Dearborn, MI weather in December
Dearborn is cold in December, with frequent rain and some snow: highs average 37°F and nights drop to about 24°F. Rain or snow falls on about 13 days. Snowfall averages about 8.9 in.
- Normal high
- 37°F
- Normal low
- 24°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 2.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.9 in
- snow on the ground 8 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 42°F | 33°F |
| Normal low | 28°F | 20°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 40% | 44% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:42 am / 5:01 pm | 8:01 am / 5:09 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 am30°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 am31°Fdew point 25°F
- Noon34°Fdew point 25°F
- 3 pm36°Fdew point 25°F
- 6 pm34°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 pm32°Fdew point 25°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Detroit City Airport (10 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 26% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 68%.
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 snow13 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 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 2.3 in; a dry December brings about 1.5 in and a wet one about 2.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 8.9 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20201998: average high 46°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 29°F
- Wettest December2008: 4.1 in
- Driest December1993: 0.8 in
- Highest reading69°F (December 6, 2001)
- Lowest reading-7°F (December 28, 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 | 37°F | 32°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 24°F | 18°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 13 | 13 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.1 h | 9.5 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Cincinnati, OH233 mi · high 45°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Carmel, IN223 mi · high 38°F · 10 wet days
How Dearborn ranks in December
- Normal high318th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days326th driest of 378
- Comfortable days258th most of 340
What to pack for Dearborn in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 24°F, highs near 37°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 13 days
- Waterproof boots – about 8.9 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 Dearborn in December?
The normal high is 37°F and the normal low is 24°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -7°F (December 28, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Dearborn in December?
About 13 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.3 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (4.1 in); the driest was in 1993 (0.8 in).
Does it snow in Dearborn in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 8.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 8 days.
Is December a good time to visit Dearborn?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Dearborn (29 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and frost dates: Dearborn (USC00202015), 3.1 mi W of the city center, 605 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Detroit Metro Airport (USW00094847), 10 mi SW of the city center, 631 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Detroit City Airport (USW00014822), 10 mi NE of the city center, 626 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Flint Bishop Intl Airport (USW00014826), 53 mi NNW of the city center, 770 ft (179 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport (725370-94847), 10 mi SW of the city center, 630 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.