Buffalo, NY weather in December
December in Buffalo: cold and snowy. Highs 37°F, lows 26°F, about 18 wet days and about 25.3 in of snow. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 37°F
- Normal low
- 26°F
- Wet days
- 18
- 3.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 25.3 in
- snow on the ground 14 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 42°F | 34°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 22°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 55% | 60% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:26 am / 4:42 pm | 7:46 am / 4:50 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 am30°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 am30°Fdew point 24°F
- Noon34°Fdew point 25°F
- 3 pm34°Fdew point 25°F
- 6 pm32°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 pm31°Fdew point 25°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Buffalo (8 mi away); average wind 11 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 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 snow18 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in10 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below24 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more14 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.8 in; a dry December brings about 2.9 in and a wet one about 4.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 25.3 in, with about 6 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 49°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 28°F
- Wettest December2008: 6.8 in
- Driest December1998: 1.5 in
- Highest reading71°F (December 14, 2015)
- Lowest reading-9°F (December 27, 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 | 48°F | 37°F | 32°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 26°F | 19°F |
| Wet days | 14 | 18 | 19 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.1 h | 9.4 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Gettysburg, PA228 mi · high 43°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Pittsburgh, PA179 mi · high 41°F · 15 wet days
How Buffalo ranks in December
- Normal high311th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 10 in New York
- Wet days360th driest of 378
- Comfortable days247th most of 340
What to pack for Buffalo in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 26°F, highs near 37°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 18 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 14 days
- A hat and gloves – about 24 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1042 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 Buffalo in December?
The normal high is 37°F and the normal low is 26°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -9°F (December 27, 1993).
Does it rain a lot in Buffalo in December?
About 18 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.8 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (6.8 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.5 in).
Does it snow in Buffalo in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 25.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 14 days.
Is December a good time to visit Buffalo?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Buffalo (25 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Buffalo (USW00014733), 8.3 mi ENE of the city center, 693 ft (91 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Buffalo Niagara International Airpor (725280-14733), 8.1 mi ENE of the city center, 709 ft (107 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).