Washington, DC weather in December
December in Washington: chilly, with frequent rain. Highs 49°F, lows 35°F, rain or snow on about 10 days and about 1.7 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 49°F
- Normal low
- 35°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 1.7 in
- snow on the ground 1 day
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 53°F | 46°F |
| Normal low | 38°F | 32°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 32% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:07 am / 4:46 pm | 7:26 am / 4:55 pm |
| Daylight | 9.7 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 am37°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 am39°Fdew point 30°F
- Noon44°Fdew point 30°F
- 3 pm46°Fdew point 30°F
- 6 pm43°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 pm41°Fdew point 30°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Washington Reagan Airport (3 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 46% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 45%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 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 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below13 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more1 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.4 in; a dry December brings about 2.2 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 1.7 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 59°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 39°F
- Wettest December2009: 6.8 in
- Driest December2017: 0.5 in
- Highest reading79°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading11°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 | 45°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 35°F | 30°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 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 -4°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Chesapeake, VA149 mi · high 55°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Nags Head, NC217 mi · high 55°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Frederick, MD41 mi · high 44°F · 10 wet days
How Washington ranks in December
- Normal high196th warmest of 378 cities
- Wet days224th driest of 378
- Comfortable days185th most of 340
What to pack for Washington in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 35°F, highs near 49°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
Heating and cooling
December has 724 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 13% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Washington in December?
The normal high is 49°F and the normal low is 35°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 11°F (December 20, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Washington in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.4 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (6.8 in); the driest was in 2017 (0.5 in).
Does it snow in Washington in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 1.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 1 day.
Is December a good time to visit Washington?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Washington (39 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Washington Reagan Airport (USW00013743), 3.2 mi S of the city center, 10 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Camp Springs Andrews AFB (USW00013705), 11 mi ESE of the city center, 282 ft (258 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Ronald Reagan Washington Natl Airport (724050-13743), 3.3 mi S of the city center, 13 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.