Waterloo Region experiences coldest December since 2017

Grand River Transit (GRT) has a new plan for severe weather that will close some stops during heavy snowfall or rain. (Courtesy of GRT)

By Matt Hutcheson

Posted Jan 2, 2025 07:58:41 AM.

Last Updated Jan 2, 2025 07:58:46 AM.

The last week of December 2024 was a microcosm of the weather seen throughout the month in Waterloo Region.

Cold snaps ended by warm-ups, usually accompanied by rain, leading to a temperature drop and snowfall.

According to the E.D. Soulis Memorial Weather Station at the University of Waterloo, December started average, temperature-wise. The daytime temps hung slightly below the freezing mark for the most part but early in the second week, there was a dip to around -11 C before climbing to 8 C over the next few days.

That pattern continued throughout the month.

The warmest it got last month was 10.4 C and the coldest, was -20.3 C.

When it comes to precipitation, there were both snow events and torrential downpours but nothing really out of the ordinary. Precipitation levels were trending well below average until that post-Christmas drenching which saw around 20mm of rainfall on Dec. 29.

In the end, December 2024 was one of the snowiest in recent years but the overall precipitation was slightly below average with 68.7mm.

The temperature for the month was half a degree warmer than average but it was still the coldest since 2017.

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