Ketchikan, AK weather in December
Ketchikan is cold in December, with rain on most days and some snow: highs average 40°F and nights drop to about 33°F. Rain or snow falls on about 22 days. Snowfall averages about 8.1 in. This is the depth of winter in Ketchikan. Keep rain gear handy.
- Normal high
- 40°F
- Normal low
- 33°F
- Wet days
- 22
- 16.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.1 in
- snow on the ground 5 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 42°F | 39°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 31°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 74% | 72% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:49 am / 3:21 pm | 8:13 am / 3:25 pm |
| Daylight | 7.5 h | 7.2 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 am36°Fdew point 32°F
- 9 am36°Fdew point 32°F
- Noon38°Fdew point 33°F
- 3 pm37°Fdew point 33°F
- 6 pm36°Fdew point 32°F
- 9 pm36°Fdew point 32°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Ketchikan Intl Airport (3 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 snow22 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in18 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below14 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more5 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 16.3 in; a dry December brings about 10.2 in and a wet one about 20.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 10 days bring half an inch or more, and about 6 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 8.1 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202014: average high 44°F
- Coolest December2008: average high 35°F
- Wettest December2006: 31.5 in
- Driest December2009: 5.5 in
- Highest reading58°F (December 11, 2017)
- Lowest reading6°F (December 31, 1992)
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 | 44°F | 40°F | 40°F |
| Normal low | 36°F | 33°F | 32°F |
| Wet days | 24 | 22 | 22 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.4 h | 7.2 h | 7.8 h |
Highs change by -4°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Juneau, AK230 mi · high 35°F · 21 wet days
How Ketchikan ranks in December
- Normal high284th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days377th driest of 378
- Comfortable days294th most of 340
What to pack for Ketchikan in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 33°F, highs near 40°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 22 days
- Waterproof boots – about 8.1 in of snow in a typical year
Heating and cooling
December has 887 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 Ketchikan in December?
The normal high is 40°F and the normal low is 33°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 6°F (December 31, 1992).
Does it rain a lot in Ketchikan in December?
About 22 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 16.3 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2006 (31.5 in); the driest was in 2009 (5.5 in).
Does it snow in Ketchikan in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 8.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 5 days.
Is December a good time to visit Ketchikan?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Ketchikan (21 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Ketchikan Intl Airport (USW00025325), 2.8 mi WNW of the city center, 76 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Annette Island Airport (USW00025308), 21 mi S of the city center, 109 ft (69 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Ketchikan Intl Airport (703950-25325), 3.2 mi WNW of the city center, 84 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).