Whitefish, MT weather in December
Whitefish is cold and snowy in December: highs average 31°F and nights drop to about 17°F. Rain or snow falls on about 14 days. Snowfall averages about 21.2 in. This is the depth of winter in Whitefish. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 31°F
- Normal low
- 17°F
- Wet days
- 14
- 1.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 21.2 in
- snow on the ground 17 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 34°F | 30°F |
| Normal low | 21°F | 15°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 44% | 49% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:07 am / 4:44 pm | 8:28 am / 4:51 pm |
| Daylight | 8.6 h | 8.4 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 am23°Fdew point 19°F
- 9 am23°Fdew point 19°F
- Noon28°Fdew point 21°F
- 3 pm29°Fdew point 22°F
- 6 pm26°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 pm24°Fdew point 20°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Kalispell Glacier Airport (8 mi away); average wind 4 mph.
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 snow14 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more17 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 1.5 in; a dry December brings about 1.0 in and a wet one about 2.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 21.2 in, with about 7 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202019: average high 38°F
- Coolest December2016: average high 25°F
- Wettest December1996: 3.3 in
- Driest December2001: 0.5 in
- Highest reading55°F (December 22, 2019)
- Lowest reading-22°F (December 21, 2008)
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 | 31°F | 31°F |
| Normal low | 24°F | 17°F | 16°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 14 | 14 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.2 h | 8.4 h | 8.8 h |
Highs change by -8°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Drier: Great Falls, MT154 mi · high 36°F · 7 wet days
How Whitefish ranks in December
- Normal high358th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 6 in Montana
- Wet days343rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days311th most of 340
What to pack for Whitefish in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 17°F, highs near 31°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 14 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 17 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1268 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 Whitefish in December?
The normal high is 31°F and the normal low is 17°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -22°F (most recently on December 21, 2008).
Does it rain a lot in Whitefish in December?
About 14 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (3.3 in); the driest was in 2001 (0.5 in).
Does it snow in Whitefish in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 21.2 in, and snow covers the ground on about 17 days.
Is December a good time to visit Whitefish?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Whitefish (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Kalispell Glacier Airport (USC00244558), 8.1 mi SSE of the city center, 2,957 ft (78 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and frost dates: Whitefish (USC00248902), 1.0 mi WSW of the city center, 3,100 ft (65 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Glacier Park International Airport (727790-24146), 8.1 mi SSE of the city center, 2,963 ft (72 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).