Madison, WI weather in December
In December, Madison sees highs around 32°F and lows around 18°F: cold and snowy. There are about 10 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 12.0 in. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 32°F
- Normal low
- 18°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 1.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 12.0 in
- snow on the ground 16 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 37°F | 29°F |
| Normal low | 23°F | 14°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 33% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:09 am / 4:23 pm | 7:29 am / 4:32 pm |
| Daylight | 9.2 h | 9.1 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am23°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 am25°Fdew point 19°F
- Noon29°Fdew point 20°F
- 3 pm30°Fdew point 20°F
- 6 pm27°Fdew point 20°F
- 9 pm25°Fdew point 19°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (6 mi away); average wind 8 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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below28 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more16 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 1.6 in; a dry December brings about 1.0 in and a wet one about 2.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 12.0 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 40°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 20°F
- Wettest December2007: 3.6 in
- Driest December1998: 0.3 in
- Highest reading65°F (December 3, 2012)
- Lowest reading-21°F (December 25, 2000)
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 | 45°F | 32°F | 27°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 18°F | 12°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 10 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 9.1 h | 9.4 h |
Highs change by -13°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Chicago, IL123 mi · high 38°F · 11 wet days
How Madison ranks in December
- Normal high351st warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 5 in Wisconsin
- Wet days215th driest of 378
- Comfortable days336th most of 340
What to pack for Madison in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 18°F, highs near 32°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 16 days
- A hat and gloves – about 28 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1232 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 16% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Madison in December?
The normal high is 32°F and the normal low is 18°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -21°F (December 25, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Madison in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.6 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2007 (3.6 in); the driest was in 1998 (0.3 in).
Does it snow in Madison in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 12.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 16 days.
Is December a good time to visit Madison?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Madison (26 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 and humidity and wind by hour: Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (USW00014837), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 866 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Dane Co Regional-Truax Field Airport (726410-14837), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 859 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).