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Washington in December: Weather, Average temperature and Climate

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

Weather in Washington in December 2024

OK Weather
Chill
☁️
Cloudy
If you plan to visit Washington in December, the weather is typically alright, with an average high temperature of +48°F during the day and approximately 4 sunny days. Expect some rainy, though, as there are typically 9 rainy days in the month and around 73 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

☀️
+48°F
Avg. max. temperature
+1°F
Min.
+77°F
Max.
73 mm
Total precipitation
65%
Avg. humidity
3 m/s
Avg. wind
4 ☀️
Sunny Days
15 ⛅️
Cloudy
9 🌦
Rainy
Our opinion: Washington has OK weather in December.

Average temperature in Washington in December

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

Going from a maximum of +63°F during the day to a minimum of +28°F during the night, the temperature in December averages around +52°F.

The average maximum temperature goes up 0% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +50°F to +50°F.

Is Washington warm or cold in December?

Washington is typically chill in December.

Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +57°F to +48°F. The minimum temperature also goes down from +41°F to +34°F.

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

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

Climate in Washington in December

Washington weather looks like this, on average, in December and the surrounding months.
NovemberDecemberJanuary
Avg. temperature
+57°F+48°F+43°F
Min. temperature
+16°F+1°F-6°F
Max. temperature
+81°F+77°F+75°F
Rainfall
84 mm73 mm59 mm
Wind
3 m/s3 m/s3 m/s
Humidity
65%65%63%
Air pressure
1019 HPa1019 HPa1018 HPa
Sunny days
544
Cloudy days
131514
Rainy days
1097
Snowy days
036

December weather is still as ok as in November. It’s getting colder in December. From +57°F in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +48°F. As December arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 84 mm to 73 mm. Humidity levels don’t change as the month goes on, averaging around 65%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during December, staying around 3 m/s. The days becoming less sunny, going from 5 sunny days in November to 4 in December.

January brings much the same weather, it remains ok.

Wind

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

The average wind speed is 2 m/s getting up to 7 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.

The average wind speed in Washington 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 Washington based on historical data.
Last Year
Historical Data
Typically, there is a 39% chance of rain on an average day in December, with total rainfall of approximately 172 mm. The maximum amount of rainfall per day is around 54 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 wellies.
Here’s how December is compared with other months in the amount of precipitation, total mm:
Washington wettest month is July, where a typical day has a 42% chance of precipitation and 135 mm of rainfall per day. February, on the other hand, is the driest month with a mere 28% chance of precipitation and 58 mm of rainfall per day.

Snow

Amount of snow in mm during December in Washington 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 Washington.

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

How was the weather last December in Washington?

This is the weather in Washington in December 2023:
1 December
☁️
+50°F
2 December
🌫️
+55°F
3 December
🌫️
+55°F
4 December
☁️
+55°F
5 December
☁️
+50°F
6 December
☁️
+45°F
7 December
☁️
+45°F
8 December
☁️
+58°F
9 December
☁️
+56°F
10 December
🌫️
+62°F
11 December
🌧️
+55°F
12 December
☀️
+47°F
13 December
☁️
+49°F
14 December
☀️
+48°F
15 December
☀️
+59°F
16 December
☁️
+59°F
17 December
🌫️
+54°F
18 December
🌫️
+56°F
19 December
☀️
+46°F
20 December
☀️
+49°F
21 December
☁️
+46°F
22 December
☁️
+48°F
23 December
☁️
+49°F
24 December
☁️
+51°F
25 December
☁️
+59°F
26 December
☁️
+51°F
27 December
🌧️
+54°F
28 December
☁️
+58°F
29 December
☁️
+55°F
30 December
☁️
+50°F
31 December
☁️
+49°F
In December 2023 Washington had 5 sunny days, 19 cloudy days, and 2 rainy days. The average maximum temperature was +52°F, with an absolute maximum of +63°F and a minimum of +45°F. The average humidity was 73%, with a maximum of 98% and a minimum of 30%. The average wind speed was 2 m/s, with a maximum of 11 m/s and a minimum of 0 m/s.
Are you planning a trip in December?

Climate Change Over the Years

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

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

The average temperature was the lowest in 1996 (+64°F) and the highest in 2023 (+70°F). The driest year was 2007 with only 654 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2022 with 1801 mm.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the weather in Washington in December:

Is December a good time to visit Washington?

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

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

Is Washington rainy in December?

Washington 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 Washington in December?

Usually, it’s not very sunny in Washington 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 Washington

Source of the data

For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Washington, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2023.

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.