Billings, MT weather in December
In December, Billings sees highs around 37°F and lows around 16°F: cold, with some rain and some snow. Rain or snow falls on about 6 days. Snowfall averages about 9.8 in. It is one of the coldest months in Billings.
- Normal high
- 37°F
- Normal low
- 16°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 0.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 9.8 in
- snow on the ground 12 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 40°F | 36°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 14°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 19% | 21% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:34 am / 4:31 pm | 7:55 am / 4:38 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 (Mountain Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am25°Fdew point 14°F
- 9 am25°Fdew point 14°F
- Noon31°Fdew point 16°F
- 3 pm33°Fdew point 16°F
- 6 pm29°Fdew point 15°F
- 9 pm27°Fdew point 15°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Billings Logan Intl Airport (3 mi away); average wind 13 mph; clear or few clouds in 36% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 44%.
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 snow6 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more12 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 0.6 in; a dry December brings about 0.3 in and a wet one about 0.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 9.8 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20201999: average high 50°F
- Coolest December2016: average high 27°F
- Wettest December2013: 2.0 in
- Driest December2019: 0.1 in
- Highest reading69°F (December 11, 2004)
- Lowest reading-27°F (December 17, 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 | 47°F | 37°F | 37°F |
| Normal low | 24°F | 16°F | 14°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 8.7 h | 9.2 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Big Sky, MT143 mi · high 28°F · 14 wet days
How Billings ranks in December
- Normal high319th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 6 in Montana
- Wet days88th driest of 378
- Comfortable days243rd most of 340
What to pack for Billings in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 16°F, highs near 37°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 12 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1200 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 Billings in December?
The normal high is 37°F and the normal low is 16°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -27°F (December 17, 2016).
Does it rain a lot in Billings in December?
About 6 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.6 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2013 (2.0 in); the driest was in 2019 (0.1 in).
Does it snow in Billings in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 9.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 12 days.
Is December a good time to visit Billings?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Billings (35 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and frost dates: Billings WTP (USC00240802), 1.2 mi SE of the city center, 3,097 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Billings Logan Intl Airport (USW00024033), 2.6 mi NW of the city center, 3,581 ft (459 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Billings Logan International Airport (726770-24033), 2.7 mi NW of the city center, 3,590 ft (468 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.