Salt Lake City, UT weather in December
Expect cold, snowy weather in Salt Lake City in December, with highs near 39°F and lows near 25°F. Rain or snow falls on about 10 days. Snowfall averages about 12.1 in. It is one of the coldest months in Salt Lake City. Pack for snow.
- Normal high
- 39°F
- Normal low
- 25°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 1.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 12.1 in
- snow on the ground 13 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 43°F | 37°F |
| Normal low | 28°F | 24°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 29% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:32 am / 5:00 pm | 7:51 am / 5:09 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 (Mountain Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am28°Fdew point 22°F
- 9 am29°Fdew point 22°F
- Noon35°Fdew point 24°F
- 3 pm37°Fdew point 24°F
- 6 pm32°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 pm30°Fdew point 24°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Salt Lake City Intl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 20% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 64%.
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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below27 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more13 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 1.4 in; a dry December brings about 0.9 in and a wet one about 1.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 12.1 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20201995: average high 46°F
- Coolest December2009: average high 31°F
- Wettest December2003: 4.0 in
- Driest December2011: 0.03 in
- Highest reading69°F (December 1, 1995)
- Lowest reading0°F (December 10, 2009)
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 | 51°F | 39°F | 39°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 25°F | 24°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.3 h | 9.6 h |
Highs change by -12°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Drier: Moab, UT196 mi · high 44°F · 6 wet days
- Cooler: Jackson, WY197 mi · high 26°F · 14 wet days
How Salt Lake City ranks in December
- Normal high292nd warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 7 in Utah
- Wet days200th driest of 378
- Comfortable days286th most of 340
What to pack for Salt Lake City in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 25°F, highs near 39°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 13 days
- A hat and gloves – about 27 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1018 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 Salt Lake City in December?
The normal high is 39°F and the normal low is 25°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 0°F (December 10, 2009).
Does it rain a lot in Salt Lake City in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.4 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2003 (4.0 in); the driest was in 2011 (0.03 in).
Does it snow in Salt Lake City in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 12.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 13 days.
Is December a good time to visit Salt Lake City?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Salt Lake City (30 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: Salt Lake City Intl Airport (USW00024127), 4.3 mi WNW of the city center, 4,225 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Salt Lake City International Airport (725720-24127), 3.9 mi W of the city center, 4,227 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.