Baltimore, MD weather in December
December in Baltimore: chilly, with frequent rain. Highs 48°F, lows 30°F, about 10 days with rain or snow and about 2.5 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 48°F
- Normal low
- 30°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 2.5 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 52°F | 44°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 27°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 33% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:07 am / 4:43 pm | 7:26 am / 4:52 pm |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 9.4 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 am35°Fdew point 28°F
- 9 am38°Fdew point 29°F
- Noon43°Fdew point 29°F
- 3 pm45°Fdew point 29°F
- 6 pm41°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 pm38°Fdew point 29°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Baltimore Wash Intl Airport (9 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 46% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 45%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below21 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more2 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 2.4 in and a wet one about 4.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 2.5 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 58°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 38°F
- Wettest December2009: 8.1 in
- Driest December2017: 0.9 in
- Highest reading77°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading6°F (December 7, 2002)
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 | 57°F | 48°F | 43°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 30°F | 25°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Daylight | 10.0 h | 9.4 h | 9.8 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Williamsburg, VA140 mi · high 53°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Nags Head, NC237 mi · high 55°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Gettysburg, PA50 mi · high 43°F · 10 wet days
How Baltimore ranks in December
- Normal high201st warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 3 in Maryland
- Wet days233rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days196th most of 340
What to pack for Baltimore in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 30°F, highs near 48°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- A hat and gloves – about 21 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 820 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Baltimore in December?
The normal high is 48°F and the normal low is 30°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 6°F (December 7, 2002).
Does it rain a lot in Baltimore in December?
About 10 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 2009 (8.1 in); the driest was in 2017 (1.0 in).
Does it snow in Baltimore in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 2.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is December a good time to visit Baltimore?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Baltimore (38 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Baltimore Wash Intl Airport (USW00093721), 9.4 mi SSW of the city center, 156 ft (120 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Md Sci Ctr Baltimore (USW00093784), 0.7 mi SSE of the city center, 20 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Camp Springs Andrews AFB (USW00013705), 36 mi SSW of the city center, 282 ft (246 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Baltimore-Washington Intl Airport (724060-93721), 9.0 mi SSW of the city center, 138 ft (102 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.