St. Catharines weather in December

In December, St. Catharines sees average daytime highs of 3°C and overnight lows near -1°C, with 77 mm of precipitation across 11.6 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 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 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is St. Catharines's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see St. Catharines's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-1°
4th coldest
Precipitation
77 mm
11.6 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
7:49 AM – 4:38 PM
Cloud cover
80%
11th clearest
Wind
19 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.28 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

St. Catharines is city in Ontario, Canada.

Air quality
Good
PM2.5 7 µg/m³ · 2019
Density
1,410/km²
people per km²
Founded
1783

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 St. Catharines 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°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
151
251
351
451
550
640
740
840
940
104-1
113-1
123-1
133-1
143-1
153-1
163-1
173-2
183-2
192-2
202-2
212-2
222-2
232-2
242-2
252-2
262-3
272-3
282-3
292-3
301-3
311-3

How December really feels in St. Catharines

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.

St. Catharines 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-0° / -5°7511.999.20.0
Feb-0° / -6°599710.20.0
Mar / -2°7310.44.611.60.1
Apr / 9711.71.813.11.8
May15° / 10°8311.4014.44.5
Jun21° / 16°9111.1015.16.4
Jul25° / 20°8810.8014.96.9
Aug24° / 19°759.9013.87.1
Sep21° / 16°859.8012.36.5
Oct14° / 9212.10.110.84.1
Nov / 8210.829.51.3
Dec / -1°7711.66.68.90.0

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 8% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 84%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12080
21981
31882
41981
51981
61981
71981
81981
91981
101981
111981
121882
131783
141684
151684
161684
171684
181585
191585
201486
211486
221486
231486
241387
251387
261387
271387
281387
291288
301288
311288

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

St. Catharines gets around 77 mm of rain and snow over 11.6 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 38% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days, and about 7 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14015
24016
33917
43918
53919
63920
73820
83821
93822
103722
113723
123723
133723
143723
153723
163723
173722
183722
193722
203722
213721
223721
233721
243721
253721
263721
273822
283822
293923
304023
314024

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 19 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 19 km/h on the calmest days to 20 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
119light breeze
219light breeze
319light breeze
419light breeze
519light breeze
619light breeze
719light breeze
819light breeze
919light breeze
1019light breeze
1119light breeze
1219light breeze
1319light breeze
1419light breeze
1519light breeze
1619light breeze
1719light breeze
1819light breeze
1919light breeze
2019light breeze
2119light breeze
2219light breeze
2319light breeze
2419light breeze
2519light breeze
2619light breeze
2719light breeze
2819light breeze
2919light breeze
3020light breeze
3120light breeze

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 7:55 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
29.07:374:38
39.07:384:37
49.07:394:37
59.07:394:37
68.97:404:37
78.97:414:37
88.97:424:37
98.97:434:37
108.97:444:37
118.97:454:37
128.97:464:37
138.87:464:37
148.87:474:37
158.87:484:37
168.87:494:38
178.87:494:38
188.87:504:38
198.87:504:39
208.87:514:39
218.87:514:39
228.87:524:40
238.87:524:40
248.87:534:41
258.87:534:42
268.87:544:42
278.87:544:43
288.87:544:43
298.87:544:44
308.87:554:45
318.87:554:45

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 6.32 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 St. Catharines?

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
7th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in St. Catharines.

What to pack for St. Catharines in December

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

In December, St. Catharines sees daytime highs around 3°C and nights near -1°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near St. Catharines 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 25 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 St. Catharines 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 St. Catharines 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 St. Catharines?

St. Catharines sits at 43.2°N, 79.2°W, 102 m above sea level, in Canada. The nearest listed city is Thorold, 7.0 km away.

Topography around St. Catharines

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around St. Catharines has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 47 m around an average of 100 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 193 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 483 m.

The land around St. Catharines is covered by artificial surfaces (51%) and trees (33%) within 3 km, water (33%) and trees (20%) within 16 km, and water (41%) and trees (24%) within 80 km.

3 km
47 m
16 km
193 m
80 km
483 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Thorold 7.0 km · Niagara-on-the-Lake 16 km · Niagara Falls 16 km · Niagara Falls 17 km · Welland 21 km · Grimsby 26 km · Grand Island 27 km · Port Colborne 30 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 St. Catharines (43.1713°, -79.2427°, elevation 102 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).