Juneau, AK weather in December
Juneau is cold and snowy in December: highs average 35°F and nights drop to about 26°F. Expect about 21 wet days. Snowfall averages about 18.1 in. This is the depth of winter in Juneau. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 35°F
- Normal low
- 26°F
- Wet days
- 21
- 6.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 18.1 in
- snow on the ground 14 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 36°F | 33°F |
| Normal low | 27°F | 24°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 69% | 67% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:19 am / 3:13 pm | 8:45 am / 3:15 pm |
| Daylight | 6.9 h | 6.5 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 am30°Fdew point 27°F
- 9 am30°Fdew point 27°F
- Noon32°Fdew point 28°F
- 3 pm32°Fdew point 28°F
- 6 pm31°Fdew point 28°F
- 9 pm31°Fdew point 27°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Juneau Intl Airport (7 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 snow21 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in14 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below21 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more14 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 6.5 in; a dry December brings about 4.5 in and a wet one about 8.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 18.1 in, with about 5 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202020: average high 40°F
- Coolest December2008: average high 28°F
- Wettest December1997: 13.6 in
- Driest December2010: 1.9 in
- Highest reading54°F (December 8, 2017)
- Lowest reading-10°F (December 7, 1995)
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 | 38°F | 35°F | 33°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 26°F | 24°F |
| Wet days | 21 | 21 | 20 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 7.9 h | 6.5 h | 7.3 h |
Highs change by -3°F from November and -2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Sitka, AK93 mi · high 42°F · 22 wet days
- Drier: Skagway, AK86 mi · high 34°F · 14 wet days
How Juneau ranks in December
- Normal high338th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days373rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days293rd most of 340
What to pack for Juneau in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 26°F, highs near 35°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 21 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 14 days
- A hat and gloves – about 21 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1076 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 13% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Juneau in December?
The normal high is 35°F and the normal low is 26°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -10°F (December 7, 1995).
Does it rain a lot in Juneau in December?
About 21 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 6.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 1997 (13.6 in); the driest was in 2010 (1.9 in).
Does it snow in Juneau in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 18.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 14 days.
Is December a good time to visit Juneau?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Juneau (18 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are June, July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Juneau Intl Airport (USW00025309), 6.5 mi NW of the city center, 16 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Juneau International (703810-25309), 6.1 mi NW of the city center, 19 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).