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New York in December: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Discover the weather for New York in December and if it’s a good time to travel (based on historical data).
Check flight prices to New York on Avionero:
December

Weather in New York in December 2024

OK Weather
Cool
☁️
Cloudy
New York in December usually sees fair weather conditions, with an average daily high temperature of +7°C and roughly 8 sunny days. However, you should prepare for about 6 rainy days with an average precipitation of 80 mm. The weather is changeable so pack for every eventuality. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+7°C
Avg. max. temperature
-17°C
Min.
+22°C
Max.
80 mm
Total precipitation
63%
Avg. humidity
4 m/s
Avg. wind
8 ☀️
Sunny Days
15 ⛅️
Cloudy
6 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: New York has OK weather in December.

Average temperature in New York in December

Here are the expected maximum, average and minimum temperatures in New York for December based on the historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

Going from a maximum of +14°C during the day to a minimum of -14°C during the night, the temperature in December averages around +7°C.

The average maximum temperature goes down 7% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +12°C to +10°C.

Is New York warm or cold in December?

New York is typically cool in December.

Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +12°C to +7°C. The minimum temperature also goes down from +6°C to +1°C.

Pack a sweater and a jacket as there will be cooler temperatures.

December is one of the coolest months in New York, here is the comparison with other months:

Climate in New York in December

New York weather looks like this, on average, in December and the surrounding months.
NovemberDecemberJanuary
Avg. temperature
+12°C+7°C+4°C
Min. temperature
-9°C-17°C-23°C
Max. temperature
+26°C+22°C+21°C
Rainfall
82 mm80 mm58 mm
Wind
4 m/s4 m/s4 m/s
Humidity
63%63%62%
Air pressure
1017 HPa1017 HPa1017 HPa
Sunny days
1088
Cloudy days
131516
Rainy days
764
Snowy days
023

December typically has worse weather conditions compared to November. It’s getting colder in December. From +12°C in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +7°C. As December arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 82 mm to 80 mm. Humidity levels don’t change as the month goes on, averaging around 63%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during December, staying around 4 m/s. The days becoming less sunny, going from 10 sunny days in November to 8 in December.

January brings much the same weather, it remains ok.

Wind

Wind speed in New York in December based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data

The average wind speed is 6 m/s getting up to 10 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in New York is gradually decreasing during December, going from 9 m/s to 2 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during December in New York based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 35% chance of rain on an average day in December, with total rainfall of approximately 129 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 39 mm, which is moderate rain. December is a pretty wet month with over 11 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of galoshes.
Here’s how December is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
New York wettest month is August, where a typical day has a 26% chance of precipitation and 111 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 14% chance of precipitation and 49 mm of rainfall per day.

Snow

Amount of snow in mm during December in New York based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 0% chance of snow on an average day in December, with a total monthly snowfall of approximately 0 mm.

Here’s how December is compared with other months in the amount of snow, total mm:

How was the weather last December in New York?

This is the weather in New York in December 2023:
1 December
☀️
+12°C
2 December
☀️
+7°C
3 December
🌧️
+14°C
4 December
☀️
+13°C
5 December
☀️
+9°C
6 December
☀️
+14°C
7 December
🌧️
+14°C
8 December
☀️
+13°C
9 December
☀️
+9°C
10 December
☀️
+4°C
11 December
☁️
+4°C
12 December
🌧️
+3°C
13 December
☀️
+5°C
14 December
☀️
+4°C
15 December
☀️
+5°C
16 December
🌧️
+7°C
17 December
☁️
+7°C
18 December
☀️
+4°C
19 December
☀️
+4°C
20 December
☀️
+4°C
21 December
☀️
+5°C
22 December
☀️
+7°C
23 December
🌧️
+13°C
24 December
☀️
-9°C
25 December
☀️
-2°C
26 December
☀️
-2°C
27 December
☁️
+1°C
28 December
☀️
+8°C
29 December
☀️
+10°C
30 December
☀️
+14°C
31 December
🌧️
+10°C
In December 2023 New York had 22 sunny days, 3 cloudy days, and 6 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +7°C, with an absolute maximum of +14°C and a minimum of -9°C. The average humidity was 66%, with a maximum of 96% and a minimum of 35%. The average wind speed was 6 m/s, with a maximum of 18 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in December?

Climate Change over Years

This is how New York climate have been changing during last 43 years period.

The climate in New York in December has not changed much over the last 43 years.

The average temperature was the lowest in 1989 (+1°C) and the highest in 2015 (+14°C). The driest year was 1980 with only 6 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 1996 with 360 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in New York in December:

Is December a good time to visit New York?

It’s always a good time to visit New York, but the weather is changeable in December, so plan a mix of indoor and outdoor activities and exploring, and pack for every eventuality.

Can you sunbathe in New York in December?

Not really, December is not the best time to sunbathe, unless you visit a local solarium.

Is New York rainy in December?

New York is often rainy in December. You may get a bit damp when outside, so pack an umbrella, and maybe even a raincoat.

Is it sunny in New York in December?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in New York in December, often it’s pretty cloudy. Pack for any eventuality; layering can help reduce the number of bulky items needed.

Other cities in USA

Check out the weather for other cities in USA.

Monthly weather in New York

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in New York, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2022.

For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.