Syracuse, NY weather in December
December in Syracuse: cold and snowy. Highs 37°F, lows 24°F, about 19 days with rain or snow and about 30.6 in of snow. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 37°F
- Normal low
- 24°F
- Wet days
- 19
- 3.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 30.6 in
- snow on the ground 15 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 42°F | 33°F |
| Normal low | 28°F | 20°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 58% | 61% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:16 am / 4:30 pm | 7:35 am / 4:39 pm |
| Daylight | 9.2 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 am29°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 am30°Fdew point 24°F
- Noon34°Fdew point 25°F
- 3 pm34°Fdew point 25°F
- 6 pm32°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 pm31°Fdew point 24°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Syracuse Hancock Intl Airport (5 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 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below25 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more15 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 2.5 in and a wet one about 3.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 30.6 in, with about 8 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 48°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 29°F
- Wettest December2012: 7.6 in
- Driest December1999: 1.4 in
- Highest reading72°F (December 6, 2001)
- Lowest reading-10°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 | 48°F | 37°F | 32°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 24°F | 17°F |
| Wet days | 16 | 19 | 19 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 9.1 h | 9.4 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Allentown, PA172 mi · high 43°F · 12 wet days
- Drier: Saratoga Springs, NY119 mi · high 37°F · 12 wet days
- Cooler: Lake Placid, NY138 mi · high 29°F · 19 wet days
How Syracuse ranks in December
- Normal high315th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 10 in New York
- Wet days363rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days234th most of 340
What to pack for Syracuse in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 24°F, highs near 37°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 19 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 15 days
- A hat and gloves – about 25 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1073 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 Syracuse in December?
The normal high is 37°F and the normal low is 24°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -10°F (most recently on December 20, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Syracuse in December?
About 19 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 2012 (7.6 in); the driest was in 1999 (1.4 in).
Does it snow in Syracuse in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 30.6 in, and snow covers the ground on about 15 days.
Is December a good time to visit Syracuse?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Syracuse (26 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: Syracuse Hancock Intl Airport (USW00014771), 4.9 mi NNE of the city center, 413 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Syracuse Hancock International Airport (725190-14771), 4.9 mi NNE of the city center, 410 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).