Springfield, MA weather in December
Springfield is cold and snowy in December: highs average 41°F and nights drop to about 25°F. Expect about 12 wet days. Snowfall averages about 10.1 in. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 41°F
- Normal low
- 25°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 4.1 in total
- Snowfall
- 10.1 in
- snow on the ground 10 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 45°F | 37°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 21°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:59 am / 4:19 pm | 7:18 am / 4:28 pm |
| Daylight | 9.3 h | 9.2 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 am29°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 am32°Fdew point 24°F
- Noon37°Fdew point 24°F
- 3 pm38°Fdew point 24°F
- 6 pm35°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 pm33°Fdew point 24°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Hartford Bradley Intl Airport (12 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
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 snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below25 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more10 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 4.1 in; a dry December brings about 2.8 in and a wet one about 5.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 10.1 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 51°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 34°F
- Wettest December2019: 7.9 in
- Driest December1998: 0.8 in
- Highest reading76°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading-3°F (December 31, 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 | 41°F | 35°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 25°F | 19°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.2 h | 9.5 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -6°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Philadelphia, PA200 mi · high 46°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Rutland, VT106 mi · high 35°F · 14 wet days
How Springfield ranks in December
- Normal high280th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 9 in Massachusetts
- Wet days287th driest of 378
- Comfortable days242nd most of 340
What to pack for Springfield in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 25°F, highs near 41°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 12 days
- Waterproof boots – about 10.1 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 25 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1004 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 Springfield in December?
The normal high is 41°F and the normal low is 25°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -3°F (December 31, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Springfield in December?
About 12 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.1 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2019 (7.9 in); the driest was in 1998 (0.8 in).
Does it snow in Springfield in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 10.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 10 days.
Is December a good time to visit Springfield?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Springfield (29 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and humidity and wind by hour: Hartford Bradley Intl Airport (USW00014740), 12 mi SSW of the city center, 190 ft (122 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Amherst (USC00190120), 20 mi N of the city center, 145 ft (77 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Westfield Barnes Muni Airport (USW00014775), 7.5 mi WNW of the city center, 271 ft (203 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Bradley International Airport (725080-14740), 12 mi SSW of the city center, 169 ft (101 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).