Colorado Springs, CO weather in December
Colorado Springs is chilly and mostly dry in December, with some snow: highs average 45°F and nights drop to about 19°F. There are about 4 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 4.1 in. This is the depth of winter in Colorado Springs.
- Normal high
- 45°F
- Normal low
- 19°F
- Wet days
- 4
- 0.2 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.1 in
- snow on the ground 5 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 47°F | 44°F |
| Normal low | 21°F | 18°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 14% | 11% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:58 am / 4:37 pm | 7:17 am / 4:46 pm |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 9.5 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 am25°Fdew point 11°F
- 9 am33°Fdew point 14°F
- Noon40°Fdew point 13°F
- 3 pm41°Fdew point 13°F
- 6 pm32°Fdew point 14°F
- 9 pm27°Fdew point 13°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Colorado Springs Muni Airport (7 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 83% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 15%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 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 snow4 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in1 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 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 0.2 in; a dry December brings about 0.1 in and a wet one about 0.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 4.1 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202017: average high 48°F
- Coolest December2009: average high 34°F
- Wettest December2016: 0.7 in
- Driest December1995: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading71°F (December 4, 2007)
- Lowest reading-15°F (December 9, 2009)
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 | 53°F | 45°F | 45°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 19°F | 19°F |
| Wet days | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Comfortable days | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Daylight | 10.1 h | 9.5 h | 9.8 h |
Highs change by -8°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Breckenridge, CO79 mi · high 29°F · 11 wet days
How Colorado Springs ranks in December
- Normal high237th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days15th driest of 378
- Comfortable days212th most of 340
What to pack for Colorado Springs in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 19°F, highs near 45°F
- Layers – afternoons near 45°F but nights near 19°F
- Waterproof boots – about 4.1 in of snow in a typical year
- 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 Colorado Springs in December?
The normal high is 45°F and the normal low is 19°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -15°F (most recently on December 9, 2009).
Does it rain a lot in Colorado Springs in December?
About 4 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.2 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2016 (0.7 in); the driest was in 1995, with no measurable precipitation.
Does it snow in Colorado Springs in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 4.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 5 days.
Is December a good time to visit Colorado Springs?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Colorado Springs (39 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Colorado Springs Muni Airport (USW00093037), 7.3 mi ESE of the city center, 6,181 ft (172 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Pueblo Mem Airport (USW00093058), 41 mi SSE of the city center, 4,720 ft (1,289 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: City Of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (724660-93037), 7.3 mi ESE of the city center, 6,182 ft (173 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.