Wisconsin Dells, WI weather in December
December in Wisconsin Dells: cold, with some rain and some snow. Highs 32°F, lows 15°F, rain or snow on about 9 days and about 8.7 in of snow. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 32°F
- Normal low
- 15°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 1.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.7 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 | 11°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 29% | 27% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:12 am / 4:23 pm | 7:32 am / 4:31 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 (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 (40 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 snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in4 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 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 1.8 in; a dry December brings about 0.7 in and a wet one about 2.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 8.7 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 41°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 20°F
- Wettest December2015: 5.7 in
- Driest December1998: 0.2 in
- Highest reading66°F (December 1, 1998)
- Lowest reading-27°F (December 26, 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 | 44°F | 32°F | 26°F |
| Normal low | 26°F | 15°F | 8°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 9 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 9.0 h | 9.4 h |
Highs change by -12°F from November and -6°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Davenport, IA151 mi · high 37°F · 10 wet days
How Wisconsin Dells ranks in December
- Normal high354th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 5 in Wisconsin
- Wet days177th driest of 378
- Comfortable days337th most of 340
What to pack for Wisconsin Dells in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 15°F, highs near 32°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 17 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1285 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 Wisconsin Dells in December?
The normal high is 32°F and the normal low is 15°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -27°F (December 26, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Wisconsin Dells in December?
About 9 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.8 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (5.7 in); the driest was in 1998 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Wisconsin Dells in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 8.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 17 days.
Is December a good time to visit Wisconsin Dells?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Wisconsin Dells (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 and frost dates: Wisconsin Dells (USC00479319), 1.3 mi S of the city center, 835 ft (76 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (USW00014837), 40 mi SSE 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), 40 mi SSE of the city center, 859 ft (52 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).