Hartford, CT weather in December
December in Hartford: chilly and snowy. Highs 42°F, lows 26°F, about 11 days with rain or snow and about 10.1 in of snow. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 42°F
- Normal low
- 26°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 10.1 in
- snow on the ground 7 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 46°F | 38°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 22°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:58 am / 4:21 pm | 7:17 am / 4:29 pm |
| Daylight | 9.4 h | 9.2 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am29°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 am32°Fdew point 24°F
- Noon37°Fdew point 24°F
- 3 pm38°Fdew point 24°F
- 6 pm35°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 pm33°Fdew point 24°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Hartford Bradley Intl Airport (12 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below25 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more7 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.8 in; a dry December brings about 2.9 in and a wet one about 4.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 10.1 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 52°F
- Coolest December1995: average high 35°F
- Wettest December2019: 6.3 in
- Driest December1998: 0.8 in
- Highest reading75°F (December 8, 1998)
- Lowest reading-5°F (December 31, 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 | 42°F | 37°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 26°F | 20°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.2 h | 9.6 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Cape May, NJ228 mi · high 48°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Rutland, VT128 mi · high 35°F · 14 wet days
How Hartford ranks in December
- Normal high271st warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 5 in Connecticut
- Wet days281st driest of 378
- Comfortable days232nd most of 340
What to pack for Hartford in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 26°F, highs near 42°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 10.1 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 25 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 967 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 Hartford in December?
The normal high is 42°F and the normal low is 26°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -5°F (December 31, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Hartford in December?
About 11 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.8 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2019 (6.3 in); the driest was in 1998 (0.8 in).
Does it snow in Hartford in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 10.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 7 days.
Is December a good time to visit Hartford?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Hartford (30 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Hartford Brainard Fld (USW00014752), 2.6 mi SE of the city center, 19 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and humidity and wind by hour: Hartford Bradley Intl Airport (USW00014740), 12 mi N of the city center, 190 ft (140 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Burlington (USC00060973), 13 mi W of the city center, 505 ft (455 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Bradley International Airport (725080-14740), 12 mi N of the city center, 169 ft (119 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).