Burlington, VT weather in December
Burlington is cold and snowy in December: highs average 35°F and nights drop to about 21°F. Expect about 15 wet days. Snowfall averages about 19.5 in. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 35°F
- Normal low
- 21°F
- Wet days
- 15
- 2.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 19.5 in
- snow on the ground 17 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 40°F | 31°F |
| Normal low | 27°F | 16°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 48% | 50% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:09 am / 4:14 pm | 7:29 am / 4:22 pm |
| Daylight | 9.1 h | 8.9 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 am26°Fdew point 19°F
- 9 am27°Fdew point 19°F
- Noon30°Fdew point 20°F
- 3 pm31°Fdew point 20°F
- 6 pm29°Fdew point 20°F
- 9 pm28°Fdew point 20°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Burlington Intl Airport (3 mi away); average wind 9 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 snow15 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below27 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 2.5 in; a dry December brings about 1.6 in and a wet one about 3.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 19.5 in, with about 5 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 46°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 27°F
- Wettest December2003: 5.0 in
- Driest December1998: 0.4 in
- Highest reading68°F (December 24, 2015)
- Lowest reading-17°F (December 27, 1993)
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 | 46°F | 35°F | 29°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 21°F | 13°F |
| Wet days | 14 | 15 | 15 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.6 h | 8.9 h | 9.3 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -6°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Springfield, MA167 mi · high 41°F · 12 wet days
- Drier: Concord, NH121 mi · high 37°F · 12 wet days
- Cooler: Lake Placid, NY40 mi · high 29°F · 19 wet days
How Burlington ranks in December
- Normal high337th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 3 in Vermont
- Wet days349th driest of 378
- Comfortable days287th most of 340
What to pack for Burlington in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 21°F, highs near 35°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 15 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 17 days
- A hat and gloves – about 27 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1142 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 Burlington in December?
The normal high is 35°F and the normal low is 21°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -17°F (December 27, 1993).
Does it rain a lot in Burlington in December?
About 15 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2003 (5.0 in); the driest was in 1998 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Burlington in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 19.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 17 days.
Is December a good time to visit Burlington?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Burlington (25 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Burlington Intl Airport (USW00014742), 3.1 mi E of the city center, 330 ft (135 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Burlington International Airport (726170-14742), 3.1 mi E of the city center, 332 ft (137 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).