Albany, NY weather in December
December in Albany: cold and snowy. Highs 38°F, lows 23°F, rain or snow on about 13 days and about 13.3 in of snow. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 38°F
- Normal low
- 23°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 3.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 13.3 in
- snow on the ground 10 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 43°F | 34°F |
| Normal low | 27°F | 19°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 40% | 41% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:05 am / 4:22 pm | 7:25 am / 4:30 pm |
| Daylight | 9.3 h | 9.1 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 am28°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 am29°Fdew point 22°F
- Noon33°Fdew point 23°F
- 3 pm35°Fdew point 23°F
- 6 pm32°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 pm30°Fdew point 22°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Albany Airport (7 mi away); average wind 8 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 snow13 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below26 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more10 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.3 in; a dry December brings about 2.4 in and a wet one about 4.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 13.3 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 49°F
- Coolest December1995: average high 30°F
- Wettest December2003: 5.5 in
- Driest December1998: 1.0 in
- Highest reading72°F (December 24, 2015)
- Lowest reading-5°F (December 28, 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 | 49°F | 38°F | 33°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 23°F | 16°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 13 | 13 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.1 h | 9.5 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Bridgeport, CT106 mi · high 44°F · 12 wet days
- Cooler: Lake Placid, NY113 mi · high 29°F · 19 wet days
How Albany ranks in December
- Normal high299th warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 10 in New York
- Wet days322nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days262nd most of 340
What to pack for Albany in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 23°F, highs near 38°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 13 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 10 days
- A hat and gloves – about 26 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1071 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 Albany in December?
The normal high is 38°F and the normal low is 23°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -5°F (most recently on December 28, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Albany in December?
About 13 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.3 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2003 (5.5 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.0 in).
Does it snow in Albany in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 13.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 10 days.
Is December a good time to visit Albany?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Albany (26 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Albany Airport (USW00014735), 6.8 mi NNW of the city center, 312 ft (169 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Albany International Airport (725180-14735), 6.9 mi NNW of the city center, 280 ft (137 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).