Cheyenne, WY weather in December
Cheyenne is cold in December, with some rain and some snow: highs average 39°F and nights drop to about 18°F. Expect about 6 wet days. Snowfall averages about 8.8 in. This is the depth of winter in Cheyenne.
- Normal high
- 39°F
- Normal low
- 18°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 0.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.8 in
- snow on the ground 9 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 42°F | 39°F |
| Normal low | 20°F | 18°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 19% | 18% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:05 am / 4:31 pm | 7:24 am / 4:40 pm |
| Daylight | 9.4 h | 9.3 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am25°Fdew point 12°F
- 9 am29°Fdew point 13°F
- Noon36°Fdew point 14°F
- 3 pm36°Fdew point 14°F
- 6 pm29°Fdew point 13°F
- 9 pm26°Fdew point 13°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Cheyenne (1 mi away); average wind 14 mph; clear or few clouds in 73% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 23%.
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 snow6 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more9 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 0.5 in; a dry December brings about 0.3 in and a wet one about 0.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 8.8 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20201994: average high 45°F
- Coolest December2009: average high 30°F
- Wettest December2006: 1.6 in
- Driest December1996: 0.01 in
- Highest reading66°F (December 1, 1998)
- Lowest reading-22°F (December 30, 2014)
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 | 39°F | 40°F |
| Normal low | 25°F | 18°F | 18°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.3 h | 9.6 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and +1°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Boulder, CO81 mi · high 46°F · 5 wet days
- Cooler: Steamboat Springs, CO115 mi · high 30°F · 14 wet days
How Cheyenne ranks in December
- Normal high291st warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 4 in Wyoming
- Wet days84th driest of 378
- Comfortable days339th most of 340
What to pack for Cheyenne in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 18°F, highs near 39°F
- Waterproof boots – about 8.8 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1125 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 Cheyenne in December?
The normal high is 39°F and the normal low is 18°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -22°F (December 30, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Cheyenne in December?
About 6 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2006 (1.6 in); the driest was in 1996 (0.01 in).
Does it snow in Cheyenne in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 8.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 9 days.
Is December a good time to visit Cheyenne?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Cheyenne (34 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Cheyenne (USW00024018), 1.1 mi NE of the city center, 6,128 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Cheyenne Airport (725640-24018), 1.4 mi NNE of the city center, 6,118 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.