Wilmington, DE weather in December
Wilmington is chilly in December, with frequent rain: highs average 46°F and nights drop to about 30°F. Rain or snow falls on about 11 days. Snowfall averages about 2.9 in.
- Normal high
- 46°F
- Normal low
- 30°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.9 in total
- Snowfall
- 2.9 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 50°F | 43°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 27°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:04 am / 4:38 pm | 7:23 am / 4:47 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am36°Fdew point 27°F
- 9 am38°Fdew point 28°F
- Noon43°Fdew point 28°F
- 3 pm44°Fdew point 28°F
- 6 pm41°Fdew point 28°F
- 9 pm39°Fdew point 28°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Philadelphia Intl Airport (19 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 60% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 37%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below20 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 3.9 in; a dry December brings about 2.6 in and a wet one about 4.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 2.9 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 57°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 38°F
- Wettest December2009: 8.6 in
- Driest December1998: 1.0 in
- Highest reading75°F (December 4, 1998)
- Lowest reading8°F (December 31, 2017)
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 | 56°F | 46°F | 41°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 30°F | 26°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Daylight | 10.0 h | 9.4 h | 9.7 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Williamsburg, VA182 mi · high 53°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Albany, NY221 mi · high 38°F · 13 wet days
How Wilmington ranks in December
- Normal high219th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 2 in Delaware
- Wet days251st driest of 378
- Comfortable days207th most of 340
What to pack for Wilmington in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 30°F, highs near 46°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- A hat and gloves – about 20 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 832 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 Wilmington in December?
The normal high is 46°F and the normal low is 30°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 8°F (most recently on December 31, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Wilmington in December?
About 11 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.9 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (8.6 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.0 in).
Does it snow in Wilmington in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 2.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is December a good time to visit Wilmington?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Wilmington (36 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Wilmington New Castle Co Airport (USW00013781), 5.8 mi SSW of the city center, 79 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Wilmington Porter Rsch (USC00079605), 1.9 mi N of the city center, 270 ft (179 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Philadelphia Intl Airport (USW00013739), 19 mi ENE of the city center, 10 ft (81 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Millville Muni Airport (USW00013735), 37 mi SE of the city center, 70 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Philadelphia International Airport (724080-13739), 19 mi ENE of the city center, 7 ft (84 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.