Great Falls, MT weather in December
Expect cold weather with some rain and some snow in Great Falls in December, with highs near 36°F and lows near 16°F. Rain or snow falls on about 7 days. Snowfall averages about 9.6 in. It is one of the coldest months in Great Falls.
- Normal high
- 36°F
- Normal low
- 16°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 0.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 9.6 in
- snow on the ground 11 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 38°F | 35°F |
| Normal low | 20°F | 15°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 20% | 23% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:52 am / 4:36 pm | 8:12 am / 4:43 pm |
| Daylight | 8.7 h | 8.5 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
- Noon32°Fdew point 16°F
- 3 pm32°Fdew point 16°F
- 6 pm27°Fdew point 15°F
- 9 pm25°Fdew point 14°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Great Falls Intl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 14 mph; clear or few clouds in 62% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 32%.
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 snow7 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below27 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more11 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 0.5 in; a dry December brings about 0.2 in and a wet one about 0.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 9.6 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20201999: average high 45°F
- Coolest December2016: average high 22°F
- Wettest December2010: 1.6 in
- Driest December1999: 0.03 in
- Highest reading63°F (December 8, 2020)
- Lowest reading-33°F (December 7, 2013)
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 | 36°F | 35°F |
| Normal low | 24°F | 16°F | 15°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.3 h | 8.5 h | 8.9 h |
Highs change by -8°F from November and -1°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Big Sky, MT153 mi · high 28°F · 14 wet days
How Great Falls ranks in December
- Normal high332nd warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 6 in Montana
- Wet days92nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days308th most of 340
What to pack for Great Falls in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 16°F, highs near 36°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 11 days
- A hat and gloves – about 27 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1210 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 Great Falls in December?
The normal high is 36°F and the normal low is 16°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -33°F (December 7, 2013).
Does it rain a lot in Great Falls in December?
About 7 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2010 (1.6 in); the driest was in 1999 (0.03 in).
Does it snow in Great Falls in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 9.6 in, and snow covers the ground on about 11 days.
Is December a good time to visit Great Falls?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Great Falls (32 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Great Falls Intl Airport (USW00024143), 4.2 mi WSW of the city center, 3,664 ft (335 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Great Falls International Airport (727750-24143), 4.3 mi WSW of the city center, 3,667 ft (338 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.