Fayetteville, NC weather in December
December in Fayetteville: cool, with frequent rain. Highs 57°F, lows 34°F, about 10 wet days. It is one of the coolest months in Fayetteville.
- Normal high
- 57°F
- Normal low
- 34°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 61°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 33°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:05 am / 5:03 pm | 7:23 am / 5:13 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 am41°Fdew point 35°F
- 9 am44°Fdew point 36°F
- Noon53°Fdew point 36°F
- 3 pm56°Fdew point 35°F
- 6 pm50°Fdew point 37°F
- 9 pm46°Fdew point 37°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Fayetteville Rgnl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 52% 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°F7 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more1 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 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 more0 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.5 in; a dry December brings about 2.5 in and a wet one about 4.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.3 in.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 67°F
- Coolest December2010: average high 47°F
- Wettest December2015: 7.7 in
- Driest December2001: 0.5 in
- Highest reading81°F (December 9, 1998)
- Lowest reading14°F (December 21, 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 | 65°F | 57°F | 54°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 34°F | 32°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 10 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 13 | 7 | 5 |
| 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: Hilton Head Island, SC224 mi · high 63°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Nags Head, NC193 mi · high 55°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Greensboro, NC87 mi · high 52°F · 9 wet days
How Fayetteville ranks in December
- Normal high142nd warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days241st driest of 378
- Comfortable days111th most of 340
What to pack for Fayetteville in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 34°F, highs near 57°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
- A hat and gloves – about 15 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 598 heating degree days and 3 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fayetteville in December?
The normal high is 57°F and the normal low is 34°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 14°F (most recently on December 21, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Fayetteville in December?
About 10 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 2015 (7.7 in); the driest was in 2001 (0.5 in).
Does it snow in Fayetteville in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 0.3 in.
Is December a good time to visit Fayetteville?
December ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fayetteville (50 out of 100). It has about 7 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Fayetteville (PWC) (USC00313017), 1.2 mi ENE of the city center, 96 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Fayetteville Rgnl Airport (USW00093740), 4.2 mi S of the city center, 186 ft (84 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Pope AFB (USW00013714), 11 mi NW of the city center, 218 ft (116 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Simmons AAF Airport (746930-93737), 6.3 mi NNW of the city center, 244 ft (142 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.