Dover, DE weather in December
December in Dover: chilly, with frequent rain. Highs 49°F, lows 32°F, about 10 wet days and about 2.6 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 49°F
- Normal low
- 32°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 4.0 in total
- Snowfall
- 2.6 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 53°F | 45°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 29°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 31% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:02 am / 4:39 pm | 7:21 am / 4:48 pm |
| Daylight | 9.6 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am36°Fdew point 30°F
- 9 am39°Fdew point 32°F
- Noon44°Fdew point 32°F
- 3 pm45°Fdew point 31°F
- 6 pm41°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 pm39°Fdew point 31°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Dover AFB (4 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 44% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 47%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below18 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more2 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 4.0 in; a dry December brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 5.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 2.6 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 60°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 39°F
- Wettest December2009: 8.7 in
- Driest December2017: 0.8 in
- Highest reading75°F (December 8, 1998)
- Lowest reading10°F (December 20, 2004)
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 | 58°F | 49°F | 44°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 32°F | 28°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| Daylight | 10.1 h | 9.5 h | 9.8 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Virginia Beach, VA161 mi · high 54°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Nags Head, NC221 mi · high 55°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Allentown, PA100 mi · high 43°F · 12 wet days
How Dover ranks in December
- Normal high198th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 2 in Delaware
- Wet days237th driest of 378
- Comfortable days173rd most of 340
What to pack for Dover in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 32°F, highs near 49°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- A hat and gloves – about 18 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 764 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Dover in December?
The normal high is 49°F and the normal low is 32°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 10°F (most recently on December 20, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Dover in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.0 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (8.7 in); the driest was in 2017 (0.8 in).
Does it snow in Dover in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 2.6 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is December a good time to visit Dover?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Dover (39 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Dover (USC00072730), 1.3 mi SE of the city center, 30 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Dover AFB (USW00013707), 3.5 mi ESE of the city center, 23 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Dover AFB Airport (724088-13707), 3.5 mi ESE of the city center, 28 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.