Stowe, VT weather in December
Stowe is cold and snowy in December: highs average 32°F and nights drop to about 14°F. There are about 15 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 19.5 in. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 32°F
- Normal low
- 14°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 | 37°F | 28°F |
| Normal low | 20°F | 9°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 49% | 46% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:06 am / 4:12 pm | 7:27 am / 4:20 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 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 (19 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 snow15 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below28 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 1.8 in and a wet one about 3.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring 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 44°F
- Coolest December2017: average high 24°F
- Wettest December2003: 4.6 in
- Driest December1998: 1.2 in
- Highest reading69°F (December 24, 2015)
- Lowest reading-24°F (December 29, 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 | 43°F | 32°F | 26°F |
| Normal low | 25°F | 14°F | 5°F |
| Wet days | 14 | 15 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 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: Concord, NH104 mi · high 37°F · 12 wet days
- Drier: Lowell, MA144 mi · high 40°F · 11 wet days
How Stowe ranks in December
- Normal high355th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 3 in Vermont
- Wet days346th driest of 378
- Comfortable days288th most of 340
What to pack for Stowe in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 14°F, highs near 32°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 28 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1307 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 Stowe in December?
The normal high is 32°F and the normal low is 14°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -24°F (December 29, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Stowe 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 (4.6 in); the driest was in 1998 (1.2 in).
Does it snow in Stowe 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 Stowe?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Stowe (24 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Morrisville Stowe State Airport (USW00054771), 5.9 mi NE of the city center, 732 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Burlington Intl Airport (USW00014742), 23 mi W of the city center, 330 ft (390 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Barre Montpelier Airport (USW00094705), 19 mi SSE of the city center, 1,126 ft (406 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Edward F Knapp State Arpt (726145-94705), 19 mi SSE of the city center, 1,105 ft (385 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).