Toronto weather in December
December in Toronto: freezing, a little rain, with clean air — a hit-or-miss time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#10 of 12 months in Toronto · #1268 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 44/100 (tier F)
- Days
- 3°C
- Nights
- -2°C
- Wet days
- 11
- Sun
- 4.3 h
- Humidity
- 76%
- Daylight
- 9 h

Traveller notes on Toronto in December
Other months in Toronto
Regulars describe this as commonly hot, hazy and humid, with the humidex figure occasionally pushing into the high 30s or even 40s Celsius - though regulars are specific this extreme happens maybe half a dozen times a year and rarely lasts more than three or four days at a stretch. Our row backs the real heat and humidity, 27.6C reading as a hot 29C at 72 percent humidity, over 18.4C nights, with 83.9mm of rain across 8.4 days. Regulars are candid that a genuinely oppressive multi-week humid stretch does happen most summers, serious enough that the city opens cooling centres, and recommend an air-conditioned room as a real priority rather than a nice-to-have for anyone sensitive to the heat. The record: 12.1 hours of sun, a 16.4 kph wind and AQI 70.
May here swings well outside its own averages, and regulars describe the daily pattern rather than a single number: cool mornings and evenings, warm to hot afternoons, and a genuinely cold turn whenever the wind picks up, which is Lake Ontario's spring cooling effect at work. Our row backs that variability at 19C over 9.6C, with 67mm of rain across 9.2 days. Patios and rooftops are a live question early in the month - most have heaters, but some places wait for reliably warmer weeks before opening fully. Swimming is not on the table yet even at month's end; the lake itself stays too cold. Layers, including a rainproof one, is the standing packing advice. The record: humidity 73 percent, 10.6 hours of sun, an 18.2 kph wind and AQI 69.
Regulars here blame the lake and they are right to: moisture off Ontario gives the city two or three weeks of heavy humidity most summers, enough for official warnings and cooling centres. August carries it, though they note July is usually the hotter month and that late August nights are noticeably cooler. Our row gives 26.5C reading as 28C over 17.8C nights at 73 percent humidity and a 14.9C dew point, which is the sticky part quantified. Thunderstorms are commoner this month and they break it for a day. Rain totals 67.5mm across 6.3 days. The Ex runs through the end of the month on the waterfront. The record: 11.3 hours of sun and AQI 55.
Toronto-forum threads on June weather describe a month that's warm and mostly sunny without yet being oppressive: highs in the low-to-mid 20s, humidity that only really bites above 25C and rarely for long stretches this early in summer, and posters call out neighbourhood festivals hitting full swing alongside the last of spring's foliage. Rain is called a little above average for the year rather than a defining feature. June's record: 24.5C days feeling like 25C, 14.9C nights, 70mm of rain across 9.1 days, 12 hours of sun - warm t-shirt weather with a light jacket worth keeping in the bag for evenings. One thing the forums don't dwell on: AQI runs 79 here, on the higher side for a North American summer month.
Year-round notes are on Toronto's overview. Add your own note from Toronto's card on the map.
Toronto climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Toronto in December
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdsDistillery Winter Village, Winter / Christmas break in Canada, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Toronto's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherToronto's best weather comes in June, August and September — separate windows, not one continuous season.
December coincides with Deep freeze and ice storms.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Toronto in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Festival
Distillery Winter Village
14 Nov – 31 Dec · usuallyChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook earlyThe Distillery District's Christmas market runs from mid-November to the end of the year and charges timed entry at weekends. Weeknights in November are the only time it is walkable. Source ↗
- Hazard
Deep freeze and ice storms
15 Dec – 28 Feb · usuallyExtreme coldClosuresThe city issues extreme cold alerts most winters and the wind off the lake takes several degrees off whatever the thermometer says. Freezing rain is the one that closes the airport and the schools. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Toronto — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Toronto?
Toronto in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Toronto?
- December in Toronto: freezing, a little rain, with clean air — a hit-or-miss time to visit. It ranks #10 of 12 months for Toronto on SeasonMap's comfort score (44/100).
- What is the weather like in Toronto in December?
- In December, Toronto averages a daily high of 3.4°C and a low of -2°C, with about 70.8 mm of rain over roughly 10.6 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Toronto in December?
- Toronto has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 33 in December.
- Does it snow in Toronto in December?
- Toronto sees roughly 21.7 cm of snowfall in December.
Within 300 km: Niagara Falls' Winter Festival of Lights around 14 Nov – 12 Jan.