Allentown, PA weather in December
Expect chilly weather with frequent rain and some snow in Allentown in December, with highs near 43°F and lows near 27°F. Rain or snow falls on about 12 days. Snowfall averages about 4.6 in.
- Normal high
- 43°F
- Normal low
- 27°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 3.9 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.6 in
- snow on the ground 5 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 48°F | 40°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 24°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:06 am / 4:35 pm | 7:25 am / 4:44 pm |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 9.3 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 24°F
- 9 am33°Fdew point 26°F
- Noon39°Fdew point 26°F
- 3 pm40°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm37°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm34°Fdew point 25°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Allentown Intl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 45% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 49%.
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 snow12 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below24 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more5 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.9 in; a dry December brings about 2.6 in and a wet one about 4.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 4.6 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 54°F
- Coolest December1995: average high 34°F
- Wettest December1996: 7.3 in
- Driest December1998: 0.6 in
- Highest reading72°F (December 1, 2006)
- Lowest reading-2°F (December 14, 2005)
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 | 54°F | 43°F | 38°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 27°F | 22°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.3 h | 9.7 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Dover, DE100 mi · high 49°F · 10 wet days
- Cooler: Syracuse, NY172 mi · high 37°F · 19 wet days
How Allentown ranks in December
- Normal high259th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 4 in Pennsylvania
- Wet days289th driest of 378
- Comfortable days228th most of 340
What to pack for Allentown in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 27°F, highs near 43°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 12 days
- Waterproof boots – about 4.6 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 24 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 932 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 Allentown in December?
The normal high is 43°F and the normal low is 27°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -2°F (December 14, 2005).
Does it rain a lot in Allentown in December?
About 12 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.9 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (7.3 in); the driest was in 1998 (0.6 in).
Does it snow in Allentown in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 4.6 in, and snow covers the ground on about 5 days.
Is December a good time to visit Allentown?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Allentown (32 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Allentown Intl Airport (USW00014737), 3.6 mi NE of the city center, 390 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Lehigh Valley International Airport (725170-14737), 3.6 mi NE of the city center, 385 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.