbury during December is 6.2 m/s. The windiest December was 2015 at 7.6 m/s, while the calmest was 2016 at 4.8 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 6.9°C | 6.5°C | 6.8°C | 7.3°C | 7.9°C | +1°C |
| Avg High | 8.2°C | 7.8°C | 8.1°C | 8.7°C | 9.1°C | +0.9°C |
| Avg Low | 5.5°C | 5.2°C | 5.5°C | 5.9°C | 6.6°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 65 mm | 70 mm | 65 mm | 78 mm | 78 mm | +13 mm |
December temperatures in Canterbury have risen by about 1.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -2.3°C (1996) to a record high of 13.7°C (2006).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 71 mm, with a wettest year of 122 mm.
A quieter season to visit Canterbury
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Canterbury. That said, December — with days averaging 8.3°C and nights around 5.7°C (mean 7°C) and moderate rainfall (71 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9.8°C | 8.7°C | 7.6°C | 13.2°C | 2.7°C | 48 mm | 88% | 6.4 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 9.2°C | 7.9°C | 6.5°C | 13.0°C | 2.7°C | 46 mm | 90% | 6.2 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2023 | 9.8°C | 8.6°C | 7.4°C | 12.4°C | 2.1°C | 98 mm | 90% | 7.1 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2022 | 8.2°C | 6.9°C | 5.6°C | 12.6°C | 1.7°C | 65 mm | 88% | 5.9 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2021 | 9.0°C | 7.7°C | 6.4°C | 12.2°C | 3.3°C | 90 mm | 91% | 5.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2020 | 8.6°C | 7.4°C | 6.2°C | 12.5°C | 2.1°C | 119 mm | 90% | 5.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2019 | 9.4°C | 8.0°C | 6.5°C | 12.2°C | 4.0°C | 105 mm | 90% | 6.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2018 | 9.6°C | 8.3°C | 7.0°C | 13.2°C | 2.4°C | 82 mm | 88% | 5.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2017 | 7.8°C | 6.3°C | 4.8°C | 11.6°C | 1.9°C | 107 mm | 91% | 6.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2016 | 8.8°C | 7.6°C | 6.5°C | 11.7°C | 3.3°C | 18 mm | 91% | 4.8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2015 🔥 | 11.9°C | 10.7°C | 9.6°C | 13.1°C | 6.8°C | 63 mm | 89% | 7.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2014 | 8.7°C | 7.0°C | 5.3°C | 11.9°C | 1.7°C | 64 mm | 88% | 6.8 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2013 | 9.2°C | 7.8°C | 6.3°C | 12.0°C | 4.0°C | 67 mm | 89% | 6.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2012 | 8.0°C | 6.6°C | 5.2°C | 11.2°C | 1.3°C | 120 mm | 90% | 6.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2011 | 8.9°C | 7.3°C | 5.7°C | 12.4°C | 1.7°C | 107 mm | 88% | 7.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2010 ❄️ | 4.2°C | 3.1°C | 2.0°C | 6.9°C | -0.7°C | 46 mm | 88% | 5.3 m/s | 0.5 |
| 2009 | 7.3°C | 6.1°C | 4.9°C | 12.6°C | 0.4°C | 102 mm | 87% | 6.1 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2008 | 6.7°C | 5.6°C | 4.5°C | 10.6°C | 1.5°C | 30 mm | 90% | 5.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2007 | 8.6°C | 7.1°C | 5.6°C | 13.0°C | 2.6°C | 45 mm | 88% | 6.4 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2006 | 10.1°C | 8.8°C | 7.4°C | 13.7°C | 3.7°C | 82 mm | 87% | 6.7 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2005 | 7.7°C | 6.3°C | 5.0°C | 10.5°C | 0.9°C | 50 mm | 89% | 5.9 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2004 | 8.0°C | 6.6°C | 5.2°C | 11.1°C | 1.4°C | 44 mm | 90% | 4.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2003 | 8.4°C | 7.1°C | 5.9°C | 12.3°C | 2.4°C | 64 mm | 88% | 5.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 2002 🌧️ | 8.6°C | 7.5°C | 6.3°C | 11.6°C | 1.6°C | 122 mm | 90% | 6 m/s | 0.4 |
| 2001 | 7.2°C | 5.7°C | 4.1°C | 12.7°C | 1.0°C | 34 mm | 86% | 5.9 m/s | 0.7 |
| 2000 | 8.5°C | 7.5°C | 6.4°C | 12.9°C | 1.2°C | 77 mm | 89% | 6.9 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1999 | 7.9°C | 6.4°C | 5.0°C | 11.7°C | 1.5°C | 87 mm | 89% | 7.3 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1998 | 8.1°C | 6.7°C | 5.4°C | 11.7°C | 1.4°C | 76 mm | 91% | 6.2 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1997 | 9.1°C | 7.9°C | 6.6°C | 13.6°C | 1.5°C | 101 mm | 89% | 6.6 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1996 | 6.2°C | 4.9°C | 3.7°C | 11.4°C | -2.3°C | 34 mm | 85% | 5.7 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1995 | 6.4°C | 5.3°C | 4.1°C | 11.7°C | 0.7°C | 81 mm | 86% | 5.4 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1994 | 9.9°C | 8.5°C | 7.0°C | 13.1°C | 2.4°C | 75 mm | 88% | 6.9 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1993 | 8.3°C | 6.6°C | 5.0°C | 12.8°C | 1.5°C | 115 mm | 90% | 7.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1992 | 7.5°C | 6.2°C | 5.0°C | 12.9°C | 2.2°C | 51 mm | 87% | 5.8 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1991 | 7.4°C | 6.2°C | 5.0°C | 11.6°C | 0.5°C | 30 mm | 86% | 5.2 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1990 | 7.4°C | 6.1°C | 4.7°C | 10.8°C | 1.8°C | 56 mm | 86% | 6.5 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1989 | 9.1°C | 7.8°C | 6.4°C | 12.9°C | 2.8°C | 99 mm | 87% | 5.6 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1988 | 8.8°C | 7.6°C | 6.3°C | 11.4°C | 3.5°C | 23 mm | 92% | 5.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1987 | 8.3°C | 7.2°C | 6.1°C | 12.3°C | 2.1°C | 28 mm | 89% | 5.9 m/s | 0.5 |
| 1986 | 8.7°C | 7.1°C | 5.5°C | 13.1°C | 2.3°C | 76 mm | 89% | 7.5 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1985 | 8.9°C | 7.7°C | 6.5°C | 12.2°C | 0.4°C | 81 mm | 90% | 6.4 m/s | 0.6 |
| 1984 | 8.8°C | 7.4°C | 6.0°C | 12.4°C | 3.4°C | 71 mm | 88% | 5.3 m/s | 0.7 |
| 1983 | 8.2°C | 6.9°C | 5.6°C | 11.7°C | 1.2°C | 66 mm | 89% | 6.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 7.6°C | 6.1°C | 4.6°C | 11.8°C | 1.1°C | 68 mm | 87% | 6.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 5.0°C | 3.9°C | 2.7°C | 9.2°C | 0.7°C | 75 mm | 87% | 5.9 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 8.3°C with lows near 5.7°C (mean 7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 71 mm of rainfall in Canterbury, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 122 mm in 2002.
The hottest December reached 13.7°C in 2006. The coldest dipped to -2.3°C in 1996.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 7.7°C to 9.2°C and overnight lows from 5.1°C to 6.7°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Canterbury and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 8.3°C daytime highs and 5.7°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 4th coolest month in Canterbury, averaging 7°C.
For December in Canterbury, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 8.3°C and lows of 5.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 89% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 6.2 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 7.6 m/s (2015).
The wettest December on record was 2002 with 122 mm. On average, December sees 71 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Canterbury behaves each December, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for December specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
