St. John's weather in December

In December, St. John's sees average daytime highs of 2°C and overnight lows near -3°C, with 127 mm of precipitation across 15.3 wet days and about 8.3 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 4°C in the first days to 1°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 30 min at the start of December to 8 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is St. John's's 12th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see St. John's's year-round climate.

Daytime high
9th warmest
Overnight low
-3°
4th coldest
Precipitation
127 mm
15.3 wet days
Daylight
8 h 12 min
7:50 AM – 4:04 PM
Cloud cover
82%
12th clearest
Wind
23 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
0.93 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

St. John's is capital and largest city of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Air quality
Excellent
PM2.5 5 µg/m³ · 2019
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 4°C in the first days to 1°C by the end.

A typical December day in St. John's reaches about 2°C in the afternoon and slips back to -3°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -2°C and 8°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 4°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-15°-10°-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
140
24-1
34-1
44-1
54-1
63-1
73-1
83-2
93-2
103-2
113-2
123-2
133-2
142-2
152-2
162-2
172-3
182-3
192-3
202-3
212-3
222-3
232-3
241-3
251-4
261-4
271-4
281-4
291-4
301-4
311-5

How December really feels in St. John's

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
9 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

St. John's weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-0° / -6°12514.411.68.70.0
Feb-1° / -7°10312.8109.90.0
Mar / -5°10512.98.711.60.0
Apr / -1°8712.25.413.30.1
May / 7211.21.214.91.6
Jun13° / 6610.6015.73.5
Jul18° / 12°7810.5015.45.6
Aug19° / 13°8010.4014.15.9
Sep16° / 10°9310.7012.44.7
Oct11° / 10512.50.310.62.4
Nov / 11013.639.10.6
Dec / -3°12715.38.88.30.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 84%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11981
21882
31882
41882
51882
61882
71882
81783
91783
101783
111783
121783
131783
141783
151783
161783
171783
181684
191684
201684
211486
221486
231486
241486
251486
261486
271486
281387
291387
301387
311486

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

St. John's gets around 127 mm of rain and snow over 15.3 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 49% and peaks near 52% on the wettest days, and about 9 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
15222
25223
35224
45225
55225
65226
75126
85026
95026
104927
114927
124827
134827
144727
154727
164727
174727
184727
194728
204728
214729
224830
234830
244831
254832
264732
274733
284734
294734
304735
314736

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 23 km/h in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 22 km/h on the calmest days to 23 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
122breezy
222breezy
322breezy
423breezy
523breezy
623breezy
723breezy
823breezy
923breezy
1023breezy
1123breezy
1223breezy
1323breezy
1423breezy
1523breezy
1623breezy
1723breezy
1823breezy
1923breezy
2023breezy
2123breezy
2223breezy
2323breezy
2423breezy
2523breezy
2623breezy
2723breezy
2823breezy
2923breezy
3023breezy
3123breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 30 min at the start of December to 8 h 18 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 7:56 AM, and sunset from 4:06 PM to 4:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.57:354:06
28.57:364:06
38.57:374:05
48.47:394:05
58.47:404:05
68.47:414:04
78.47:424:04
88.47:434:04
98.37:444:04
108.37:454:04
118.37:464:04
128.37:464:04
138.37:474:04
148.37:484:04
158.37:494:04
168.27:504:04
178.27:504:05
188.27:514:05
198.27:514:05
208.27:524:06
218.27:534:06
228.27:534:07
238.27:534:07
248.27:544:08
258.27:544:08
268.27:554:09
278.27:554:09
288.27:554:10
298.37:554:11
308.37:554:12
318.37:564:12

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 0.93 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.93 kWh/m² to a high of 5.18 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 0.93 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.0Dim
21.0Dim
31.0Dim
41.0Dim
51.0Dim
61.0Dim
70.9Dim
80.9Dim
90.9Dim
100.9Dim
110.9Dim
120.9Dim
130.9Dim
140.9Dim
150.9Dim
160.9Dim
170.9Dim
180.9Dim
190.9Dim
200.9Dim
210.9Dim
220.9Dim
230.9Dim
240.9Dim
250.9Dim
260.9Dim
271.0Dim
281.0Dim
291.0Dim
301.0Dim
311.0Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit St. John's?

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
6th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in St. John's.

What to pack for St. John's in December

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

In December, St. John's sees daytime highs around 2°C and nights near -3°C. Pack a warm layer, a heavy coat and rain gear. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 15 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near St. John's in December

The nearest coast averages about 3°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 14°C and coldest in March near -0°C.

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

0°5°10°15°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan1Bracing
Feb0Bracing
Mar0Bracing
Apr1Bracing
May3Bracing
Jun6Bracing
Jul11Bracing
Aug14Bracing
Sep12Bracing
Oct9Bracing
Nov6Bracing
Dec3Bracing

UV index in St. John's 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. John's peaks around June 14 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. 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 6 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 14UV 8Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul7High
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is St. John's?

St. John's sits at 47.6°N, 52.7°W, 35 m above sea level, in Canada. The nearest listed city is Mount Pearl, 8.0 km away.

Corner BrookGlace BaySydneyNew Glasgow

Topography around St. John's

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around St. John's has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 232 m around an average of 67 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 261 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 327 m.

The land around St. John's is covered by trees (42%) and artificial surfaces (27%) within 3 km, water (46%) and trees (37%) within 16 km, and water (59%) and trees (26%) within 80 km.

3 km
232 m
16 km
261 m
80 km
327 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Mount Pearl 8.0 km · Paradise 14 km · Conception Bay South 23 km · Saint-Pierre 276 km · Corner Brook 417 km · Glace Bay 571 km · Sydney 590 km · New Glasgow 790 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. John's (47.5649°, -52.7093°, elevation 35 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).