Rochester, MN weather in December
Rochester is very cold and snowy in December: highs average 28°F and nights drop to about 14°F. Rain or snow falls on about 10 days. Snowfall averages about 12.4 in. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 28°F
- Normal low
- 14°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 1.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 12.4 in
- snow on the ground 20 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 34°F | 24°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 9°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 32% | 31% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:24 am / 4:33 pm | 7:44 am / 4:41 pm |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 8.9 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 15°F
- 9 am20°Fdew point 15°F
- Noon24°Fdew point 18°F
- 3 pm25°Fdew point 18°F
- 6 pm22°Fdew point 17°F
- 9 pm21°Fdew point 16°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Rochester Intl Airport (8 mi away); average wind 13 mph; clear or few clouds in 50% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 47%.
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 in4 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 0.6 in and a wet one about 1.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 12.4 in, with about 4 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 13°F
- Wettest December2010: 3.7 in
- Driest December2020: 0.2 in
- Highest reading64°F (December 4, 2017)
- Lowest reading-25°F (December 18, 2016)
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 | 28°F | 23°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 14°F | 7°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 8.9 h | 9.3 h |
Highs change by -14°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Cedar Rapids, IA145 mi · high 35°F · 9 wet days
How Rochester ranks in December
- Normal high368th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 3 in Minnesota
- Wet days195th driest of 378
- Comfortable days307th most of 340
What to pack for Rochester in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 14°F, highs near 28°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 20 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1370 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 Rochester in December?
The normal high is 28°F and the normal low is 14°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -25°F (most recently on December 18, 2016).
Does it rain a lot in Rochester in December?
About 10 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 2010 (3.7 in); the driest was in 2020 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Rochester in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 12.4 in, and snow covers the ground on about 20 days.
Is December a good time to visit Rochester?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Rochester (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Rochester Intl Airport (USW00014925), 8.2 mi S of the city center, 1,304 ft (280 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Rochester International Airport (726440-14925), 8.2 mi S of the city center, 1,305 ft (281 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.