Worcester, MA weather in December
In December, Worcester sees highs around 38°F and lows around 23°F: cold and snowy. Expect about 12 wet days. Snowfall averages about 14.9 in. Pack for snow.
- Normal high
- 38°F
- Normal low
- 23°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 4.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 14.9 in
- snow on the ground 8 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 42°F | 34°F |
| Normal low | 28°F | 19°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 38% | 41% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:56 am / 4:15 pm | 7:16 am / 4:24 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 (41 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
- 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 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below26 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 3.1 in and a wet one about 5.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 14.9 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 48°F
- Coolest December1995: average high 30°F
- Wettest December2019: 7.0 in
- Driest December1998: 1.5 in
- Highest reading72°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading-3°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 | 48°F | 38°F | 32°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 23°F | 17°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 12 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.2 h | 9.5 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -6°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Providence, RI36 mi · high 43°F · 12 wet days
- Cooler: Stowe, VT159 mi · high 32°F · 15 wet days
How Worcester ranks in December
- Normal high307th warmest of 378 cities; 9th of 9 in Massachusetts
- Wet days301st driest of 378
- Comfortable days257th most of 340
What to pack for Worcester in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 23°F, highs near 38°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 12 days
- Waterproof boots – about 14.9 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 26 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1071 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 Worcester in December?
The normal high is 38°F and the normal low is 23°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -3°F (December 29, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Worcester 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 2019 (7.1 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.5 in).
Does it snow in Worcester in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 14.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 8 days.
Is December a good time to visit Worcester?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Worcester (26 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 and frost dates: Worcester Rgnl Airport (USW00094746), 3.7 mi W of the city center, 1,000 ft (516 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Northbridge 2 (USC00195524), 12 mi SSE of the city center, 315 ft (169 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Boston Logan Intl Airport (USW00014739), 41 mi E of the city center, 12 ft (472 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Orange Municipal Airport (725085-54756), 33 mi NW of the city center, 544 ft (60 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.