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Philadelphia in December: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

Planning a trip and want to know what the weather in Philadelphia in December will be like? Take a look at our weather guide for Philadelphia, based on historical data.
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December

Weather in Philadelphia in December 2024

OK Weather
Cool
☁️
Cloudy
If you plan to visit Philadelphia in December, the weather is typically alright, with an average high temperature of +8°C during the day and approximately 4 sunny days. Expect some rainy, though, as there are typically 9 rainy days in the month and around 81 mm of precipitation. The weather is changeable so you may have to pack for every eventuality. Search flights in one click on Avionero.

Average weather

☀️
+8°C
Avg. max. temperature
-17°C
Min.
+23°C
Max.
81 mm
Total precipitation
69%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
4 ☀️
Sunny Days
14 ⛅️
Cloudy
9 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Philadelphia has OK weather in December.

Average temperature in Philadelphia in December

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

The temperature in December is +10°C on average, with a range between a maximum of +16°C during the day and a minimum of -1°C at night.

The average maximum temperature goes down 12% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +9°C to +7°C.

Is Philadelphia warm or cold in December?

Philadelphia is typically cool in December.

Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +13°C to +8°C. The minimum temperature also goes down from +5°C to 0°C.

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

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

Climate in Philadelphia in December

Philadelphia weather looks like this, on average, in December and the surrounding months.
NovemberDecemberJanuary
Avg. temperature
+13°C+8°C+5°C
Min. temperature
-8°C-17°C-24°C
Max. temperature
+26°C+23°C+23°C
Rainfall
76 mm81 mm57 mm
Wind
3 m/s3 m/s3 m/s
Humidity
68%69%67%
Air pressure
1018 HPa1018 HPa1017 HPa
Sunny days
644
Cloudy days
141414
Rainy days
1097
Snowy days
036

December weather is still as ok as in November. It’s getting colder in December. From +13°C in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +8°C. Prepare for more rain. Average rainfall goes from 76 mm to 81 mm. Humidity rises from 68% to 69%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during December, staying around 3 m/s. The days becoming less sunny, going from 6 sunny days in November to 4 in December.

January brings much the same weather, it remains ok.

Wind

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

The average wind speed is 3 m/s getting up to 6 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Philadelphia is gradually increasing during December, going from 2 m/s to 3 m/s over the course of the month.

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during December in Philadelphia based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
A chance of rain on a typical day in December stands at 39%, leading to total precipitation of around 255 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 80 mm, which is considered heavy rain. December is a pretty wet month with over 12 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:
Philadelphia wettest month is July, where a typical day has a 52% chance of precipitation and 102 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 24% chance of precipitation and 49 mm of rainfall per day.

Snow

Amount of snow in mm during December in Philadelphia based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
The total snow in December is about 0 mm, with a 0% chance of snow on a typical day.

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

How was the weather last December in Philadelphia?

This is the weather in Philadelphia in December 2023:
1 December
☁️
+9°C
2 December
🌫️
+12°C
3 December
🌫️
+11°C
4 December
🌫️
+11°C
5 December
☁️
+8°C
6 December
☁️
+6°C
7 December
☁️
+4°C
8 December
☁️
+12°C
9 December
☀️
+12°C
10 December
☁️
+16°C
11 December
🌧️
+16°C
12 December
🌧️
+7°C
13 December
☀️
+8°C
14 December
☀️
+6°C
15 December
☀️
+13°C
16 December
☁️
+13°C
17 December
☁️
+13°C
18 December
🌫️
+16°C
19 December
☁️
+8°C
20 December
☀️
+7°C
21 December
☁️
+8°C
22 December
☁️
+3°C
23 December
☁️
+8°C
24 December
☁️
+10°C
25 December
☁️
+11°C
26 December
☁️
+10°C
27 December
🌧️
+10°C
28 December
🌫️
+12°C
29 December
☁️
+12°C
30 December
☁️
+8°C
31 December
☁️
+7°C
In December 2023 Philadelphia had 5 sunny days, 18 cloudy days, and 3 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +10°C, with an absolute maximum of +16°C and a minimum of +3°C. The average humidity was 73%, with a maximum of 99% and a minimum of 36%. The average wind speed was 3 m/s, with a maximum of 12 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in December?

Climate Change over Years

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

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

The average temperature was the lowest in 1996 (+17°C) and the highest in 2012 (+20°C). The driest year was 2001 with only 685 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2023 with 1758 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Philadelphia in December:

Is December a good time to visit Philadelphia?

It’s always a good time to visit Philadelphia, 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 Philadelphia in December?

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

Is Philadelphia rainy in December?

Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia in December?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Philadelphia, 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.