Bismarck weather in December: Bismarck, North Dakota: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Bismarck in December has a normal high of 28°F and a normal low of 8°F, a daily mean of 18°F, falling from 33°F on the 1st to 24°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 8 days in a normal December, 0.60 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of −2°C and low of −13°C, 15 mm of precipitation and 26 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationBismarck Municipal Airport
- Station IDUSW00024011
- Location46.77°N 100.76°W
- Elevation1,658 ft (505 m)
- From the center3 miles
- Population77,772
- Jan 23° 2°
- Feb 28° 7°
- Mar 41° 19°
- Apr 56° 30°
- May 68° 42°
- Jun 78° 53°
- Jul 85° 58°
- Aug 84° 56°
- Sep 73° 46°
- Oct 57° 33°
- Nov 41° 19°
- Dec 28° 8°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Bismarck in December?
The normal high is 28°F and the normal low 8°F, for a daily mean of 17.9°F. December is 12.0°F cooler than November and 5.1°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Bismarck and the 10th wettest, and the snowiest. Across the month the normal high falls 9°F, from 33°F on December 1 to 24°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 6.4°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 11°F and 24°F.
Bars above: each day's normal high to low. Columns below: the chance of 0.01 inch or more of precipitation that day, on a scale of 0 to 100% (highest 26%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 33°F | 13°F | 23% | 5% |
| December 8 | 30°F | 11°F | 24% | 5% |
| December 15 | 28°F | 8°F | 25% | 6% |
| December 22 | 26°F | 6°F | 25% | 6% |
| December 31 | 24°F | 4°F | 26% | 6% |
Every day of December: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon December 1, coldest night December 31)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 33°F | 13°F | 23% | 5% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 2 | 33°F | 13°F | 23% | 5% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 3 | 32°F | 12°F | 23% | 5% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 4 | 32°F | 12°F | 23% | 5% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 5 | 32°F | 12°F | 23% | 5% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 6 | 31°F | 11°F | 24% | 5% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 7 | 31°F | 11°F | 24% | 5% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 8 | 30°F | 11°F | 24% | 5% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 9 | 30°F | 10°F | 24% | 5% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 10 | 30°F | 10°F | 24% | 5% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 11 | 29°F | 10°F | 24% | 5% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 12 | 29°F | 9°F | 24% | 5% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 13 | 28°F | 9°F | 24% | 5% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 14 | 28°F | 9°F | 24% | 5% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 15 | 28°F | 8°F | 25% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 16 | 27°F | 8°F | 25% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 17 | 27°F | 8°F | 25% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 18 | 27°F | 7°F | 25% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 19 | 26°F | 7°F | 25% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 20 | 26°F | 7°F | 25% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 21 | 26°F | 6°F | 25% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 22 | 26°F | 6°F | 25% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 23 | 25°F | 6°F | 25% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 24 | 25°F | 6°F | 25% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 25 | 25°F | 5°F | 25% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 26 | 25°F | 5°F | 25% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 27 | 24°F | 5°F | 26% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 28 | 24°F | 5°F | 26% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 29 | 24°F | 4°F | 26% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 30 | 24°F | 4°F | 26% | 6% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 31 | 24°F | 4°F | 26% | 6% | 8 h 40 min |
- Normal high
- 28°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 8°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 0.60 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 80.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 10.1 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 31
- Daylight
- 8 h 50 min to 8 h 40 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 68%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00024011; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Bismarck in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 24% on average, highest around December 30 (26%). In all, 0.60 in falls on 8 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Bismarck, 31 nights fall to freezing, 19 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 10.1 inches.
Snow falls on 9 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 19 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00024011.
How humid and windy is Bismarck in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 20°F with 69% relative humidity and a dew point of 11°F; at 6 a.m. it is 11°F with 82% humidity. The wind averages 8.7 mph, most often from the northwest in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 11°F | 6°F | 82% | 8.2 mph | 46% |
| 9 a.m. | 11°F | 6°F | 81% | 8.0 mph | 51% |
| noon | 17°F | 10°F | 73% | 9.6 mph | 45% |
| 3 p.m. | 20°F | 11°F | 69% | 10.8 mph | 53% |
| 6 p.m. | 16°F | 10°F | 75% | 9.0 mph | 48% |
| 9 p.m. | 13°F | 8°F | 79% | 8.4 mph | 56% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00024011. Hourly normals exist only for NOAA's first-order stations; a dash where NOAA publishes no value for that hour (the sky at some hours).
What are the records for December in Bismarck?
The warmest December temperature on Bismarck's official record (since 1874) is 66°F, on December 6, 1939; the coldest is −43°F, on December 31, 1967. The wettest December brought 2.05 in (2016); the snowiest, 33.3 inches (2008).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 17.9°F: 2021 17.3°F (−0.6), 2022 8.2°F (−9.7), 2023 28.4°F (+10.5), 2024 21.9°F (+4.0), 2025 16.8°F (−1.1). 2 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17.3°F | −0.6°F | 1.05 in |
| 2022 | 8.2°F | −9.7°F | 1.57 in |
| 2023 | 28.4°F | +10.5°F | 0.44 in |
| 2024 | 21.9°F | +4.0°F | 0.40 in |
| 2025 | 16.8°F | −1.1°F | 0.81 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record BISthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00024011. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Bismarck compare across North Dakota?
Across the 92 places PlainClimate covers in North Dakota, December normal highs run from 18°F in Rolette to 32°F in Amidon; Bismarck's is 28°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.