New York City, NY weather in December
Expect chilly weather with frequent rain and some snow in New York City in December, with highs near 44°F and lows near 34°F. Rain or snow falls on about 11 days. Snowfall averages about 4.9 in.
- Normal high
- 44°F
- Normal low
- 34°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.4 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 | 49°F | 41°F |
| Normal low | 38°F | 30°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:00 am / 4:29 pm | 7:19 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 am38°Fdew point 27°F
- 9 am38°Fdew point 27°F
- Noon41°Fdew point 27°F
- 3 pm43°Fdew point 27°F
- 6 pm41°Fdew point 27°F
- 9 pm40°Fdew point 27°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from New York Laguardia Airport (8 mi away); average wind 12 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
- 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 below14 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 4.4 in; a dry December brings about 3.2 in and a wet one about 5.4 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 56°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 37°F
- Wettest December2009: 7.3 in
- Driest December1998: 1.1 in
- Highest reading75°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 | 54°F | 44°F | 40°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 34°F | 28°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.3 h | 9.6 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -4°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Ocean City, MD174 mi · high 50°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Albany, NY135 mi · high 38°F · 13 wet days
How New York City ranks in December
- Normal high242nd warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 10 in New York
- Wet days282nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days216th most of 340
What to pack for New York City in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 34°F, highs near 44°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 4.9 in of snow in a typical year
Heating and cooling
December has 804 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 New York City in December?
The normal high is 44°F and the normal low is 34°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 9°F (December 31, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in New York City 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 2009 (7.3 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.1 in).
Does it snow in New York City 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 New York City?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for New York City (34 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and frost dates: New York Cntrl Pk Twr (USW00094728), 4.9 mi NNE of the city center, 130 ft (95 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: New York Laguardia Airport (USW00014732), 8.0 mi NE of the city center, 11 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Teterboro Airport (USW00094741), 9.8 mi NNW of the city center, 9 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: La Guardia Airport (725030-14732), 8.0 mi NE of the city center, 10 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.