Boston, MA weather in December
December in Boston: chilly, with frequent rain and some snow. Highs 42°F, lows 29°F, rain or snow on about 12 days and about 9.0 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 42°F
- Normal low
- 29°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 4.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 9.0 in
- snow on the ground 8 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 46°F | 39°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 25°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 39% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:53 am / 4:12 pm | 7:13 am / 4:21 pm |
| Daylight | 9.3 h | 9.1 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 24°F
- 9 am35°Fdew point 25°F
- Noon39°Fdew point 25°F
- 3 pm40°Fdew point 25°F
- 6 pm38°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 pm36°Fdew point 25°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Boston Logan Intl Airport (3 mi away); average wind 12 mph; clear or few clouds in 28% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 58%.
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 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below20 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more8 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 4.3 in; a dry December brings about 2.8 in and a wet one about 5.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 9.0 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 52°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 36°F
- Wettest December1992: 8.3 in
- Driest December1999: 1.5 in
- Highest reading76°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading2°F (December 29, 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 | 52°F | 42°F | 37°F |
| Normal low | 38°F | 29°F | 23°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 12 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.1 h | 9.5 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Concord, NH64 mi · high 37°F · 12 wet days
How Boston ranks in December
- Normal high267th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 9 in Massachusetts
- Wet days296th driest of 378
- Comfortable days240th most of 340
What to pack for Boston in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 29°F, highs near 42°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 12 days
- Waterproof boots – about 9.0 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 20 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 908 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 Boston in December?
The normal high is 42°F and the normal low is 29°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 2°F (December 29, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Boston in December?
About 12 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.3 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 1992 (8.3 in); the driest was in 1999 (1.5 in).
Does it snow in Boston in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 9.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 8 days.
Is December a good time to visit Boston?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Boston (31 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, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Boston Logan Intl Airport (USW00014739), 2.5 mi E of the city center, 12 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Hingham (USC00193624), 12 mi SE of the city center, 35 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Gen E L Logan International Airport (725090-14739), 2.5 mi E of the city center, 11 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.