Quincy, MA weather in December
December in Quincy: chilly, with frequent rain and some snow. Highs 43°F, lows 27°F, about 12 wet days and about 9.0 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 43°F
- Normal low
- 27°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 | 47°F | 39°F |
| Normal low | 31°F | 24°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 39% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:53 am / 4:12 pm | 7:12 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 (8 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°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 snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below23 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 December1995: average high 36°F
- Wettest December1992: 8.3 in
- Driest December1999: 1.5 in
- Highest reading77°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading1°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 | 52°F | 43°F | 38°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 27°F | 22°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 12 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.2 h | 9.5 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Worcester, MA41 mi · high 38°F · 12 wet days
How Quincy ranks in December
- Normal high261st warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 9 in Massachusetts
- Wet days297th driest of 378
- Comfortable days226th most of 340
What to pack for Quincy in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 27°F, highs near 43°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 23 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 925 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 Quincy in December?
The normal high is 43°F and the normal low is 27°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 1°F (most recently on December 30, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Quincy 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 Quincy 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 Quincy?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Quincy (31 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, snow depth and frost dates: Hingham (USC00193624), 4.9 mi ESE of the city center, 35 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Boston Logan Intl Airport (USW00014739), 7.5 mi N of the city center, 12 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Gen E L Logan International Airport (725090-14739), 7.5 mi N of the city center, 11 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.