Lowell, MA weather in December
December in Lowell: cold and snowy. Highs 40°F, lows 22°F, about 11 wet days and about 12.8 in of snow. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 40°F
- Normal low
- 22°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 12.8 in
- snow on the ground 11 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 45°F | 36°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 18°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:55 am / 4:12 pm | 7:15 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 am28°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 am30°Fdew point 21°F
- Noon35°Fdew point 22°F
- 3 pm37°Fdew point 22°F
- 6 pm33°Fdew point 22°F
- 9 pm31°Fdew point 22°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Manchester Airport (22 mi away); average wind 7 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
- 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 snow11 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 3.2 in and a wet one about 5.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 12.8 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 47°F
- Coolest December1995: average high 33°F
- Wettest December2008: 8.5 in
- Driest December1998: 1.4 in
- Highest reading76°F (December 8, 1998)
- Lowest reading-8°F (December 18, 2013)
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 | 51°F | 40°F | 34°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 22°F | 16°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.1 h | 9.5 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -6°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Newport, RI79 mi · high 45°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Stowe, VT144 mi · high 32°F · 15 wet days
How Lowell ranks in December
- Normal high287th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 9 in Massachusetts
- Wet days256th driest of 378
- Comfortable days241st most of 340
What to pack for Lowell in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 22°F, highs near 40°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 11 days
- A hat and gloves – about 27 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1056 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 Lowell in December?
The normal high is 40°F and the normal low is 22°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -8°F (December 18, 2013).
Does it rain a lot in Lowell in December?
About 11 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 2008 (8.5 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.4 in).
Does it snow in Lowell in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 12.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 11 days.
Is December a good time to visit Lowell?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Lowell (28 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Lowell (USC00194313), 2.5 mi WNW of the city center, 110 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Reading (USC00196783), 12 mi SE of the city center, 110 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Manchester Airport (USW00014710), 22 mi NNW of the city center, 225 ft (108 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Boston Logan Intl Airport (USW00014739), 24 mi SE of the city center, 12 ft (105 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Gen E L Logan International Airport (725090-14739), 24 mi SE of the city center, 11 ft (106 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.