Lakewood, CO weather in December
December in Lakewood: chilly and mostly dry, with some snow. Highs 45°F, lows 20°F, rain or snow on about 5 days and about 9.9 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Lakewood.
- Normal high
- 45°F
- Normal low
- 20°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 | 47°F | 45°F |
| Normal low | 23°F | 20°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 (18 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°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 snow5 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 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, 1991-20202010: average high 54°F
- Coolest December2009: average high 40°F
- Wettest December2006: 3.2 in
- Driest December2002: 0.01 in
- Highest reading72°F (December 5, 2007)
- Lowest reading-16°F (December 22, 1998)
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 | 52°F | 45°F | 45°F |
| Normal low | 28°F | 20°F | 21°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| Daylight | 10.0 h | 9.4 h | 9.7 h |
Highs change by -7°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Breckenridge, CO53 mi · high 29°F · 11 wet days
How Lakewood ranks in December
- Normal high238th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days46th driest of 378
- Comfortable days194th most of 340
What to pack for Lakewood in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 20°F, highs near 45°F
- Layers – afternoons near 45°F but nights near 20°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 13 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1014 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Lakewood in December?
The normal high is 45°F and the normal low is 20°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -16°F (December 22, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Lakewood 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 Lakewood 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 Lakewood?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Lakewood (40 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature: Lakewood (USC00054762), 3.7 mi NW of the city center, 5,640 ft (120 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Wheat Ridge 2 (USC00058995), 5.2 mi NNW of the city center, 5,398 ft (122 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Aurora Buckley Fld ANGB (USW00023036), 18 mi E of the city center, 5,663 ft (143 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Buckley Air Force Base (724695-23036), 18 mi E of the city center, 5,663 ft (143 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.