Chesapeake, VA weather in December
Chesapeake is cool in December, with some rain: highs average 55°F and nights drop to about 38°F. Expect about 10 wet days. Snowfall averages about 1.1 in.
- Normal high
- 55°F
- Normal low
- 38°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 1.1 in
- normal snowfall
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 58°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 41°F | 35°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:59 am / 4:48 pm | 7:17 am / 4:58 pm |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.7 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 am43°Fdew point 36°F
- 9 am46°Fdew point 37°F
- Noon50°Fdew point 36°F
- 3 pm51°Fdew point 36°F
- 6 pm47°Fdew point 36°F
- 9 pm45°Fdew point 37°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Norfolk Intl Airport (7 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 54% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 38%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F5 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below9 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 3.3 in; a dry December brings about 2.1 in and a wet one about 4.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 1.1 in.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 66°F
- Coolest December2010: average high 42°F
- Wettest December2009: 7.6 in
- Driest December2000: 1.0 in
- Highest reading82°F (December 24, 2015)
- Lowest reading15°F (December 20, 2004)
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 | 62°F | 55°F | 51°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 38°F | 34°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 9 | 5 | 4 |
| Daylight | 10.2 h | 9.7 h | 10.0 h |
Highs change by -7°F from November and -4°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Wilmington, NC202 mi · high 60°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Nags Head, NC70 mi · high 55°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Ocean City, MD123 mi · high 50°F · 11 wet days
How Chesapeake ranks in December
- Normal high168th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 5 in Virginia
- Wet days213th driest of 378
- Comfortable days127th most of 340
What to pack for Chesapeake in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 38°F, highs near 55°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
Heating and cooling
December has 587 heating degree days and 3 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Chesapeake in December?
The normal high is 55°F and the normal low is 38°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 15°F (December 20, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Chesapeake in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.3 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (7.6 in); the driest was in 2000 (1.0 in).
Does it snow in Chesapeake in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 1.1 in.
Is December a good time to visit Chesapeake?
December ranks 10th of 12 months on our comfort score for Chesapeake (46 out of 100). It has about 5 comfortable days. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Norfolk Intl Airport (USW00013737), 7.4 mi NE of the city center, 30 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Suffolk Lake Kilby (USC00448192), 19 mi WSW of the city center, 22 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Norfolk International Airport (723080-13737), 7.4 mi NE of the city center, 11 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.