Sitka, AK weather in December
Sitka is chilly in December, with rain on most days: highs average 42°F and nights drop to about 33°F. Rain falls on about 22 days. Keep rain gear handy.
- Normal high
- 42°F
- Normal low
- 33°F
- Wet days
- 22
- 8.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 43°F | 41°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 33°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 71% | 69% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:14 am / 3:25 pm | 8:39 am / 3:28 pm |
| Daylight | 7.2 h | 6.8 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 am37°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 am37°Fdew point 31°F
- Noon39°Fdew point 32°F
- 3 pm39°Fdew point 32°F
- 6 pm38°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 pm37°Fdew point 31°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Sitka Airport (1 mi away); average wind 10 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 in16 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below12 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in December
Normal precipitation is 8.4 in; a dry December brings about 6.3 in and a wet one about 10.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 6 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202020: average high 46°F
- Coolest December2008: average high 36°F
- Wettest December2004: 15.5 in
- Driest December2010: 2.3 in
- Highest reading58°F (December 7, 2017)
- Lowest reading6°F (December 14, 2004)
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 | 42°F | 41°F |
| Normal low | 36°F | 33°F | 32°F |
| Wet days | 22 | 22 | 21 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.1 h | 6.8 h | 7.5 h |
Highs change by -2°F from November and -1°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Drier: Skagway, AK166 mi · high 34°F · 14 wet days
- Cooler: Juneau, AK93 mi · high 35°F · 21 wet days
How Sitka ranks in December
- Normal high272nd warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days375th driest of 378
- Comfortable days295th most of 340
What to pack for Sitka in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 33°F, highs near 42°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 22 days
Heating and cooling
December has 854 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Sitka in December?
The normal high is 42°F and the normal low is 33°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 6°F (December 14, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Sitka in December?
About 22 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 8.4 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2004 (15.5 in); the driest was in 2010 (2.3 in).
Is December a good time to visit Sitka?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Sitka (25 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are June, July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Sitka Airport (USW00025333), 1.4 mi WSW of the city center, 14 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Arpt (703710-25333), 1.4 mi WSW of the city center, 20 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: snowfall, snow depth and cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).