Cape May, NJ weather in December
Expect chilly weather with frequent rain in Cape May in December, with highs near 48°F and lows near 33°F. Rain or snow falls on about 11 days. Snowfall averages about 2.0 in.
- Normal high
- 48°F
- Normal low
- 33°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.0 in total
- Snowfall
- 2.0 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 52°F | 45°F |
| Normal low | 36°F | 30°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:59 am / 4:37 pm | 7:18 am / 4:47 pm |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 9.5 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am36°Fdew point 30°F
- 9 am39°Fdew point 32°F
- Noon44°Fdew point 32°F
- 3 pm45°Fdew point 31°F
- 6 pm41°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 pm39°Fdew point 31°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Dover AFB (33 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 44% 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°F1 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below16 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more2 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 4.0 in; a dry December brings about 2.6 in and a wet one about 5.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 2.0 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 58°F
- Coolest December2010: average high 40°F
- Wettest December2008: 7.4 in
- Driest December2017: 1.3 in
- Highest reading76°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading11°F (December 31, 1993)
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 | 57°F | 48°F | 43°F |
| Normal low | 41°F | 33°F | 29°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Daylight | 10.1 h | 9.5 h | 9.8 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Virginia Beach, VA155 mi · high 54°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Nags Head, NC209 mi · high 55°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Allentown, PA120 mi · high 43°F · 12 wet days
How Cape May ranks in December
- Normal high199th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 3 in New Jersey
- Wet days275th driest of 378
- Comfortable days213th most of 340
What to pack for Cape May in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 33°F, highs near 48°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- A hat and gloves – about 16 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 758 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Cape May in December?
The normal high is 48°F and the normal low is 33°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 11°F (December 31, 1993).
Does it rain a lot in Cape May in December?
About 11 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.0 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (7.4 in); the driest was in 2017 (1.3 in).
Does it snow in Cape May in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 2.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is December a good time to visit Cape May?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Cape May (37 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Cape May 2 Nw (USC00281351), 2.0 mi NW of the city center, 20 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Dover AFB (USW00013707), 33 mi WNW of the city center, 23 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Millville Municipal Arpt (724075-13735), 31 mi NNW of the city center, 58 ft (51 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.