Charlotte, NC weather in December
December in Charlotte: cool, with some rain. Highs 55°F, lows 35°F, rain on about 10 days. It is one of the coolest months in Charlotte.
- Normal high
- 55°F
- Normal low
- 35°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.6 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 58°F | 53°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 33°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:13 am / 5:11 pm | 7:31 am / 5:20 pm |
| Daylight | 10.0 h | 9.8 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 am39°Fdew point 33°F
- 9 am42°Fdew point 34°F
- Noon50°Fdew point 33°F
- 3 pm53°Fdew point 33°F
- 6 pm48°Fdew point 33°F
- 9 pm45°Fdew point 33°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Charlotte Douglas Airport (6 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 33% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 55%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F5 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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below14 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.6 in; a dry December brings about 2.4 in and a wet one about 4.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.4 in.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 65°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 45°F
- Wettest December2015: 8.7 in
- Driest December2000: 1.1 in
- Highest reading80°F (December 10, 2007)
- Lowest reading10°F (December 15, 2010)
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 | 63°F | 55°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 35°F | 32°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 12 | 5 | 4 |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 9.8 h | 10.1 h |
Highs change by -8°F from November and -3°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Columbia, SC85 mi · high 61°F · 9 wet days
- Cooler: Gatlinburg, TN154 mi · high 50°F · 15 wet days
How Charlotte ranks in December
- Normal high164th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days196th driest of 378
- Comfortable days133rd most of 340
What to pack for Charlotte in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 35°F, highs near 55°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Heating and cooling
December has 631 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 13% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Charlotte in December?
The normal high is 55°F and the normal low is 35°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 10°F (December 15, 2010).
Does it rain a lot in Charlotte in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.6 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (8.7 in); the driest was in 2000 (1.1 in).
Does it snow in Charlotte in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 0.4 in.
Is December a good time to visit Charlotte?
December ranks 9th of 12 months on our comfort score for Charlotte (47 out of 100). It has about 5 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Charlotte Douglas Airport (USW00013881), 6.3 mi W of the city center, 728 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (723140-13881), 6.3 mi W of the city center, 730 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.