Providence, RI weather in December
December in Providence: chilly, with frequent rain and some snow. Highs 43°F, lows 28°F, rain or snow on about 12 days and about 7.6 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 43°F
- Normal low
- 28°F
- Wet days
- 12
- 4.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 7.6 in
- snow on the ground 4 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 48°F | 40°F |
| Normal low | 31°F | 24°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:53 am / 4:15 pm | 7:13 am / 4:24 pm |
| Daylight | 9.4 h | 9.2 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 am32°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 am35°Fdew point 26°F
- Noon40°Fdew point 26°F
- 3 pm41°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm37°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm35°Fdew point 26°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Providence T F Green Airport (7 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 28% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 58%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 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 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below23 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more4 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 4.7 in; a dry December brings about 3.1 in and a wet one about 6.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 7.6 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 54°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 37°F
- Wettest December2019: 8.1 in
- Driest December1998: 1.3 in
- Highest reading77°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading4°F (December 31, 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 | 53°F | 43°F | 38°F |
| Normal low | 36°F | 28°F | 22°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 12 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.2 h | 9.5 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Worcester, MA36 mi · high 38°F · 12 wet days
How Providence ranks in December
- Normal high258th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 2 in Rhode Island
- Wet days298th driest of 378
- Comfortable days250th most of 340
What to pack for Providence in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 28°F, highs near 43°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 12 days
- Waterproof boots – about 7.6 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 23 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 914 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 Providence in December?
The normal high is 43°F and the normal low is 28°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 4°F (December 31, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Providence in December?
About 12 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.7 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2019 (8.1 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.3 in).
Does it snow in Providence in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 7.6 in, and snow covers the ground on about 4 days.
Is December a good time to visit Providence?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Providence (32 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Providence T F Green Airport (USW00014765), 7.1 mi S of the city center, 60 ft (51 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Boston Logan Intl Airport (USW00014739), 42 mi NNE of the city center, 12 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Theodore F Green State Airport (725070-14765), 7.0 mi S of the city center, 51 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.