Waterloo weather in December

In December, Waterloo sees average daytime highs of 1°C and overnight lows near -6°C, with 65 mm of precipitation across 11.4 wet days and about 8.8 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 2°C in the first days to -1°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 Waterloo's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Waterloo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
10th warmest
Overnight low
-6°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
65 mm
11.4 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
7:55 AM – 4:42 PM
Cloud cover
83%
11th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.29 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Waterloo is city in Ontario, Canada.

Founded
1857

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 2°C in the first days to -1°C by the end.

A typical December day in Waterloo reaches about 1°C in the afternoon and slips back to -6°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -6°C and 7°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°C cooler than November and about 3°C warmer than January.

-20°-10°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13-3
23-4
32-4
42-4
52-4
62-4
72-5
81-5
91-5
101-5
111-5
121-5
131-6
141-6
150-6
160-6
170-6
180-6
190-6
200-6
210-6
220-7
230-7
240-7
25-1-7
26-1-7
27-1-7
28-1-7
29-1-7
30-1-7
31-1-8

How December really feels in Waterloo

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
24 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Waterloo weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-2° / -10°6811.610.79.10.0
Feb-1° / -10°549.1810.20.0
Mar / -5°6310611.60.3
Apr12° / 8611.82.613.22.8
May18° / 8811.6014.55.5
Jun23° / 13°9411.4015.26.6
Jul25° / 15°8511014.96.7
Aug24° / 14°769.9013.87.0
Sep20° / 10°799.6012.36.4
Oct13° / 8011.30.410.83.6
Nov / -1°7411.24.39.50.6
Dec / -6°6511.49.38.80.0

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 7% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 86%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11783
21783
31783
41684
51684
61783
71684
81783
91684
101585
111585
121585
131585
141585
151585
161486
171486
181387
191387
201387
211387
221387
231387
241387
251387
261387
271387
281387
291387
301387
311387

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Waterloo gets around 65 mm of rain and snow over 11.4 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 37% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days, and about 9 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14025
24026
34027
43927
53928
63928
73829
83829
93829
103730
113730
123730
133730
143730
153730
163730
173730
183730
193730
203730
213630
223630
233630
243630
253630
263631
273631
283731
293732
303732
313833

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 14 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1014light breeze
1114light breeze
1214light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light 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 7:42 AM to 8:01 AM, and sunset from 4:42 PM to 4:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.07:424:42
29.07:434:42
39.07:444:42
48.97:454:41
58.97:464:41
68.97:474:41
78.97:474:41
88.97:484:41
98.97:494:41
108.87:504:41
118.87:514:41
128.87:524:41
138.87:534:41
148.87:534:41
158.87:544:42
168.87:554:42
178.87:554:42
188.87:564:42
198.87:574:43
208.87:574:43
218.87:584:44
228.87:584:44
238.87:594:44
248.87:594:45
258.87:594:46
268.88:004:46
278.88:004:47
288.88:004:47
298.88:014:48
308.88:014:49
318.88:014:50

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.29 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.29 kWh/m² to a high of 6.24 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.29 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 Waterloo?

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 Waterloo.

What to pack for Waterloo in December

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

In December, Waterloo sees daytime highs around 1°C and nights near -6°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Waterloo 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 Waterloo peaks around June 22 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 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 22UV 9Jan 11UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May6High
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep5High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Waterloo 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 Waterloo is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1515 µg/m³Nov 218 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Waterloo?

Waterloo sits at 43.5°N, 80.5°W, 325 m above sea level, in Canada. The nearest listed city is Kitchener, 5.0 km away.

Topography around Waterloo

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Waterloo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 71 m around an average of 336 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 176 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 462 m.

The land around Waterloo is covered by artificial surfaces (52%) and trees (38%) within 3 km, cropland (45%) and trees (27%) within 16 km, and cropland (58%) and trees (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
71 m
16 km
176 m
80 km
462 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Kitchener 5.0 km · Forest Heights 5.0 km · Hespeler 17 km · Fiddlesticks 20 km · Cambridge 20 km · Christopher-Champlain 22 km · Guelph 23 km · Fergus 29 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 Waterloo (43.4668°, -80.5164°, elevation 325 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. 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).