Mackinac Island, MI weather in December
Mackinac Island is cold and snowy in December: highs average 33°F and nights drop to about 21°F. Rain or snow falls on about 15 days. Snowfall averages about 22.0 in. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 33°F
- Normal low
- 21°F
- Wet days
- 15
- 2.1 in total
- Snowfall
- 22.0 in
- snow on the ground 20 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 38°F | 30°F |
| Normal low | 25°F | 16°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 49% | 50% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:59 am / 4:55 pm | 8:19 am / 5:03 pm |
| Daylight | 8.9 h | 8.7 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 am25°Fdew point 20°F
- 9 am25°Fdew point 20°F
- Noon29°Fdew point 22°F
- 3 pm30°Fdew point 22°F
- 6 pm28°Fdew point 22°F
- 9 pm26°Fdew point 21°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Pellston Rgnl Airport (21 mi away); average wind 9 mph.
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 snow15 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more20 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 2.1 in; a dry December brings about 1.5 in and a wet one about 2.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 22.0 in, with about 8 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 42°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 25°F
- Wettest December2015: 5.0 in
- Driest December1994: 0.3 in
- Highest reading64°F (December 6, 2001)
- Lowest reading-21°F (December 26, 1993)
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 | 44°F | 33°F | 27°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 21°F | 11°F |
| Wet days | 15 | 15 | 16 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 8.7 h | 9.1 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -6°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Drier: Sister Bay, WI129 mi · high 32°F · 10 wet days
How Mackinac Island ranks in December
- Normal high349th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days347th driest of 378
- Comfortable days303rd most of 340
What to pack for Mackinac Island in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 21°F, highs near 33°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 15 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 20 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1180 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 Mackinac Island in December?
The normal high is 33°F and the normal low is 21°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -21°F (December 26, 1993).
Does it rain a lot in Mackinac Island in December?
About 15 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.1 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (5.0 in); the driest was in 1994 (0.3 in).
Does it snow in Mackinac Island in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 22.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 20 days.
Is December a good time to visit Mackinac Island?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Mackinac Island (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Cheboygan (USC00201492), 15 mi SSE of the city center, 588 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: St Ignace Mackinac Br (USC00207274), 5.0 mi W of the city center, 595 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Pellston Rgnl Airport (USW00014841), 21 mi SSW of the city center, 705 ft (107 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Pellston Regional Arpt Of Emmet County Arpt (727347-14841), 21 mi SSW of the city center, 706 ft (108 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).