Niagara-on-the-Lake weather in December

In December, Niagara-on-the-Lake sees average daytime highs of 3°C and overnight lows near -1°C, with 81 mm of precipitation across 13.2 wet days and about 8.9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 5°C in the first days to 2°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% 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 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Niagara-on-the-Lake's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Niagara-on-the-Lake's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-1°
4th coldest
Precipitation
81 mm
13.2 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
7:48 AM – 4:37 PM
Cloud cover
81%
11th clearest
Wind
21 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.28 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Niagara-on-the-Lake is town in Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada.

Density
132/km²
people per km²
Founded
1781

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 2°C by the end.

A typical December day in Niagara-on-the-Lake reaches about 3°C in the afternoon and slips back to -1°C overnight — a 4°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°-5°10°15°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
151
251
351
451
550
640
740
840
940
1040
114-1
123-1
133-1
143-1
153-1
163-1
173-1
183-1
193-2
203-2
212-2
222-2
232-2
242-2
252-2
262-2
272-2
282-3
292-3
302-3
311-3

How December really feels in Niagara-on-the-Lake

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-on-the-Lake weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -5°7713.211.39.20.0
Feb-0° / -6°609.87.810.20.0
Mar / -2°7310.54.911.60.0
Apr / 9611.61.713.21.6
May14° / 8211.5014.54.2
Jun21° / 16°9210.9015.16.3
Jul24° / 20°9210.5014.97.0
Aug24° / 19°7910.2013.87.1
Sep21° / 16°8910012.36.5
Oct14° / 10°9412.70.110.84.0
Nov / 8412.22.69.51.3
Dec / -1°8113.28.48.90.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 85%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11981
21981
31981
41882
51783
61882
71882
81882
91882
101783
111684
121684
131684
141684
151684
161684
171585
181585
191585
201486
211486
221486
231486
241387
251387
261387
271288
281288
291288
301288
311288

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Niagara-on-the-Lake gets around 81 mm of rain and snow over 13.2 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 43% and peaks near 45% on the wettest days, and about 8 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14418
24419
34420
44421
54422
64423
74424
84325
94326
104327
114227
124228
134228
144228
154229
164229
174229
184229
194229
204229
214229
224229
234229
244229
254229
264229
274330
284330
294431
304532
314532

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 21 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 21 km/h on the calmest days to 22 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
121breezy
221breezy
321breezy
421breezy
521breezy
621breezy
721breezy
821breezy
921breezy
1021breezy
1121breezy
1221breezy
1321breezy
1421breezy
1521breezy
1621breezy
1721breezy
1821breezy
1921breezy
2021breezy
2121breezy
2221breezy
2321breezy
2421breezy
2521breezy
2621breezy
2721breezy
2821breezy
2922breezy
3022breezy
3122breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:35 AM to 7:54 AM, and sunset from 4:37 PM to 4:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.07:354:37
29.07:364:37
39.07:374:37
49.07:384:36
59.07:394:36
68.97:404:36
78.97:414:36
88.97:424:36
98.97:434:36
108.97:444:36
118.97:444:36
128.87:454:36
138.87:464:36
148.87:474:36
158.87:484:37
168.87:484:37
178.87:494:37
188.87:494:37
198.87:504:38
208.87:514:38
218.87:514:39
228.87:524:39
238.87:524:39
248.87:524:40
258.87:534:41
268.87:534:41
278.87:544:42
288.87:544:42
298.87:544:43
308.87:544:44
318.87:544:45

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 6.35 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-on-the-Lake?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

What to pack for Niagara-on-the-Lake in December

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

In December, Niagara-on-the-Lake sees daytime highs around 3°C and nights near -1°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat, rain gear and a windbreaker. About 13 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Niagara-on-the-Lake in December

The nearest coast averages about 5°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 14 km away) is warmest in August at about 22°C and coldest in February near 3°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 17 to Sep 6 — about 1.7 months when the water holds above 20°C.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan4Bracing
Feb3Bracing
Mar3Bracing
Apr4Bracing
May7Bracing
Jun15Bracing
Jul20Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep19Cool
Oct13Bracing
Nov8Bracing
Dec5Bracing

UV index in Niagara-on-the-Lake 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-on-the-Lake 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

Air quality in Niagara-on-the-Lake in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Niagara-on-the-Lake is worst in May — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (November, 10 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodMay 2021 µg/m³Nov 2310 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar17Moderate
Apr18Moderate
May21Moderate
Jun20Moderate
Jul20Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov10Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Niagara-on-the-Lake?

Niagara-on-the-Lake sits at 43.3°N, 79.1°W, 85 m above sea level, in Canada. The nearest listed city is St. Catharines, 16 km away.

Topography around Niagara-on-the-Lake

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Niagara-on-the-Lake has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 40 m around an average of 82 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 146 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 540 m.

The land around Niagara-on-the-Lake is covered by water (47%) within 3 km, water (52%) within 16 km, and water (42%) and trees (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
40 m
16 km
146 m
80 km
540 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: St. Catharines 16 km · Niagara Falls 17 km · Thorold 18 km · Niagara Falls 18 km · Grand Island 27 km · North Tonawanda 30 km · Welland 33 km · Lockport 33 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-on-the-Lake (43.2565°, -79.0853°, elevation 85 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. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).