December is one of the cooler months of the year in Vancouver, with average highs near 6.1°C and lows around 0.4°C (mean 3.3°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 251 mm of rainfall and 92% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Vancouver. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Vancouver was 2023 — when the month averaged 6.5°C — while the coldest was 1990 at -0.5°C. Typical December days reach 6.1°C with nights near 0.4°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Vancouver, averaging 251 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1996 with 564 mm, while the driest was 1985 at 81 mm.
Relative humidity in Vancouver during December averages 92%. The most humid December was 2021 at 97%, and the least humid was 2009 at 84%.
December receives about 1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Vancouver. The sunniest December was 1985 at 1.4 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2007, 2012 and 2015 at 0.8.
Average wind speed in Vancouver during December is 0.8 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 1999, 2001 and 2015, among others at 1 m/s, while the calmest were 2011 and 2013 at 0.6 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 2.3°C | 3.1°C | 3.3°C | 3.3°C | 4.7°C | +2.4°C |
| Avg High | 5.5°C | 5.9°C | 6.1°C | 6.1°C | 7.5°C | +2°C |
| Avg Low | -0.8°C | 0.2°C | 0.5°C | 0.6°C | 1.9°C | +2.7°C |
| Avg Rain | 215 mm | 264 mm | 248 mm | 244 mm | 299 mm | +83 mm |
December temperatures in Vancouver have risen by about 3.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -18.3°C (1990) to a record high of 15.9°C (2005).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 251 mm, with a wettest year of 564 mm.
A quieter season to visit Vancouver
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Vancouver. That said, December — with days averaging 6.1°C and nights around 0.4°C (mean 3.3°C) and higher rainfall (251 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 | 9.1°C | 6.4°C | 3.6°C | 14.1°C | -1.8°C | 378 mm | 94% | 0.9 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 8.0°C | 5.0°C | 2.0°C | 14.0°C | -2.4°C | 303 mm | 93% | 0.8 m/s | 1 |
| 2023 🔥 | 9.3°C | 6.5°C | 3.6°C | 14.5°C | -0.4°C | 304 mm | 93% | 0.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2022 | 5.7°C | 3.0°C | 0.4°C | 14.0°C | -9.2°C | 253 mm | 93% | 0.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2021 | 4.7°C | 2.4°C | 0.2°C | 15.5°C | -10.2°C | 320 mm | 97% | 0.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2020 | 8.0°C | 4.9°C | 1.8°C | 12.6°C | -2.5°C | 234 mm | 92% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2019 | 7.7°C | 4.6°C | 1.6°C | 12.4°C | -2.7°C | 176 mm | 94% | 0.7 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2018 | 7.1°C | 4.4°C | 1.6°C | 12.2°C | -2.8°C | 234 mm | 90% | 0.8 m/s | 1 |
| 2017 | 5.1°C | 2.4°C | -0.4°C | 11.3°C | -7.3°C | 164 mm | 91% | 0.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2016 | 3.6°C | 1.1°C | -1.5°C | 7.6°C | -7.6°C | 215 mm | 93% | 0.8 m/s | 1 |
| 2015 | 6.4°C | 4.3°C | 2.2°C | 15.1°C | -4.4°C | 484 mm | 95% | 1 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2014 | 8.0°C | 5.1°C | 2.1°C | 15.0°C | -8.3°C | 257 mm | 91% | 0.9 m/s | 1 |
| 2013 | 4.1°C | 1.1°C | -1.9°C | 10.9°C | -12.5°C | 123 mm | 89% | 0.6 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2012 | 5.4°C | 3.1°C | 0.9°C | 11.4°C | -5.0°C | 311 mm | 96% | 0.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2011 | 6.6°C | 3.1°C | -0.5°C | 12.8°C | -4.2°C | 160 mm | 90% | 0.6 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2010 | 6.7°C | 4.1°C | 1.6°C | 12.6°C | -7.2°C | 315 mm | 93% | 0.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2009 | 4.6°C | 1.3°C | -2.1°C | 12.1°C | -11.8°C | 166 mm | 84% | 0.8 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2008 | 3.7°C | 0.9°C | -1.9°C | 11.7°C | -11.7°C | 223 mm | 93% | 0.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2007 | 5.2°C | 3.0°C | 0.7°C | 13.4°C | -4.1°C | 378 mm | 95% | 0.9 m/s | 0.8 |
| 2006 | 6.7°C | 3.6°C | 0.5°C | 12.6°C | -4.3°C | 251 mm | 92% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2005 | 5.7°C | 3.0°C | 0.4°C | 15.9°C | -5.8°C | 312 mm | 91% | 0.9 m/s | 1 |
| 2004 | 8.1°C | 5.2°C | 2.3°C | 13.0°C | -1.4°C | 156 mm | 92% | 0.7 m/s | 1 |
| 2003 | 6.7°C | 4.0°C | 1.4°C | 11.2°C | -10.8°C | 283 mm | 95% | 0.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2002 | 7.8°C | 4.9°C | 2.0°C | 15.1°C | -2.2°C | 297 mm | 93% | 0.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2001 | 5.9°C | 3.5°C | 1.0°C | 11.2°C | -2.9°C | 281 mm | 94% | 1 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2000 | 6.6°C | 3.6°C | 0.6°C | 9.7°C | -3.5°C | 133 mm | 91% | 0.7 m/s | 1 |
| 1999 | 7.0°C | 4.4°C | 1.8°C | 11.0°C | -2.5°C | 231 mm | 93% | 1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1998 | 5.2°C | 2.6°C | 0.0°C | 12.3°C | -12.6°C | 370 mm | 91% | 1 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1997 | 6.4°C | 3.4°C | 0.3°C | 11.6°C | -2.9°C | 147 mm | 93% | 0.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1996 🌧️ | 6.7°C | 3.9°C | 1.0°C | 15.0°C | -3.2°C | 564 mm | 94% | 1 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1995 | 7.1°C | 4.2°C | 1.3°C | 13.7°C | -4.1°C | 275 mm | 92% | 0.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1994 | 6.0°C | 3.4°C | 0.8°C | 12.8°C | -6.2°C | 268 mm | 92% | 1 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1993 | 7.1°C | 3.8°C | 0.5°C | 13.6°C | -3.6°C | 222 mm | 91% | 0.8 m/s | 1 |
| 1992 | 4.2°C | 1.6°C | -1.1°C | 7.5°C | -7.3°C | 230 mm | 94% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1991 | 6.6°C | 3.8°C | 1.0°C | 9.9°C | -2.5°C | 182 mm | 95% | 0.7 m/s | 1 |
| 1990 ❄️ | 2.9°C | -0.5°C | -3.8°C | 12.6°C | -18.3°C | 150 mm | 88% | 0.8 m/s | 1 |
| 1989 | 8.5°C | 4.6°C | 0.7°C | 14.9°C | -4.0°C | 138 mm | 91% | 0.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1988 | 6.3°C | 3.2°C | 0.0°C | 12.9°C | -8.4°C | 158 mm | 92% | 0.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1987 | 5.0°C | 2.1°C | -0.8°C | 13.0°C | -7.0°C | 307 mm | 93% | 0.8 m/s | 1 |
| 1986 | 6.9°C | 3.4°C | -0.2°C | 12.1°C | -3.0°C | 147 mm | 92% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1985 | 4.3°C | 0.5°C | -3.3°C | 9.0°C | -13.7°C | 81 mm | 87% | 0.8 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1984 | 3.4°C | 0.7°C | -2.0°C | 7.8°C | -11.1°C | 170 mm | 93% | 0.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1983 | 2.4°C | -0.3°C | -3.1°C | 10.3°C | -18.2°C | 236 mm | 91% | 0.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 5.7°C | 2.9°C | 0.1°C | 12.2°C | -6.2°C | 326 mm | 92% | 0.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 6.8°C | 3.9°C | 1.1°C | 13.4°C | -5.0°C | 375 mm | 95% | 0.9 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 6.1°C with lows near 0.4°C (mean 3.3°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 251 mm of rainfall in Vancouver, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 564 mm in 1996.
The hottest December reached 15.9°C in 2005. The coldest dipped to -18.3°C in 1990.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 3.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 4.5°C to 7.4°C and overnight lows from -1.4°C to 2°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Vancouver and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 6.1°C daytime highs and 0.4°C at night.
Yes — December is the coldest month of the year in Vancouver, averaging 3.3°C.
For December in Vancouver, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 6.1°C and lows of 0.4°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 92% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 0.8 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 1 m/s (1994).
The wettest December on record was 1996 with 564 mm. On average, December sees 251 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 Vancouver 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.
