yearsofweather

New York in December:
properly cold, frequent rain

New York, United States · Records from 2006 to 2025. Not a forecast.

Mean high7°Hottest day 20.5° (2006)
Mean low1°Coldest night −12.2° (2022)
Rain days10 days5-15 by year
Rainfall118mmDaylight 9.5 → 9.3 h
New York's 12 months iBest: September
Trip types Sightseeing on foot Poorcold
Humidity71%0 muggy days
Clear days6 days11 overcast days
Mean wind12 km/hRarely windy
Sunrise / sunset (15th)07:13 / 16:30Daylight 9.5 → 9.3 h

New York in December

Christmas decorations draw crowds, so streets are packed and prices high. Snow is possible, though a white Christmas is not guaranteed. Bring a heavy coat. Even without snow the wind is cold, so a hat and gloves help.

Highs of 7°C and lows of 1°C. It was cold, and it felt colder once the sun went down. Rain fell on 10 days of the month on average. Most years sat near the average of 10, though 2006 dipped to 5 and 2024 climbed to 15.

Days were short. Daylight shrank from 9.5 to 9.3 hours across the month, so plan outdoor sights early. Frost touched 13 nights of the month on average, enough to glaze puddles and shaded steps at first light. December 2015 averaged 12.8°C by day, 5.9°C above the 20-year mean. Cold snaps happened: the record low for December was −12.2°C, set in 2022.

Hurricanes i No tropical storm passed within 300 km in this month over the last 20 years. Hurricanes: July to October

Date by date i

‹ November December 2026 January ›
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Week
1-5rain on 29% of days9° 3°
6-12rain on 31% of days7° 1°
13-19rain on 32% of days6° 1°
20-26rain on 31% of days7° 0°
27-31rain on 35% of days6° 1°

0-5/206-8/209-11/2012-20/20

1-5rain on 29% of days9° 3°
6-12rain on 31% of days7° 1°
13-19rain on 32% of days6° 1°
20-26rain on 31% of days7° 0°
27-31rain on 35% of days6° 1°
Tap another date to change

20064mm
2007none
20084mm
2009none
201033mm
2011none
2012none
2013none
20143mm
201515mm
20166mm
2017none
20184mm
201921mm
2020none
2021none
2022none
20235mm
2024none
2025none
Holidays in December (2026)
  • December 25 Christmas Day

1 Local public holiday or break (busier, pricier)

Day by day temperature i

−10°1°11°22° 1815222931

Mean high Mean low Coldest to warmest high in 20 years

Your trip dates, the past 20 years

Trip dates ~

You can also click two dates on the axis. Hover a cell to see that day's rain.
Trip rain days Month rain days
2006
0 d 5 d
2007
2 d 11 d
2008
3 d 12 d
2009
1 d 11 d
2010
1 d 5 d
2011
3 d 8 d
2012
4 d 13 d
2013
5 d 10 d
2014
4 d 12 d
2015
0 d 12 d
2016
3 d 9 d
2017
3 d 9 d
2018
0 d 9 d
2019
3 d 11 d
2020
1 d 9 d
2021
2 d 9 d
2022
3 d 9 d
2023
2 d 8 d
2024
3 d 15 d
2025
1 d 10 d
Years with rain
Tap a date to start, tap another to end. Each cell is that date in one year.
'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
of 20
9
8
5
1
6
7
6
3
8
9
6
5
6
6
5
9
9
5
5
4
5
5
9
8
8
5
8
4
9
5
9
Rain days on trip
02311345403303123231

No rain1-9 mm10 mm or more Dates outside your trip are dimmed.

One row per year, one cell per day. 2006 had 5 rain days, 2024 had 15.

New York through the year

MonthHighLowRain daysRainfall
January 4°−2°9 days89mm
February 6°−1°8 days90mm
March 10°3°9 days106mm
April 17°8°9 days110mm
May 22°13°10 days105mm
June 27°18°9 days119mm
July 30°21°10 days126mm
August 29°21°8 days114mm
SeptemberGood 25°17°7 days102mm
October 18°11°8 days118mm
November 12°6°7 days87mm
December 7°1°10 days118mm

Common questions

Does it rain a lot in New York in December?

Over the past 20 years December averaged 10 rain days (1 mm or more) out of 31. Individual years ran from 5 in the driest to 15 in the wettest.

What should I wear in New York in December?

Days averaged 7°C and nights 1°C. Pack a compact umbrella, a waterproof jacket, and a warm coat.

Is December a good time to visit New York?

On warmth and rain days alone, New York's easiest month was September. December ranked 12 of 12.

How many clear days does New York get in December?

About 6 clear days (under 30% cloud on average) and 11 overcast days (80% or more).