Rutland, VT weather in December
December in Rutland: cold and snowy. Highs 35°F, lows 16°F, rain or snow on about 14 days and about 18.3 in of snow. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 35°F
- Normal low
- 16°F
- Wet days
- 14
- 3.0 in total
- Snowfall
- 18.3 in
- snow on the ground 18 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 40°F | 31°F |
| Normal low | 21°F | 12°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 43% | 46% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:05 am / 4:16 pm | 7:25 am / 4:24 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am22°Fdew point 17°F
- 9 am23°Fdew point 18°F
- Noon27°Fdew point 19°F
- 3 pm28°Fdew point 19°F
- 6 pm26°Fdew point 19°F
- 9 pm24°Fdew point 18°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Barre Montpelier Airport (45 mi away); average wind 6 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 snow14 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below28 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more18 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.0 in; a dry December brings about 2.2 in and a wet one about 3.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 18.3 in, with about 6 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 46°F
- Coolest December1995: average high 28°F
- Wettest December2003: 6.3 in
- Driest December1999: 1.3 in
- Highest reading69°F (December 25, 2015)
- Lowest reading-17°F (December 30, 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 | 46°F | 35°F | 29°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 16°F | 8°F |
| Wet days | 12 | 14 | 13 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 9.0 h | 9.4 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and -6°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Springfield, MA106 mi · high 41°F · 12 wet days
- Drier: Lowell, MA107 mi · high 40°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Lake Placid, NY68 mi · high 29°F · 19 wet days
How Rutland ranks in December
- Normal high336th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 3 in Vermont
- Wet days339th driest of 378
- Comfortable days266th most of 340
What to pack for Rutland in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 16°F, highs near 35°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 14 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 18 days
- A hat and gloves – about 28 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1218 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 Rutland in December?
The normal high is 35°F and the normal low is 16°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -17°F (December 30, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Rutland in December?
About 14 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.0 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2003 (6.3 in); the driest was in 1999 (1.3 in).
Does it snow in Rutland in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 18.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 18 days.
Is December a good time to visit Rutland?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Rutland (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 and frost dates: Rutland (USC00436995), 1.1 mi NNW of the city center, 620 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Barre Montpelier Airport (USW00094705), 45 mi NNE of the city center, 1,126 ft (478 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Lebanon Municipal Airport (726116-94765), 33 mi E of the city center, 554 ft (94 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).