Montauk, NY weather in December
December in Montauk: chilly, with frequent rain and some snow. Highs 45°F, lows 34°F, rain or snow on about 11 days and about 4.1 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 45°F
- Normal low
- 34°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.1 in
- snow on the ground 4 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 49°F | 42°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 30°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 39% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:53 am / 4:20 pm | 7:12 am / 4:28 pm |
| Daylight | 9.4 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 am32°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 am35°Fdew point 26°F
- Noon40°Fdew point 26°F
- 3 pm41°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm37°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm35°Fdew point 26°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Providence T F Green Airport (55 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
- 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below15 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more4 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 4.3 in; a dry December brings about 2.8 in and a wet one about 5.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 4.1 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202011: average high 51°F
- Coolest December2010: average high 39°F
- Wettest December2012: 7.4 in
- Driest December2001: 0.01 in
- Highest reading70°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading12°F (December 20, 2004)
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 | 54°F | 45°F | 40°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 34°F | 28°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.3 h | 9.6 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Worcester, MA85 mi · high 38°F · 12 wet days
How Montauk ranks in December
- Normal high230th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 10 in New York
- Wet days258th driest of 378
- Comfortable days317th most of 340
What to pack for Montauk in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 34°F, highs near 45°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 4.1 in of snow in a typical year
Heating and cooling
December has 792 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 Montauk in December?
The normal high is 45°F and the normal low is 34°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 12°F (December 20, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Montauk in December?
About 11 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.4 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2012 (7.4 in); the driest was in 2001 (0.01 in).
Does it snow in Montauk in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 4.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 4 days.
Is December a good time to visit Montauk?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Montauk (34 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Montauk Airport (USW00054780), 3.0 mi NNE of the city center, 7 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Bridgehampton (USC00300889), 19 mi WSW of the city center, 42 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Providence T F Green Airport (USW00014765), 55 mi NNE of the city center, 60 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Groton-New London Airport (725046-14707), 21 mi NNW of the city center, 8 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).