Can anybody tell me what the weather will be like in December in Toronto? Will probably be heading that way on business for a about a week and will be joined by my wife for some of the time. She doesn't care for cold weather.

You do realize that Toronto is located in the North East ... the weather is going to be just like it is in New York (or Chicago) I think it is a very safe bet to say it is going to be very cold. (On one website it says Toronto doesn't see mild weather until late May)

The average December temp is 34.5F.

Toronto's winters are tempered by the fact that it is on Lake Ontario.

Contrasted to my hometown on the western prairies of Canada, Toronto does not have a typical Canadian winter.

It hardly ever gets freezing cold in Toronto, nor does it hardly snow and if it does, the snow is gone within a day or two.

You can explore, shop, dine, see a move, attend a Toronto Symphony concert by subway and the downtown area's underground paths without ever having to be outside.

Well, wait a minute - it's true that it doesn't get as cold in December as it can in January/February, but we've certainly had snow that stayed on the ground for months. I live in downtown Toronto, not far from the lake, and we've had lots of below-freezing temperatures and snow. Last January was the worst - 20 below and even colder for a solid week, and the snow was deep. But I will agree that it's rare for that to happen in December.

Meesthare, I too live right in the city, not far from the lake. I think last year was kind of unusual. I don't recall most years being as bad as last year. I found it awful! Especially since we usually plan to go south for a couple of weeks in February, but had to delay our trip until April this past year. It was a miserable time.

But generally we don't get much snow that stays on the ground, at least in the city. I don't like to rely on the underground paths - I always seems to get lost when I'm underground - much easier to find my way around up top!

People living in Toronto do not know what a typical Canadian winter is.

Unlike Winnipeg, in Toronto it never goes down to -40 for days on end, blizzards with 10 foot snow drifts, you never have to plug your car in, don't need snow tires, booster cables, tow cable and a shovel - all standard Winnipeg driving gear.

In Toronto, they call out the army when they get 4 inches of snow - every Winnipeger had a real laugh at that one.

I know. I was in Winnipeg once, in late March. It was minus 37. Never again!

Hogtown Jim, I was born in Winnipeg and lived on the prairies for quite a few years. I almost think that Edmonton (where I went to university) was worse than Winnipeg - at least as bad. I can honestly say that I have no desire to ever experience winter up close like that again!

I know that most of the country had a good laugh about Toronto's situation, but at the time that it was happening, it wasn't at all funny.

Even if the temperature is not extremely low if you are walking anywhere near the CN tower the damp wind from the lake cuts through your clothing like a knife. Not like the "dry cold" in Winnipeg.

Golfball... it gets colder as the month goes on.

Unlikely to have much snow and if there is, it'll be gone in a day or two. Christmas is usually not white in the city.

There is a huge tunnel network downtown, so it is easy enough to get in out of the cold.

December is warmer in Toronto than in Buffalo. Usually it is warmer than Chicago, and generally pretty close to New York City.

There's lots to do in Toronto in December that does not involve spending much time in the cold, and by cold, generally it is above freezing.

Regardless, gloves, scarf, overcoats are necessary for most people, most of the time. The way the city is designed, lots of people can get from home to work and back again without going outside, or, limiting outside to 5 minutes or so. But mostly, we wear coats.

BAK

When I lived in Alberta, people always talked about the 'dry cold' and how it wasn't as cold. Well, minus 40 is cold no matter what!!

When I lived in Toronto (in the late 1970's), there were a few winters with lots of snow and blizzards from mid-December onward.
There was one winter in particular when it seemed that there was a blizzard every two weeks or so (1977-78??). The heavy wet flakes that fell were enough to cause a concussion ;-) !!
So if it is true that lately there is no snow in December, it must mean that Toronto is feeling the effects of either #1) global warming, or #2) city created "heat island" temperatures.

GolfBall:

The important thing is that Toronto is well-designed to help you cope with cold weather. Book a hotel that is connected to the extensive underground PATH system of walkways and shopping centres (e.g. the Sheraton Toronto Centre or Royal York). There are also a number of hotels that are within a block of the PATH (e.g. the Hilton downtown, Cambridge Suites, Radisson King Edward, Marriott Toronto Eaton Centre). Your wife will be able to shop to her heart's content, see movies, connect to the safe and clean subway (which will take her to the front door, or no more than a block away from, various museums), meet you for dinner at a decent restaurant after work and get the two of you to within a block of a number of theatres and concert halls.

If she plans to venture outside, though, she should bring a pair of versatile shoes or boots with "grippy" treads (they don't have to be snowboots; they just have to have a little more traction than a pair of completely smooth soles). Although Toronto doesn't get a lot of snow in the winter (and when it does, the streets and sidewalks are cleared within 24 hours), the sidewalks and crosswalks sometimes have small patches of ice - so shoes with good traction are useful.

December generally isn't too cold - the winter months really are January and February.