Nelson weather in December
Temperature, sea and sunshine in December: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in December
Poor
Best time to visit: January – February
What is the weather like in Nelson in December?
In December, Nelson is mild: daytime highs average 19 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 17.8 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 129 mm in total. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nelson.
December compared
How the weather changes from November to January. Tap a month to open it.
| NovemberNov | DecemberDec | JanuaryJan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 23 | 28 | 47 |
| Day | 17° | 19° | 21° |
| Night | 10° | 12° | 13° |
| Sea | 16° | 18° | 19° |
| Sun | 7 h | 8 h | 8 h |
| Rain days | 12 | 13 | 10 |
More details for December
- Daylight
- 15 h 7 min05:48 – 20:56
- UV index
- 10 · very highclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 18 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 61 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC+13Pacific/Auckland
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %5 %
- Seaweight 25 %11 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %77 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %38 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in December
- Wetsuit for longer swims
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Nelson in December: quick answers
Is Nelson hot in December?
No. In December, Nelson is mild: daytime highs average 19 °C and nights drop to about 12 °C.
Can you swim in Nelson in December?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in December the sea averages just 17.8 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
Does it rain much in Nelson in December?
Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 129 mm in total.
Nelson month by month
The whole year in NelsonAll destinations: New ZealandWhere to go in DecemberSea temperature in December
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences