South Bend, IN weather in December
December in South Bend: cold and snowy. Highs 36°F, lows 23°F, about 15 wet days and about 13.7 in of snow. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 36°F
- Normal low
- 23°F
- Wet days
- 15
- 2.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 13.7 in
- snow on the ground 10 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 41°F | 33°F |
| Normal low | 27°F | 20°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 45% | 51% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:52 am / 5:15 pm | 8:11 am / 5:24 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 am28°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 am28°Fdew point 24°F
- Noon32°Fdew point 25°F
- 3 pm34°Fdew point 25°F
- 6 pm32°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 pm30°Fdew point 25°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from South Bend Michiana Rgnl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 32% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 63%.
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 snow15 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below25 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more10 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 2.4 in; a dry December brings about 1.8 in and a wet one about 2.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 13.7 in, with about 5 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 46°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 25°F
- Wettest December2015: 4.1 in
- Driest December2017: 1.4 in
- Highest reading70°F (December 5, 2001)
- Lowest reading-14°F (December 19, 2016)
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 | 48°F | 36°F | 31°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 23°F | 17°F |
| Wet days | 13 | 15 | 17 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.2 h | 9.6 h |
Highs change by -12°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Cincinnati, OH200 mi · high 45°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Chicago, IL73 mi · high 38°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Green Bay, WI215 mi · high 31°F · 11 wet days
How South Bend ranks in December
- Normal high323rd warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 6 in Indiana
- Wet days345th driest of 378
- Comfortable days273rd most of 340
What to pack for South Bend in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 23°F, highs near 36°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 15 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 10 days
- A hat and gloves – about 25 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1096 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 South Bend in December?
The normal high is 36°F and the normal low is 23°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -14°F (December 19, 2016).
Does it rain a lot in South Bend in December?
About 15 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.4 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (4.1 in); the driest was in 2017 (1.4 in).
Does it snow in South Bend in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 13.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 10 days.
Is December a good time to visit South Bend?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for South Bend (28 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: South Bend Michiana Rgnl Airport (USW00014848), 3.8 mi WNW of the city center, 773 ft (81 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: South Bend Regional Airport (725350-14848), 3.8 mi WNW of the city center, 772 ft (80 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.