Arvada, CO weather in December
Expect chilly, mostly dry weather with some snow in Arvada in December, with highs near 47°F and lows near 17°F. Rain or snow falls on about 5 days. Snowfall averages about 9.9 in. It is one of the coldest months in Arvada.
- Normal high
- 47°F
- Normal low
- 17°F
- Wet days
- 5
- 0.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 9.9 in
- snow on the ground 13 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 49°F | 47°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 16°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 17% | 16% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:02 am / 4:36 pm | 7:21 am / 4:45 pm |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 9.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am26°Fdew point 13°F
- 9 am31°Fdew point 15°F
- Noon40°Fdew point 15°F
- 3 pm41°Fdew point 16°F
- 6 pm32°Fdew point 16°F
- 9 pm28°Fdew point 16°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Aurora Buckley Fld ANGB (19 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 37% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 46%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 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 snow5 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more13 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 9.9 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20201991: average high 52°F
- Coolest December2009: average high 39°F
- Wettest December2006: 3.2 in
- Driest December2002: 0.01 in
- Highest reading75°F (December 2, 1998)
- Lowest reading-12°F (December 31, 2014)
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 | 55°F | 47°F | 47°F |
| Normal low | 24°F | 17°F | 17°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| Daylight | 10.0 h | 9.4 h | 9.7 h |
Highs change by -8°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Estes Park, CO46 mi · high 40°F · 7 wet days
How Arvada ranks in December
- Normal high214th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days45th driest of 378
- Comfortable days172nd most of 340
What to pack for Arvada in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 17°F, highs near 47°F
- Layers – afternoons near 47°F but nights near 17°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 13 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1034 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 Arvada in December?
The normal high is 47°F and the normal low is 17°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -12°F (most recently on December 31, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Arvada in December?
About 5 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 2006 (3.2 in); the driest was in 2002 (0.01 in).
Does it snow in Arvada in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 9.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 13 days.
Is December a good time to visit Arvada?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Arvada (41 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Wheat Ridge 2 (USC00058995), 2.5 mi SW of the city center, 5,398 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Aurora Buckley Fld ANGB (USW00023036), 19 mi ESE of the city center, 5,663 ft (314 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Buckley Air Force Base (724695-23036), 19 mi ESE of the city center, 5,663 ft (314 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.