Fairbanks, AK weather in December
Expect very cold, snowy weather in Fairbanks in December, with highs near 4°F and lows near -13°F. Rain or snow falls on about 9 days. Snowfall averages about 10.9 in. It is one of the coldest months in Fairbanks. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 4°F
- Normal low
- -13°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 0.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 10.9 in
- snow on the ground 31 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 7°F | 1°F |
| Normal low | -10°F | -17°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 28% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 10:18 am / 3:00 pm | 10:55 am / 2:52 pm |
| Daylight | 4.7 h | 3.9 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Alaska Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am-4°Fdew point -7°F
- 9 am-4°Fdew point -7°F
- Noon-4°Fdew point -7°F
- 3 pm-3°Fdew point -6°F
- 6 pm-3°Fdew point -7°F
- 9 pm-4°Fdew point -7°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Fairbanks Intl Airport (5 mi away); average wind 2 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below31 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more31 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 0.6 in; a dry December brings about 0.3 in and a wet one about 0.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 10.9 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202017: average high 18°F
- Coolest December2010: average high -10°F
- Wettest December2016: 2.0 in
- Driest December1995: 0.06 in
- Highest reading47°F (December 4, 2011)
- Lowest reading-53°F (December 31, 1999)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
December compared with November and January
| November | December | January | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 12°F | 4°F | 1°F |
| Normal low | -4°F | -13°F | -17°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 6.3 h | 4.0 h | 5.3 h |
Highs change by -8°F from November and -3°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Denali Park, AK84 mi · high 14°F · 10 wet days
How Fairbanks ranks in December
- Normal high378th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days158th driest of 378
- Comfortable days292nd most of 340
What to pack for Fairbanks in December
- A warm jacket – lows near -13°F, highs near 4°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 31 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 2150 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 16% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fairbanks in December?
The normal high is 4°F and the normal low is -13°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -53°F (December 31, 1999).
Does it rain a lot in Fairbanks in December?
About 9 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.6 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2016 (2.0 in); the driest was in 1995 (0.06 in).
Does it snow in Fairbanks in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 10.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 31 days.
Is December a good time to visit Fairbanks?
December ranks 10th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fairbanks (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are June and July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Fairbanks Intl Airport (USW00026411), 5.2 mi WSW of the city center, 432 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Fairbanks International (702610-26411), 5.3 mi WSW of the city center, 430 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).