Bar Harbor, ME weather in December
Expect cold weather with frequent rain in Bar Harbor in December, with highs near 38°F and lows near 22°F. Rain falls on about 14 days.
- Normal high
- 38°F
- Normal low
- 22°F
- Wet days
- 14
- 5.7 in total
- Daylight
- 8.9 h
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 43°F | 34°F |
| Normal low | 27°F | 18°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 43% | 42% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:48 am / 3:54 pm | 7:08 am / 4:02 pm |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 8.9 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 (temperature only: no humidity station nearby)0 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain (temperature and rain only)0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow14 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in10 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below26 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in December
Normal precipitation is 5.7 in; a dry December brings about 4.3 in and a wet one about 6.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202006: average high 43°F
- Coolest December1995: average high 33°F
- Highest reading59°F (December 4, 2009)
- Lowest reading-13°F (December 29, 1993)
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 | 38°F | 33°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 22°F | 15°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 14 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 8.9 h | 9.3 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Quincy, MA204 mi · high 43°F · 12 wet days
- Drier: Lowell, MA197 mi · high 40°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Stowe, VT221 mi · high 32°F · 15 wet days
How Bar Harbor ranks in December
- Normal high303rd warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 5 in Maine
- Wet days334th driest of 378
What to pack for Bar Harbor in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 22°F, highs near 38°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 14 days
- A hat and gloves – about 26 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1082 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 Bar Harbor in December?
The normal high is 38°F and the normal low is 22°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -13°F (December 29, 1993).
Does it rain a lot in Bar Harbor in December?
About 14 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.7 in.
Is December a good time to visit Bar Harbor?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Bar Harbor (25 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days (judged by temperature only). The best months are June, August and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Acadia NP (USC00170100), 2.9 mi WSW of the city center, 470 ft (416 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: snowfall, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour, cloud cover and daily humidity and wind (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).