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Seattle in December: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

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

Weather in Seattle in December 2024

Uncomfortable Weather
Chill
🌧️
Rainy
✈️
$343 - $343
🌊
Cold water
There are definitely more pleasant months to visit Seattle rather than December, with an average high temperature of +45°F, and only 1 sunny days in total throughout the whole month. Pack for extremes to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible. Search flights in one click on Avionero.
Good to know:
  • December is usually the coldest month of the year in Seattle;
  • December is usually the wettest month of the year in Seattle;

Average weather

☀️
+45°F
Avg. max. temperature
+9°F
Min.
+59°F
Max.
166 mm
Total precipitation
86%
Avg. humidity
2 m/s
Avg. wind
1 ☀️
Sunny Days
8 ⛅️
Cloudy
20 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Seattle has uncomfortable weather in December.

Average temperature in Seattle in December

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

Going from a maximum of +59°F during the day to a minimum of +34°F during the night, the temperature in December averages around +50°F.

The average maximum temperature goes up 7% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +48°F to +50°F.

Is Seattle warm or cold in December?

Seattle is typically chill in December.

Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +50°F to +45°F. The minimum temperature also goes down from +43°F to +39°F.

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

December is the coldest month in Seattle, here is the comparison with other months:

Water temperature in Seattle in December

Water in Seattle in December is Cold. It varies from +45°F to +48°F, with an average of +47°F. Note that the air temperature is lower than the water temperature, averaging around +45°F.

In December, water temperatures are average relative to the rest of the year:

The warmest water temperatures in Seattle are reached in August, when the average sea temperature rises to +53°F. The coldest water temperatures are in February, with an average of +45°F.

Can you swim in Seattle in December?

We would not recommend swimming in Seattle in December, the water is very cold (+47°F on average). Consider swimming only if you are an experienced cold-water swimmer with proper gear.
🦭
Cold
Below +61°F
🏄‍♂️
Fresh
61°F - 70°F
🏊
Comfortable
70°F - 77°F
👙
Warm
77°F - 82°F
🔥
Very warm
+82°C and up
You will need a full-body wetsuit, cap, gloves, a warm change of clothes, and a hot drink ready for after your swim.

Travel to Seattle

Click to see more details
✈️
0
Flights per week
$343
Min. Price
$343
Max. Price

Climate in Seattle in December

Seattle weather looks like this, on average, in December and the surrounding months.
NovemberDecemberJanuary
Avg. temperature
+50°F+45°F+46°F
Min. temperature
+12°F+9°F+14°F
Max. temperature
+64°F+59°F+59°F
Rainfall
177 mm166 mm173 mm
Wind
2 m/s2 m/s2 m/s
Avg. water temperature
+48°F+47°F+46°F
Humidity
85%86%86%
Air pressure
1016 HPa1016 HPa1016 HPa
Sunny days
112
Cloudy days
788
Rainy days
212019
Snowy days
022

December weather is still as bad as in November. It’s getting colder in December. From +50°F in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +45°F. As December arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 177 mm to 166 mm. Humidity rises from 85% to 86%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during December, staying around 2 m/s. The amount of sunny days stay about the same, averaging 1 sunny days during the month.

January brings much the same weather, it remains bad.

Wind

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

The average wind speed is 1 m/s getting up to 3 m/s which is a light breeze; barely moving the tree leaves.

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

Rain

Amount of rainfall in mm during December in Seattle based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
A chance of rain on a typical day in December stands at 87%, leading to total precipitation of around 299 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 67 mm, which is considered heavy rain. December is a pretty wet month with over 27 rainy days, so don’t forget to pack an umbrella, raincoat, and a pair of wellies.
December is one of the rainiest months in Seattle, here is a comparison with other months, total mm:
Seattle wettest month is November, where a typical day has a 70% chance of precipitation and 177 mm of rainfall per day. July, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 29% chance of precipitation and 28 mm of rainfall per day.

Snow

Amount of snow in mm during December in Seattle 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.

December is one of the snowiest months in Seattle.

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

How was the weather last December in Seattle?

This is the weather in Seattle in December 2023:
1 December
🌧️
+48°F
2 December
🌧️
+50°F
3 December
☁️
+51°F
4 December
☁️
+51°F
5 December
🌧️
+58°F
6 December
🌧️
+51°F
7 December
🌧️
+49°F
8 December
🌧️
+45°F
9 December
☁️
+43°F
10 December
🌧️
+54°F
11 December
☁️
+53°F
12 December
☁️
+46°F
13 December
☁️
+51°F
14 December
☁️
+49°F
15 December
☁️
+51°F
16 December
☁️
+50°F
17 December
☁️
+49°F
18 December
☁️
+47°F
19 December
🌧️
+50°F
20 December
☁️
+51°F
21 December
☁️
+47°F
22 December
☁️
+47°F
23 December
☁️
+44°F
24 December
☁️
+44°F
25 December
☁️
+45°F
26 December
🌧️
+52°F
27 December
☁️
+52°F
28 December
🌧️
+54°F
29 December
☁️
+56°F
30 December
🌧️
+55°F
31 December
☁️
+50°F
In December 2023 Seattle had 0 sunny days, 20 cloudy days, and 11 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +50°F, with an absolute maximum of +59°F and a minimum of +43°F. The average humidity was 86%, with a maximum of 99% and a minimum of 60%. The average wind speed was 1 m/s, with a maximum of 10 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in December?

Climate Change Over the Years

This is how Seattle climate has changed over the last 43 years.

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

The average temperature was the lowest in 2011 (+57°F) and the highest in 2014 (+62°F). The driest year was 1985 with only 714 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2021 with 2549 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Seattle in December:

Is December a good time to visit Seattle?

There is never a bad time to go to Seattle, but the weather isn’t the best in December, so plan on enjoying the great indoor attractions of Seattle and pack for the extremes in weather.

Can you sunbathe in Seattle in December?

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

Can you swim in Seattle in December?

Swimming in Seattle in December is challenging and not recommended for inexperienced swimmers or without proper equipment and preparation.

Is Seattle rainy in December?

Seattle 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 Seattle in December?

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

How much does it cost to fly to Seattle in December?

The normal prices to fly to Seattle is $343 - $343. It means that the majority of our users have picked flights in this range. To find the best price we recommend you search early, using our flexible dates feature.

Other cities in USA

Check out the weather for other cities in USA.

Monthly weather in Seattle

Source of the data

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