Sault Ste. Marie weather in December

In December, Sault Ste. Marie sees average daytime highs of -2°C and overnight lows near -9°C, with 56 mm of precipitation across 11 wet days and about 8.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about -0°C in the first days to -4°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 8 h 42 min at the start of December to 8 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Sault Ste. Marie's 12th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sault Ste. Marie's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-2°
10th warmest
Overnight low
-9°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
56 mm
11 wet days
Daylight
8 h 24 min
8:22 AM – 4:45 PM
Cloud cover
80%
12th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
1.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Sault Ste. Marie is city in Ontario, Canada.

Air quality
Excellent
PM2.5 5 µg/m³ · 2019
Density
323/km²
people per km²
Founded
1888

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 -0°C in the first days to -4°C by the end.

A typical December day in Sault Ste. Marie reaches about -2°C in the afternoon and slips back to -9°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -10°C and 4°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 4°C warmer than January.

-20°-10°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
10-5
20-6
30-6
40-6
50-6
6-1-7
7-1-7
8-1-7
9-1-7
10-1-7
11-2-8
12-2-8
13-2-8
14-2-8
15-2-8
16-2-9
17-2-9
18-2-9
19-3-9
20-3-9
21-3-9
22-3-10
23-3-10
24-3-10
25-3-10
26-3-10
27-4-10
28-4-11
29-4-11
30-4-11
31-4-11

How December really feels in Sault Ste. Marie

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
31 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Sault Ste. Marie 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-6° / -14°4610.212.28.80.0
Feb-5° / -13°357.58.1100.0
Mar / -8°468.36.811.60.0
Apr / -1°6710.2413.31.2
May15° / 72100.314.84.4
Jun20° / 11°819.8015.56.3
Jul23° / 15°10111.5015.26.7
Aug22° / 14°9510.90146.6
Sep18° / 10°10812.1012.45.4
Oct11° / 10113.70.510.72.4
Nov / -2°6711.26.69.20.1
Dec-2° / -9°5611118.40.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 83%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11585
21585
31684
41684
51783
61783
71882
81882
91783
101783
111783
121783
131882
141882
151882
161882
171882
181882
191783
201783
211783
221783
231783
241783
251783
261684
271585
281585
291585
301585
311585

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Sault Ste. Marie gets around 56 mm of rain and snow over 11 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 35% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13732
23732
33732
43633
53633
63533
73534
83534
93534
103434
113434
123434
133434
143434
153434
163434
173434
183534
193534
203534
213535
223535
233536
243536
253537
263537
273538
283539
293539
303540
313540

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 13 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 13 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2413light breeze
2513light breeze
2613light breeze
2713light breeze
2813light breeze
2913light breeze
3013light breeze
3113light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 42 min at the start of December to 8 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 8:08 AM to 8:28 AM, and sunset from 4:47 PM to 4:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.78:084:47
28.68:094:46
38.68:104:46
48.68:114:46
58.68:124:45
68.58:134:45
78.58:144:45
88.58:154:45
98.58:164:45
108.58:174:45
118.58:184:45
128.48:194:45
138.48:194:45
148.48:204:45
158.48:214:45
168.48:224:45
178.48:224:46
188.48:234:46
198.48:244:46
208.48:244:47
218.48:254:47
228.48:254:47
238.48:264:48
248.48:264:49
258.48:264:49
268.48:274:50
278.48:274:50
288.48:274:51
298.48:274:52
308.48:284:52
318.48:284:53

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.1 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.1 kWh/m² to a high of 6.52 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.1 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.1Dim
21.1Dim
31.1Dim
41.1Dim
51.1Dim
61.1Dim
71.1Dim
81.1Dim
91.1Dim
101.1Dim
111.1Dim
121.1Dim
131.1Dim
141.1Dim
151.1Dim
161.1Dim
171.1Dim
181.1Dim
191.1Dim
201.1Dim
211.1Dim
221.1Dim
231.1Dim
241.1Dim
251.1Dim
261.1Dim
271.1Dim
281.1Dim
291.1Dim
301.1Dim
311.2Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Sault Ste. Marie?

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 Sault Ste. Marie.

What to pack for Sault Ste. Marie in December

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

In December, Sault Ste. Marie sees daytime highs around -2°C and nights near -9°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Sault Ste. Marie in December

The nearest coast averages about 4°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 16 km away) is warmest in August at about 19°C and coldest in February near 1°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan1Bracing
Feb1Bracing
Mar1Bracing
Apr2Bracing
May5Bracing
Jun11Bracing
Jul17Cool
Aug19Cool
Sep16Cool
Oct11Bracing
Nov7Bracing
Dec4Bracing

UV index in Sault Ste. Marie 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 Sault Ste. Marie peaks around June 18 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 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 18UV 8Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun8Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug7High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Sault Ste. Marie?

Sault Ste. Marie sits at 46.5°N, 84.3°W, 186 m above sea level, in Canada. The nearest listed city is Sault Ste. Marie, 3.0 km away.

TimminsMidland

Topography around Sault Ste. Marie

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Sault Ste. Marie.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Sault Ste. Marie has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 82 m around an average of 198 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 263 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 491 m.

The land around Sault Ste. Marie is covered by artificial surfaces (45%) and trees (24%) within 3 km, trees (65%) within 16 km, and trees (65%) and water (30%) within 80 km.

3 km
82 m
16 km
263 m
80 km
491 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Sault Ste. Marie 3.0 km · Mackinac Island 77 km · Traverse City 219 km · Marquette 234 km · Valley East 255 km · Greater Sudbury 256 km · Timmins 313 km · Midland 323 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 Sault Ste. Marie (46.5168°, -84.3333°, elevation 186 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).