Vail, CO weather in December
Vail is very cold and snowy in December: highs average 28°F and nights drop to about 7°F. Rain or snow falls on about 11 days. Snowfall averages about 28.0 in. This is the depth of winter in Vail. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 28°F
- Normal low
- 7°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 1.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 28.0 in
- snow on the ground 26 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 31°F | 27°F |
| Normal low | 10°F | 6°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:07 am / 4:41 pm | 7:26 am / 4:50 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).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F (temperature only: no humidity station nearby)0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below31 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more26 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 1.7 in; a dry December brings about 1.0 in and a wet one about 2.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 28.0 in, with about 9 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202010: average high 33°F
- Coolest December2009: average high 24°F
- Wettest December2008: 3.7 in
- Driest December1997: 0.8 in
- Highest reading48°F (December 4, 2017)
- Lowest reading-17°F (December 18, 1996)
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 | 38°F | 28°F | 29°F |
| Normal low | 15°F | 7°F | 7°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 10.0 h | 9.4 h | 9.7 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and +1°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Boulder, CO64 mi · high 46°F · 5 wet days
- Drier: Boulder, CO64 mi · high 46°F · 5 wet days
How Vail ranks in December
- Normal high367th warmest of 378 cities; 17th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days265th driest of 378
What to pack for Vail in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 7°F, highs near 28°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 26 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1471 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 Vail in December?
The normal high is 28°F and the normal low is 7°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -17°F (December 18, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Vail in December?
About 11 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.7 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (3.7 in); the driest was in 1997 (0.8 in).
Does it snow in Vail in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 28.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 26 days.
Is December a good time to visit Vail?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Vail (22 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days (judged by temperature only). The best months are June and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and frost dates: Vail (USC00058575), 1.1 mi E of the city center, 8,304 ft (125 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Dillon 1 E (USC00052281), 18 mi E of the city center, 9,065 ft (886 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour, cloud cover and daily humidity and wind (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).