Portland, ME weather in December
Expect cold, snowy weather in Portland in December, with highs near 38°F and lows near 22°F. Rain or snow falls on about 12 days. Snowfall averages about 14.6 in. Pack for snow.
- Normal high
- 38°F
- Normal low
- 22°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 4.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 14.6 in
- snow on the ground 11 days
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 | 39% | 40% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:54 am / 4:05 pm | 7:14 am / 4:13 pm |
| Daylight | 9.2 h | 9.0 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 am26°Fdew point 20°F
- 9 am29°Fdew point 21°F
- Noon34°Fdew point 22°F
- 3 pm35°Fdew point 22°F
- 6 pm32°Fdew point 22°F
- 9 pm30°Fdew point 21°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Portland Intl Jetport (2 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
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below27 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more11 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 3.5 in and a wet one about 5.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 14.6 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 46°F
- Coolest December2017: average high 31°F
- Wettest December2019: 8.5 in
- Driest December1998: 1.6 in
- Highest reading71°F (December 6, 2001)
- Lowest reading-13°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 | 48°F | 38°F | 32°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 22°F | 16°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 9.0 h | 9.4 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -6°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Brockton, MA116 mi · high 44°F · 12 wet days
- Cooler: Stowe, VT133 mi · high 32°F · 15 wet days
How Portland ranks in December
- Normal high298th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 5 in Maine
- Wet days308th driest of 378
- Comfortable days256th most of 340
What to pack for Portland in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 22°F, highs near 38°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 12 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 11 days
- A hat and gloves – about 27 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1074 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 Portland 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 (most recently on December 30, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Portland in December?
About 12 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 2019 (8.5 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.6 in).
Does it snow in Portland in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 14.6 in, and snow covers the ground on about 11 days.
Is December a good time to visit Portland?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Portland (27 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, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Portland Intl Jetport (USW00014764), 2.4 mi WSW of the city center, 45 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Portland International Jetport Airport (726060-14764), 2.8 mi WSW of the city center, 44 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).