Milwaukee, WI weather in December
Milwaukee is cold and snowy in December: highs average 36°F and nights drop to about 23°F. Expect about 10 wet days. Snowfall averages about 10.4 in. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 36°F
- Normal low
- 23°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 1.9 in total
- Snowfall
- 10.4 in
- snow on the ground 11 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 41°F | 33°F |
| Normal low | 27°F | 19°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:03 am / 4:17 pm | 7:22 am / 4:26 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 am27°Fdew point 20°F
- 9 am28°Fdew point 21°F
- Noon32°Fdew point 22°F
- 3 pm32°Fdew point 22°F
- 6 pm30°Fdew point 22°F
- 9 pm29°Fdew point 22°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (6 mi away); average wind 10 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 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 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below25 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more11 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 1.9 in; a dry December brings about 1.1 in and a wet one about 2.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 10.4 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 43°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 25°F
- Wettest December2008: 4.0 in
- Driest December2017: 0.5 in
- Highest reading68°F (December 5, 2001)
- Lowest reading-8°F (December 22, 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 | 48°F | 36°F | 31°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 23°F | 17°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 10 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 9.1 h | 9.4 h |
Highs change by -12°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Green Bay, WI102 mi · high 31°F · 11 wet days
How Milwaukee ranks in December
- Normal high327th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 5 in Wisconsin
- Wet days232nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days289th most of 340
What to pack for Milwaukee in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 23°F, highs near 36°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 11 days
- A hat and gloves – about 25 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1099 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 Milwaukee in December?
The normal high is 36°F and the normal low is 23°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -8°F (December 22, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Milwaukee in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.9 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (4.0 in); the driest was in 2017 (0.5 in).
Does it snow in Milwaukee in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 10.4 in, and snow covers the ground on about 11 days.
Is December a good time to visit Milwaukee?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Milwaukee (27 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: Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (USW00014839), 5.8 mi S of the city center, 670 ft (55 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: General Mitchell International Airport (726400-14839), 5.8 mi S of the city center, 667 ft (52 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).