Niagara Falls weather in December

In December, Niagara Falls sees average daytime highs of 3°C and overnight lows near -2°C, with 78 mm of precipitation across 12.8 wet days and about 8.9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 5°C in the first days to 1°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Niagara Falls's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Niagara Falls's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-2°
4th coldest
Precipitation
78 mm
12.8 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
7:48 AM – 4:37 PM
Cloud cover
80%
11th clearest
Wind
17 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.28 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Niagara Falls is city located in the province of Ontario, Canada.

Density
476/km²
people per km²
Founded
1903

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 5°C in the first days to 1°C by the end.

A typical December day in Niagara Falls reaches about 3°C in the afternoon and slips back to -2°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -3°C and 9°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 5°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-10°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
150
250
350
450
540
64-1
74-1
84-1
94-1
103-1
113-2
123-2
133-2
143-2
153-2
162-2
172-2
182-2
192-3
202-3
212-3
222-3
232-3
242-3
252-3
261-3
271-3
281-4
291-4
301-4
311-4

How December really feels in Niagara Falls

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
31
wind chill below the day's low

The story in December is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Niagara Falls weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-0° / -6°7412.5109.20.0
Feb / -6°6010.27.910.20.0
Mar / -3°7511.45.611.60.2
Apr11° / 9512.21.913.12.5
May18° / 10°8712.4014.45.2
Jun23° / 16°10012.3015.16.5
Jul25° / 19°10312.6014.96.5
Aug25° / 18°8611013.86.8
Sep21° / 14°8510.4012.36.5
Oct14° / 9312.60.110.84.0
Nov / 7911.83.19.51.3
Dec / -2°7812.87.48.90.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 85%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11981
21981
31783
41882
51981
61882
71882
81882
91882
101783
111684
121684
131684
141684
151684
161684
171585
181585
191585
201585
211486
221387
231387
241288
251288
261288
271189
281189
291090
30991
31991

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Niagara Falls gets around 78 mm of rain and snow over 12.8 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 42% and peaks near 44% on the wettest days, and about 7 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14418
24418
34319
44320
54320
64221
74222
84222
94123
104123
114124
124124
134024
144024
154125
164125
174125
184125
194125
204126
214125
224125
234125
244126
254126
264226
274227
284227
294327
304328
314328

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in December

Winds average 17 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
118light breeze
218light breeze
318light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2017light breeze
2117light breeze
2217light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:35 AM to 7:54 AM, and sunset from 4:38 PM to 4:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.07:354:38
29.07:364:37
39.07:374:37
49.07:384:37
59.07:394:37
69.07:394:37
78.97:404:36
88.97:414:36
98.97:424:36
108.97:434:36
118.97:444:36
128.97:454:37
138.97:454:37
148.87:464:37
158.87:474:37
168.87:484:37
178.87:484:38
188.87:494:38
198.87:494:38
208.87:504:39
218.87:504:39
228.87:514:39
238.87:514:40
248.87:524:40
258.87:524:41
268.87:534:42
278.87:534:42
288.87:534:43
298.87:534:44
308.87:544:44
318.97:544:45

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.28 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.28 kWh/m² to a high of 6.33 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.28 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.4Dim
21.4Dim
31.3Dim
41.3Dim
51.3Dim
61.3Dim
71.3Dim
81.3Dim
91.3Dim
101.3Dim
111.3Dim
121.3Dim
131.3Dim
141.3Dim
151.3Dim
161.3Dim
171.3Dim
181.3Dim
191.3Dim
201.3Dim
211.3Dim
221.3Dim
231.3Dim
241.3Dim
251.3Dim
261.3Dim
271.3Dim
281.3Dim
291.3Dim
301.3Dim
311.3Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Niagara Falls?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Niagara Falls.

What to pack for Niagara Falls in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Niagara Falls sees daytime highs around 3°C and nights near -2°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Niagara Falls in December

The nearest coast averages about 6°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 25 km away) is warmest in August at about 23°C and coldest in February near 1°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 4 to Sep 20 — about 2.6 months when the water holds above 20°C.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan3Bracing
Feb1Bracing
Mar1Bracing
Apr3Bracing
May9Bracing
Jun17Cool
Jul22Refreshing
Aug23Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct16Cool
Nov10Bracing
Dec6Bracing

UV index in Niagara Falls in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Niagara Falls peaks around June 19 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 19UV 8Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May6High
Jun8Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug6High
Sep5High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Niagara Falls?

Niagara Falls sits at 43.1°N, 79.1°W, 184 m above sea level, in Canada. The nearest listed city is Niagara Falls, 1.0 km away.

Topography around Niagara Falls

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Niagara Falls.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Niagara Falls has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 133 m around an average of 176 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 145 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 557 m.

The land around Niagara Falls is covered by artificial surfaces (47%) and trees (24%) within 3 km, trees (34%) and grassland (27%) within 16 km, and water (41%) and trees (28%) within 80 km.

3 km
133 m
16 km
145 m
80 km
557 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Niagara Falls 1.0 km · Thorold 11 km · Grand Island 11 km · St. Catharines 16 km · Niagara-on-the-Lake 17 km · North Tonawanda 18 km · Welland 20 km · Kenmore 22 km

Canada travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 83% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$55,698
2025
Happiness
6.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
97%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
2
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
5.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Christian 53%none 35%Muslim 5%Hindu 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Niagara Falls (43.1001°, -79.0663°, elevation 184 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).