Aberdeen, SD weather in December
In December, Aberdeen sees highs around 29°F and lows around 8°F: very cold, with some rain and some snow. There are about 7 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 8.0 in. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 29°F
- Normal low
- 8°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 0.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.0 in
- snow on the ground 17 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 35°F | 24°F |
| Normal low | 13°F | 4°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 20% | 23% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:53 am / 4:52 pm | 8:13 am / 4:59 pm |
| Daylight | 9.0 h | 8.8 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am15°Fdew point 10°F
- 9 am15°Fdew point 11°F
- Noon22°Fdew point 15°F
- 3 pm25°Fdew point 16°F
- 6 pm20°Fdew point 14°F
- 9 pm17°Fdew point 12°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Aberdeen (4 mi away); average wind 10 mph.
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 snow7 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below31 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more17 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 0.6 in; a dry December brings about 0.3 in and a wet one about 0.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 8.0 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202020: average high 39°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 13°F
- Wettest December2016: 1.8 in
- Driest December2001: 0.06 in
- Highest reading62°F (December 8, 2020)
- Lowest reading-37°F (December 18, 2016)
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 | 43°F | 29°F | 24°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 8°F | 2°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.5 h | 8.8 h | 9.2 h |
Highs change by -14°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Grand Forks, ND183 mi · high 21°F · 8 wet days
How Aberdeen ranks in December
- Normal high365th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 4 in South Dakota
- Wet days108th driest of 378
- Comfortable days325th most of 340
What to pack for Aberdeen in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 8°F, highs near 29°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 17 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1448 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 16% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Aberdeen in December?
The normal high is 29°F and the normal low is 8°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -37°F (December 18, 2016).
Does it rain a lot in Aberdeen in December?
About 7 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.6 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2016 (1.8 in); the driest was in 2001 (0.06 in).
Does it snow in Aberdeen in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 8.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 17 days.
Is December a good time to visit Aberdeen?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Aberdeen (27 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: Aberdeen (USW00014929), 3.6 mi E of the city center, 1,302 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Aberdeen Regional Airport (726590-14929), 3.8 mi ESE of the city center, 1,298 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).