Detroit, MI weather in December
Detroit is cold in December, with frequent rain and some snow: highs average 37°F and nights drop to about 26°F. There are about 13 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 8.9 in.
- Normal high
- 37°F
- Normal low
- 26°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 | 34°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 22°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 40% | 44% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:41 am / 5:00 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 (6 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
- 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 snow13 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 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 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, 1991-20202015: average high 46°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 26°F
- Wettest December2008: 4.1 in
- Driest December1993: 0.8 in
- Highest reading70°F (December 6, 1998)
- Lowest reading-4°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 | 34°F | 26°F | 20°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, OH236 mi · high 45°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Carmel, IN228 mi · high 38°F · 10 wet days
How Detroit ranks in December
- Normal high309th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days327th driest of 378
- Comfortable days277th most of 340
What to pack for Detroit in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 26°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 23 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1038 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 Detroit in December?
The normal high is 37°F and the normal low is 26°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -4°F (December 28, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Detroit 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 Detroit 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 Detroit?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Detroit (28 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Detroit City Airport (USW00014822), 5.7 mi NNE of the city center, 626 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Detroit Metro Airport (USW00094847), 16 mi WSW of the city center, 631 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Flint Bishop Intl Airport (USW00014826), 57 mi NW of the city center, 770 ft (172 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Detroit City Airport (725375-14822), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 623 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.