Bangor, ME weather in December
Bangor is cold and snowy in December: highs average 35°F and nights drop to about 17°F. There are about 13 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 14.7 in. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 35°F
- Normal low
- 17°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 3.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 14.7 in
- snow on the ground 16 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 40°F | 30°F |
| Normal low | 23°F | 12°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 39% | 40% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:52 am / 3:55 pm | 7:12 am / 4:03 pm |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 8.8 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
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 snow13 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more16 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.7 in; a dry December brings about 2.6 in and a wet one about 4.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 14.7 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 41°F
- Coolest December2013: average high 27°F
- Wettest December1996: 8.8 in
- Driest December1998: 1.8 in
- Highest reading65°F (December 8, 1998)
- Lowest reading-24°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 | 46°F | 35°F | 28°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 17°F | 9°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 13 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 8.9 h | 9.3 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -7°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Lowell, MA196 mi · high 40°F · 11 wet days
How Bangor ranks in December
- Normal high342nd warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 5 in Maine
- Wet days319th driest of 378
- Comfortable days275th most of 340
What to pack for Bangor in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 17°F, highs near 35°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 13 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 16 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1212 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 Bangor in December?
The normal high is 35°F and the normal low is 17°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -24°F (December 31, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Bangor in December?
About 13 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.7 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (8.8 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.8 in).
Does it snow in Bangor in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 14.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 16 days.
Is December a good time to visit Bangor?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Bangor (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Bangor Intl Airport (USW00014606), 2.0 mi W of the city center, 148 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Millinocket Municipal Arpt (726196-14610), 59 mi N of the city center, 401 ft (286 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).