Duluth, MN weather in December
In December, Duluth sees highs around 27°F and lows around 13°F: very cold and snowy. Expect about 7 wet days. Snowfall averages about 12.3 in. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 27°F
- Normal low
- 13°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 1.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 12.3 in
- snow on the ground 20 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 32°F | 24°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 8°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 24% | 23% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:32 am / 4:22 pm | 7:53 am / 4:29 pm |
| Daylight | 8.8 h | 8.6 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am15°Fdew point 10°F
- 9 am15°Fdew point 11°F
- Noon20°Fdew point 12°F
- 3 pm21°Fdew point 13°F
- 6 pm19°Fdew point 12°F
- 9 pm17°Fdew point 12°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Duluth (6 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 40% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 52%.
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 snow7 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 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 1.3 in; a dry December brings about 0.8 in and a wet one about 1.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 12.3 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 34°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 16°F
- Wettest December2019: 4.3 in
- Driest December1999: 0.03 in
- Highest reading57°F (December 3, 1998)
- Lowest reading-23°F (December 26, 1996)
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 | 39°F | 27°F | 23°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 13°F | 6°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.4 h | 8.6 h | 9.0 h |
Highs change by -12°F from November and -4°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Grand Forks, ND244 mi · high 21°F · 8 wet days
How Duluth ranks in December
- Normal high371st warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 3 in Minnesota
- Wet days113th driest of 378
- Comfortable days305th most of 340
What to pack for Duluth in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 13°F, highs near 27°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 20 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1389 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 Duluth in December?
The normal high is 27°F and the normal low is 13°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -23°F (December 26, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Duluth in December?
About 7 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.3 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2019 (4.3 in); the driest was in 1999 (0.03 in).
Does it snow in Duluth in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 12.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 20 days.
Is December a good time to visit Duluth?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Duluth (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Superior (USC00478349), 4.2 mi SSE of the city center, 607 ft (93 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Duluth (USW00014913), 6.1 mi NW of the city center, 1,428 ft (728 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Duluth International Airport (727450-14913), 5.7 mi NW of the city center, 1,422 ft (722 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.