Frederick, MD weather in December
Frederick is chilly in December, with frequent rain and some snow: highs average 44°F and nights drop to about 30°F. Rain or snow falls on about 10 days. Snowfall averages about 5.1 in.
- Normal high
- 44°F
- Normal low
- 30°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.9 in total
- Snowfall
- 5.1 in
- snow on the ground 5 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 48°F | 40°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 27°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:10 am / 4:46 pm | 7:29 am / 4:55 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 am33°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 am35°Fdew point 26°F
- Noon41°Fdew point 27°F
- 3 pm43°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm39°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm36°Fdew point 26°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Martinsburg E Wv Rgnl Airport (31 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 51% 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
- 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 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below21 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more5 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.9 in; a dry December brings about 2.7 in and a wet one about 5.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 5.1 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 55°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 35°F
- Wettest December1996: 7.1 in
- Driest December2017: 0.9 in
- Highest reading75°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading4°F (December 31, 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 | 53°F | 44°F | 39°F |
| Normal low | 36°F | 30°F | 25°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 4 | 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: Washington, DC41 mi · high 49°F · 10 wet days
How Frederick ranks in December
- Normal high256th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 3 in Maryland
- Wet days217th driest of 378
- Comfortable days209th most of 340
What to pack for Frederick in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 30°F, highs near 44°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – about 5.1 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 21 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 884 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 Frederick in December?
The normal high is 44°F and the normal low is 30°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 4°F (December 31, 1993).
Does it rain a lot in Frederick in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.9 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (7.1 in); the driest was in 2017 (1.0 in).
Does it snow in Frederick in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 5.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 5 days.
Is December a good time to visit Frederick?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Frederick (34 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Damascus 3 Ssw (USC00182336), 14 mi SE of the city center, 700 ft (417 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Frederick Police Brks (USC00183348), 1.5 mi W of the city center, 380 ft (97 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Martinsburg E Wv Rgnl Airport (USW00013734), 31 mi W of the city center, 534 ft (251 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Etrn Wv Rgnl/Shpherd Fd Airport (724177-13734), 30 mi W of the city center, 541 ft (258 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.