Minneapolis, MN weather in December
Minneapolis is very cold and snowy in December: highs average 29°F and nights drop to about 15°F. There are about 10 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 12.3 in. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 29°F
- Normal low
- 15°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 1.2 in total
- Snowfall
- 12.3 in
- snow on the ground 21 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 34°F | 25°F |
| Normal low | 21°F | 11°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 31% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:31 am / 4:33 pm | 7:51 am / 4:40 pm |
| Daylight | 9.0 h | 8.8 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 am19°Fdew point 14°F
- 9 am20°Fdew point 15°F
- Noon24°Fdew point 16°F
- 3 pm26°Fdew point 16°F
- 6 pm24°Fdew point 16°F
- 9 pm22°Fdew point 16°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Minneapolis/St Paul Airport (7 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 27% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 63%.
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 snow10 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 more21 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 1.2 in; a dry December brings about 0.7 in and a wet one about 1.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 12.3 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202006: average high 36°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 14°F
- Wettest December2010: 2.8 in
- Driest December2002: 0.2 in
- Highest reading68°F (December 1, 1998)
- Lowest reading-27°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 | 42°F | 29°F | 24°F |
| Normal low | 28°F | 15°F | 9°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 8.8 h | 9.2 h |
Highs change by -13°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Cedar Rapids, IA221 mi · high 35°F · 9 wet days
How Minneapolis ranks in December
- Normal high364th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 3 in Minnesota
- Wet days204th driest of 378
- Comfortable days306th most of 340
What to pack for Minneapolis in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 15°F, highs near 29°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 21 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1333 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 16% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Minneapolis in December?
The normal high is 29°F and the normal low is 15°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -27°F (December 26, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Minneapolis in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.2 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2010 (2.8 in); the driest was in 2002 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Minneapolis in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 12.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 21 days.
Is December a good time to visit Minneapolis?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Minneapolis (25 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Minneapolis/St Paul Airport (USW00014922), 6.9 mi SSE of the city center, 872 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: New Hope (USC00215838), 6.0 mi WNW of the city center, 910 ft (80 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Lower St Anthony Falls (USC00214884), 0.8 mi E of the city center, 754 ft (76 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport (726580-14922), 6.8 mi SSE of the city center, 835 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.