Sioux Falls, SD weather in December
Sioux Falls is cold in December, with some rain and some snow: highs average 32°F and nights drop to about 13°F. Expect about 7 wet days. Snowfall averages about 8.7 in. This is the depth of winter in Sioux Falls. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 32°F
- Normal low
- 13°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 0.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.7 in
- snow on the ground 16 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 37°F | 28°F |
| Normal low | 18°F | 10°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 22% | 22% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:40 am / 4:51 pm | 7:59 am / 4:59 pm |
| Daylight | 9.2 h | 9.0 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 am19°Fdew point 14°F
- 9 am20°Fdew point 15°F
- Noon26°Fdew point 17°F
- 3 pm28°Fdew point 18°F
- 6 pm24°Fdew point 17°F
- 9 pm22°Fdew point 16°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Sioux Falls (3 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 50% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 43%.
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 below30 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more16 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 0.8 in; a dry December brings about 0.3 in and a wet one about 1.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 8.7 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 17°F
- Wettest December2009: 2.0 in
- Driest December1995: 0.1 in
- Highest reading63°F (December 3, 1998)
- Lowest reading-27°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 | 45°F | 32°F | 27°F |
| Normal low | 25°F | 13°F | 9°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 9.0 h | 9.4 h |
Highs change by -13°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Omaha, NE163 mi · high 38°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Fargo, ND230 mi · high 24°F · 10 wet days
How Sioux Falls ranks in December
- Normal high356th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 4 in South Dakota
- Wet days115th driest of 378
- Comfortable days326th most of 340
What to pack for Sioux Falls in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 13°F, highs near 32°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 16 days
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1317 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 Sioux Falls in December?
The normal high is 32°F and the normal low is 13°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -27°F (December 18, 2016).
Does it rain a lot in Sioux Falls in December?
About 7 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.8 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (2.0 in); the driest was in 1995 (0.1 in).
Does it snow in Sioux Falls in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 8.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 16 days.
Is December a good time to visit Sioux Falls?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Sioux Falls (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, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Sioux Falls (USW00014944), 3.0 mi NNW of the city center, 1,430 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Joe Foss Field Airport (726510-14944), 3.3 mi NW of the city center, 1,419 ft (54 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.