Sun, sea & sand

Sydney, Nova Scotia weather in December

Temperature, sea and sunshine in December: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.

6

Holiday weather in December

Poor

Best time to visit: August

What is the weather like in Sydney, Nova Scotia in December?

In December, Sydney, Nova Scotia is freezing cold: daytime highs average 3 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−2 °C). The sea averages 4.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. Precipitation, often as snow, falls on about 14 days, totalling 134 mm. Snow falls on about 6 days. It is often windy, with gusts of around 28 km/h. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

December compared

How the weather changes from November to January. Tap a month to open it.

NovemberNovDecemberDecJanuaryJan
Score867
Day8°3°0°
Night3°−2°−6°
Sea8°5°1°
Sun3 h2 h2 h
Rain days131413

More details for December

Daylight
8 h 40 min07:36 – 16:16
UV index
1 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
Muggy days
0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
Wind
28 km/haverage daily peakAll months
Cloud cover
81 %on averageAll months
Hot days
0 days30 °C or moreAll months
Snow days
6 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
Time zone
UTC−4America/Glace_Bay

How the score comes together

  • Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
  • Seaweight 25 %0 %
  • Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
  • Few rainy daysweight 20 %32 %

Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.

What to pack in December

  • Warm jacket
  • Hat, scarf & gloves
  • Rain jacket or umbrella
  • Windproof jacket

Sydney, Nova Scotia in December: quick answers

Is Sydney, Nova Scotia hot in December?

No. In December, Sydney, Nova Scotia is freezing cold: daytime highs average 3 °C and nights drop to about −2 °C.

Can you swim in Sydney, Nova Scotia in December?

Only if you don't mind cold water: in December the sea averages just 4.5 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.

Does it rain much in Sydney, Nova Scotia in December?

Rain is frequent, with about 14 rainy days and 134 mm in total.

Sydney, Nova Scotia month by month

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