Dayton, OH weather in December
In December, Dayton sees highs around 41°F and lows around 26°F: cold, with frequent rain and some snow. Expect about 11 wet days. Snowfall averages about 4.8 in.
- Normal high
- 41°F
- Normal low
- 26°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.1 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.8 in
- snow on the ground 6 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 45°F | 38°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 22°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:38 am / 5:12 pm | 7:57 am / 5:21 pm |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 9.4 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 am31°Fdew point 27°F
- 9 am32°Fdew point 27°F
- Noon37°Fdew point 29°F
- 3 pm39°Fdew point 29°F
- 6 pm36°Fdew point 28°F
- 9 pm34°Fdew point 28°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Wright Patterson AFB (9 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 24% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 69%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 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 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below23 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more6 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.1 in; a dry December brings about 2.4 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. Normal snowfall is 4.8 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 51°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 30°F
- Wettest December2011: 5.7 in
- Driest December1992: 0.8 in
- Highest reading75°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading-7°F (December 28, 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 | 52°F | 41°F | 36°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 26°F | 20°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Daylight | 10.0 h | 9.4 h | 9.7 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Lexington, KY119 mi · high 46°F · 13 wet days
- Cooler: Lansing, MI206 mi · high 36°F · 14 wet days
How Dayton ranks in December
- Normal high278th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 6 in Ohio
- Wet days269th driest of 378
- Comfortable days223rd most of 340
What to pack for Dayton in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 26°F, highs near 41°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 4.8 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 23 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 984 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 Dayton in December?
The normal high is 41°F and the normal low is 26°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -7°F (most recently on December 28, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Dayton in December?
About 11 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.1 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2011 (5.7 in); the driest was in 1992 (0.8 in).
Does it snow in Dayton in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 4.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 6 days.
Is December a good time to visit Dayton?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Dayton (32 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Dayton Mcd (USC00332067), 0.3 mi N of the city center, 720 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Dayton Intl Airport (USW00093815), 10 mi N of the city center, 1,000 ft (260 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Wright Patterson AFB (USW00013840), 9.1 mi NE of the city center, 823 ft (83 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: J.m.cox Dayton International Airport (724290-93815), 10 mi N of the city center, 993 ft (253 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.