Lewiston, ME weather in December
December in Lewiston: cold and snowy. Highs 35°F, lows 16°F, rain or snow on about 13 days and about 16.2 in of snow. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 35°F
- Normal low
- 16°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 4.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 16.2 in
- snow on the ground 19 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 40°F | 31°F |
| Normal low | 22°F | 11°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 40% | 40% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:55 am / 4:03 pm | 7:15 am / 4:11 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).
A typical December day
- 6 am24°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 am26°Fdew point 18°F
- Noon30°Fdew point 19°F
- 3 pm32°Fdew point 19°F
- 6 pm29°Fdew point 19°F
- 9 pm27°Fdew point 19°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Augusta State Airport (26 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
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 more19 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 4.5 in; a dry December brings about 3.4 in and a wet one about 6.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 16.2 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 42°F
- Coolest December2017: average high 29°F
- Wettest December1996: 8.4 in
- Driest December1998: 2.1 in
- Highest reading68°F (December 8, 1998)
- Lowest reading-23°F (December 30, 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 | 29°F |
| Normal low | 27°F | 16°F | 8°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 13 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 8.9 h | 9.3 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -6°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Boston, MA128 mi · high 42°F · 12 wet days
- Cooler: Lake Placid, NY187 mi · high 29°F · 19 wet days
How Lewiston ranks in December
- Normal high335th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 5 in Maine
- Wet days320th driest of 378
- Comfortable days276th most of 340
What to pack for Lewiston in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 16°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 19 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1221 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 Lewiston in December?
The normal high is 35°F and the normal low is 16°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -23°F (most recently on December 30, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Lewiston in December?
About 13 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (8.4 in); the driest was in 1998 (2.1 in).
Does it snow in Lewiston in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 16.2 in, and snow covers the ground on about 19 days.
Is December a good time to visit Lewiston?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Lewiston (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Durham (USC00172048), 9.1 mi SE of the city center, 140 ft (78 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Lewiston (USC00174566), 0.1 mi WSW of the city center, 180 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Augusta State Airport (USW00014605), 26 mi NE of the city center, 350 ft (132 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Augusta State Airport (726185-14605), 26 mi NE of the city center, 349 ft (131 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).