Nags Head, NC weather in December
December in Nags Head: cool, with some rain. Highs 55°F, lows 40°F, about 7 wet days.
- Normal high
- 55°F
- Normal low
- 40°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 3.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 58°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 37°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 21% | 24% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:54 am / 4:48 pm | 7:12 am / 4:58 pm |
| Daylight | 9.9 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 am49°Fdew point 43°F
- 9 am52°Fdew point 44°F
- Noon54°Fdew point 44°F
- 3 pm54°Fdew point 44°F
- 6 pm51°Fdew point 44°F
- 9 pm51°Fdew point 44°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Cape Hatteras Airport (50 mi away); average wind 9 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F3 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 more1 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow7 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below5 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 in December
Normal precipitation is 3.3 in; a dry December brings about 2.7 in and a wet one about 4.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 66°F
- Coolest December1995: average high 49°F
- Wettest December1998: 6.5 in
- Driest December2020: 0.7 in
- Highest reading78°F (December 7, 2001)
- Lowest reading16°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 | 61°F | 55°F | 51°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 40°F | 36°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 9.8 h | 10.0 h |
Highs change by -6°F from November and -4°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Wilmington, NC178 mi · high 60°F · 10 wet days
- Cooler: Ocean City, MD167 mi · high 50°F · 11 wet days
How Nags Head ranks in December
- Normal high165th warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days93rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days160th most of 340
What to pack for Nags Head in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 40°F, highs near 55°F
Frost in December
The first fall frost typically comes around Dec 6; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Nov 19. All frost dates for Nags Head.
Heating and cooling
December has 542 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Nags Head in December?
The normal high is 55°F and the normal low is 40°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 16°F (December 20, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Nags Head in December?
About 7 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 1998 (6.6 in); the driest was in 2020 (0.7 in).
Does it snow in Nags Head in December?
Snow is very rare: the 1991-2020 normal for December rounds to 0.0 in.
Is December a good time to visit Nags Head?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Nags Head (46 out of 100). It has about 3 comfortable days. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Manteo Airport (USW00013766), 5.1 mi WSW of the city center, 13 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Cape Hatteras Airport (USW00093729), 50 mi S of the city center, 11 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Billy Mitchell Airport (723139-93729), 50 mi S of the city center, 12 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).