Lake Placid, NY weather in December
Lake Placid is very cold and snowy in December: highs average 29°F and nights drop to about 14°F. There are about 19 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 22.7 in. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 29°F
- Normal low
- 14°F
- Wet days
- 19
- 3.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 22.7 in
- snow on the ground 26 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 33°F | 25°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 9°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 58% | 61% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:11 am / 4:18 pm | 7:31 am / 4:26 pm |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 8.9 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 am26°Fdew point 19°F
- 9 am27°Fdew point 19°F
- Noon30°Fdew point 20°F
- 3 pm31°Fdew point 20°F
- 6 pm29°Fdew point 20°F
- 9 pm28°Fdew point 20°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Burlington Intl Airport (43 mi away); average wind 9 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 snow19 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in9 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more26 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.5 in; a dry December brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 4.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 22.7 in, with about 9 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202006: average high 39°F
- Coolest December1995: average high 24°F
- Wettest December2003: 5.7 in
- Driest December1998: 1.6 in
- Highest reading63°F (December 6, 2001)
- Lowest reading-31°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 | 40°F | 29°F | 23°F |
| Normal low | 25°F | 14°F | 7°F |
| Wet days | 15 | 19 | 19 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 8.9 h | 9.3 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -6°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Burlington, VT40 mi · high 35°F · 15 wet days
- Drier: Burlington, VT40 mi · high 35°F · 15 wet days
How Lake Placid ranks in December
- Normal high366th warmest of 378 cities; 10th of 10 in New York
- Wet days364th driest of 378
- Comfortable days316th most of 340
What to pack for Lake Placid in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 14°F, highs near 29°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 19 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 26 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1362 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 Lake Placid in December?
The normal high is 29°F and the normal low is 14°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -31°F (December 27, 1993).
Does it rain a lot in Lake Placid in December?
About 19 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2003 (5.7 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.6 in).
Does it snow in Lake Placid in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 22.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 26 days.
Is December a good time to visit Lake Placid?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Lake Placid (22 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Lake Placid 2 S (USC00304555), 1.7 mi N of the city center, 1,888 ft (93 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Burlington Intl Airport (USW00014742), 43 mi ENE of the city center, 330 ft (1,465 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Burlington International Airport (726170-14742), 43 mi ENE of the city center, 332 ft (1,463 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).