Newark, NJ weather in December
Newark is chilly in December, with frequent rain and some snow: highs average 45°F and nights drop to about 31°F. There are about 11 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 5.4 in.
- Normal high
- 45°F
- Normal low
- 31°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.1 in total
- Snowfall
- 5.4 in
- snow on the ground 3 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 49°F | 41°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 28°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:01 am / 4:29 pm | 7:20 am / 4:38 pm |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 9.3 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 am35°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 am37°Fdew point 27°F
- Noon42°Fdew point 27°F
- 3 pm43°Fdew point 27°F
- 6 pm40°Fdew point 27°F
- 9 pm38°Fdew point 27°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Newark Intl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 55% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 40%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 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 below18 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more3 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 4.1 in; a dry December brings about 3.2 in and a wet one about 4.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 5.4 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 57°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 38°F
- Wettest December2009: 7.1 in
- Driest December1998: 1.0 in
- Highest reading76°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading9°F (December 31, 2017)
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 | 55°F | 45°F | 40°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 31°F | 26°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.3 h | 9.6 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Albany, NY134 mi · high 38°F · 13 wet days
How Newark ranks in December
- Normal high235th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 3 in New Jersey
- Wet days274th driest of 378
- Comfortable days214th most of 340
What to pack for Newark in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 31°F, highs near 45°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 5.4 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 18 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 837 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 Newark in December?
The normal high is 45°F and the normal low is 31°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 9°F (December 31, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Newark in December?
About 11 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.1 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (7.1 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.0 in).
Does it snow in Newark in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 5.4 in, and snow covers the ground on about 3 days.
Is December a good time to visit Newark?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Newark (34 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Newark Intl Airport (USW00014734), 3.7 mi S of the city center, 7 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Teterboro Airport (USW00094741), 9.8 mi NE of the city center, 9 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Newark Liberty International Airport (725020-14734), 3.6 mi S of the city center, 7 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.