Charleston weather in December: Charleston, West Virginia: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Charleston in December has a normal high of 48°F and a normal low of 30°F, a daily mean of 39°F, falling from 52°F on the 1st to 44°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 14 days in a normal December, 3.56 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 9°C and low of −1°C, 90 mm of precipitation and 13 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationCharleston - West Virginia International Yeager Airport
- Station IDUSW00013866
- Location38.38°N 81.59°W
- Elevation910 ft (277 m)
- From the center3 miles
- Population46,482
- Jan 44° 26°
- Feb 48° 29°
- Mar 57° 35°
- Apr 69° 45°
- May 76° 53°
- Jun 83° 62°
- Jul 86° 66°
- Aug 85° 64°
- Sep 80° 57°
- Oct 69° 45°
- Nov 57° 36°
- Dec 48° 30°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Charleston in December?
The normal high is 48°F and the normal low 30°F, for a daily mean of 38.7°F. December is 7.7°F cooler than November and 3.7°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Charleston and the 6th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 8°F, from 52°F on December 1 to 44°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 4.2°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 35°F and 43°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 47%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 52°F | 32°F | 42% | 24% |
| December 8 | 49°F | 31°F | 44% | 25% |
| December 15 | 48°F | 30°F | 45% | 25% |
| December 22 | 46°F | 29°F | 46% | 25% |
| December 31 | 44°F | 27°F | 47% | 25% |
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 | 52°F | 32°F | 42% | 24% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 2 | 51°F | 32°F | 43% | 24% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 3 | 51°F | 32°F | 43% | 25% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 4 | 51°F | 32°F | 43% | 25% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 5 | 50°F | 32°F | 44% | 25% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 6 | 50°F | 32°F | 44% | 25% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 7 | 50°F | 31°F | 44% | 25% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 8 | 49°F | 31°F | 44% | 25% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 9 | 49°F | 31°F | 44% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 10 | 49°F | 31°F | 44% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 11 | 49°F | 31°F | 45% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 12 | 48°F | 31°F | 45% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 13 | 48°F | 30°F | 45% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 14 | 48°F | 30°F | 45% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 15 | 48°F | 30°F | 45% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 16 | 47°F | 30°F | 45% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 17 | 47°F | 30°F | 46% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 18 | 47°F | 30°F | 46% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 19 | 47°F | 29°F | 46% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 20 | 46°F | 29°F | 46% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 21 | 46°F | 29°F | 46% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 22 | 46°F | 29°F | 46% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 23 | 46°F | 29°F | 46% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 24 | 46°F | 29°F | 47% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 25 | 45°F | 28°F | 47% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 26 | 45°F | 28°F | 47% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 27 | 45°F | 28°F | 47% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 28 | 45°F | 28°F | 47% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 29 | 45°F | 28°F | 47% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 30 | 45°F | 28°F | 47% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 31 | 44°F | 27°F | 47% | 25% | 9 h 30 min |
- Normal high
- 48°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 30°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 3.56 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 140.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 5.0 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 20
- Daylight
- 9 h 40 min to 9 h 30 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Days at 70°F or more
- 1
- Sunshine
- 57%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00013866; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Charleston in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 45% on average, highest around December 31 (47%). In all, 3.56 in falls on 14 days of a normal December, 1 of them with an inch or more.
In a normal December in Charleston, 20 nights fall to freezing, 4 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 5.0 inches.
Snow falls on 4 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 3 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00013866.
How humid and windy is Charleston in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 42°F with 57% relative humidity and a dew point of 28°F; at 6 a.m. it is 33°F with 80% humidity. The wind averages 5.1 mph, most often from the west-southwest in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 33°F | 27°F | 80% | 4.5 mph | – |
| 9 a.m. | 33°F | 27°F | 79% | 4.7 mph | – |
| noon | 39°F | 28°F | 65% | 6.3 mph | – |
| 3 p.m. | 42°F | 28°F | 57% | 6.6 mph | 31% |
| 6 p.m. | 40°F | 28°F | 62% | 5.2 mph | 37% |
| 9 p.m. | 37°F | 28°F | 71% | 4.7 mph | 39% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00013866. 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 Charleston?
The warmest December temperature on Charleston's official record (since 1892) is 80°F, on December 10, 1971; the coldest is −17°F, on December 30, 1917. The wettest December brought 8.02 in (1978); the snowiest, 21.9 inches (1995).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 38.7°F: 2021 46.5°F (+7.8), 2022 38.7°F (at normal), 2023 43.4°F (+4.7), 2024 39.8°F (+1.1), 2025 37.1°F (−1.6). 3 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 46.5°F | +7.8°F | 2.06 in |
| 2022 | 38.7°F | at normal | 1.25 in |
| 2023 | 43.4°F | +4.7°F | 2.16 in |
| 2024 | 39.8°F | +1.1°F | 4.08 in |
| 2025 | 37.1°F | −1.6°F | 2.53 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record CRWthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00013866. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Charleston compare across West Virginia?
Across the 63 places PlainClimate covers in West Virginia, December normal highs run from 36°F in Davis to 50°F in Williamson; Charleston's is 48°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.
Other months and places
- Charleston in November57°F by day, 36°F at night
- Charleston in January44°F by day, 26°F at night
- Charleston through the yearEvery month, frost dates, records and recent years
- West Virginia in DecemberThe statewide normal and the warmest and coolest places
- Williamson: West Virginia's warmest Decembernormal high 50°F