Fort Collins, CO weather in December
December in Fort Collins: chilly and mostly dry, with some snow. Highs 44°F, lows 18°F, rain or snow on about 4 days and about 7.5 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Fort Collins.
- Normal high
- 44°F
- Normal low
- 18°F
- Wet days
- 4
- 0.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 7.5 in
- snow on the ground 11 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 46°F | 44°F |
| Normal low | 21°F | 17°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 14% | 13% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:04 am / 4:34 pm | 7:23 am / 4:42 pm |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 9.3 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 13°F
- 9 am31°Fdew point 15°F
- Noon40°Fdew point 16°F
- 3 pm41°Fdew point 16°F
- 6 pm31°Fdew point 16°F
- 9 pm28°Fdew point 15°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Denver Intl Airport (57 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 73% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 23%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 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 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more11 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 0.5 in; a dry December brings about 0.1 in and a wet one about 0.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 7.5 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20201999: average high 50°F
- Coolest December2009: average high 36°F
- Wettest December2006: 2.7 in
- Driest December1991: 0.01 in
- Highest reading70°F (December 4, 2007)
- Lowest reading-16°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 | 53°F | 44°F | 45°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 18°F | 18°F |
| Wet days | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Comfortable days | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.3 h | 9.7 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and +1°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Breckenridge, CO91 mi · high 29°F · 11 wet days
How Fort Collins ranks in December
- Normal high248th warmest of 378 cities; 9th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days29th driest of 378
- Comfortable days231st most of 340
What to pack for Fort Collins in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 18°F, highs near 44°F
- Layers – afternoons near 44°F but nights near 18°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 11 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1049 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 Fort Collins in December?
The normal high is 44°F and the normal low is 18°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -16°F (December 31, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Fort Collins in December?
About 4 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2006 (2.7 in); the driest was in 1991 (0.01 in).
Does it snow in Fort Collins in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 7.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 11 days.
Is December a good time to visit Fort Collins?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fort Collins (38 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Ft Collins (USC00053005), 0.6 mi S of the city center, 5,004 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Denver Intl Airport (USW00003017), 57 mi SSE of the city center, 5,414 ft (410 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Cheyenne (USW00024018), 42 mi NNE of the city center, 6,128 ft (1,124 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Denver International Airport (725650-03017), 56 mi SSE of the city center, 5,404 ft (400 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.