Paterson, NJ weather in December
Paterson is chilly in December, with frequent rain and some snow: highs average 45°F and nights drop to about 31°F. Expect about 12 wet days. Snowfall averages about 4.9 in.
- Normal high
- 45°F
- Normal low
- 31°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 4.1 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.9 in
- snow on the ground 3 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 50°F | 41°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 28°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:01 am / 4:29 pm | 7:21 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 am34°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 am36°Fdew point 26°F
- Noon41°Fdew point 26°F
- 3 pm42°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm40°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm37°Fdew point 26°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Teterboro Airport (7 mi away); average wind 8 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 snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below20 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 3.0 in and a wet one about 5.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 4.9 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 December1995: average high 37°F
- Wettest December1996: 7.8 in
- Driest December1998: 1.4 in
- Highest reading77°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 | 56°F | 45°F | 40°F |
| Normal low | 38°F | 31°F | 26°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.3 h | 9.6 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Albany, NY122 mi · high 38°F · 13 wet days
How Paterson ranks in December
- Normal high234th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 3 in New Jersey
- Wet days291st driest of 378
- Comfortable days215th most of 340
What to pack for Paterson in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 31°F, highs near 45°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 12 days
- Waterproof boots – about 4.9 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 20 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 842 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 Paterson 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 (most recently on December 31, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Paterson in December?
About 12 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 1996 (7.8 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.4 in).
Does it snow in Paterson in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 4.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 3 days.
Is December a good time to visit Paterson?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Paterson (34 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Teterboro Airport (USW00094741), 7.4 mi SE of the city center, 9 ft (75 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: New York Cntrl Pk Twr (USW00094728), 14 mi SE of the city center, 130 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Newark Intl Airport (USW00014734), 16 mi S of the city center, 7 ft (77 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Teterboro Airport (725025-94741), 7.2 mi ESE of the city center, 3 ft (81 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.