Columbus weather in December: Columbus, Ohio: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Columbus in December has a normal high of 42°F and a normal low of 27°F, a daily mean of 35°F, falling from 46°F on the 1st to 38°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 13 days in a normal December, 3.13 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 5°C and low of −3°C, 80 mm of precipitation and 13 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationColumbus Port Columbus International Airport
- Station IDUSW00014821
- Location39.99°N 82.88°W
- Elevation810 ft (247 m)
- From the center6 miles
- Population933,263
- Jan 37° 22°
- Feb 41° 24°
- Mar 51° 32°
- Apr 64° 42°
- May 74° 52°
- Jun 82° 62°
- Jul 85° 65°
- Aug 84° 64°
- Sep 78° 57°
- Oct 66° 45°
- Nov 52° 35°
- Dec 42° 27°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Columbus in December?
The normal high is 42°F and the normal low 27°F, for a daily mean of 34.5°F. December is 9.1°F cooler than November and 4.9°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Columbus and the 8th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 8°F, from 46°F on December 1 to 38°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 4.3°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 30°F and 39°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 45%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 46°F | 31°F | 39% | 21% |
| December 8 | 44°F | 29°F | 41% | 21% |
| December 15 | 42°F | 28°F | 42% | 21% |
| December 22 | 40°F | 26°F | 43% | 22% |
| December 31 | 38°F | 24°F | 45% | 22% |
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 | 46°F | 31°F | 39% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 2 | 46°F | 31°F | 39% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 3 | 45°F | 30°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 4 | 45°F | 30°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 5 | 45°F | 30°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 6 | 44°F | 30°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 7 | 44°F | 29°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 8 | 44°F | 29°F | 41% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 9 | 43°F | 29°F | 41% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 10 | 43°F | 29°F | 41% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 11 | 43°F | 29°F | 41% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 12 | 42°F | 28°F | 42% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 13 | 42°F | 28°F | 42% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 14 | 42°F | 28°F | 42% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 15 | 42°F | 28°F | 42% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 16 | 41°F | 27°F | 43% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 17 | 41°F | 27°F | 43% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 18 | 41°F | 27°F | 43% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 19 | 40°F | 27°F | 43% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 20 | 40°F | 27°F | 43% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 21 | 40°F | 26°F | 43% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 22 | 40°F | 26°F | 43% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 23 | 40°F | 26°F | 44% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 24 | 39°F | 26°F | 44% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 25 | 39°F | 25°F | 44% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 26 | 39°F | 25°F | 44% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 27 | 39°F | 25°F | 44% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 28 | 39°F | 25°F | 44% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 29 | 38°F | 25°F | 44% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 30 | 38°F | 24°F | 45% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 31 | 38°F | 24°F | 45% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
- Normal high
- 42°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 27°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 3.13 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 130.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 5.1 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 22
- Daylight
- 9 h 30 min to 9 h 20 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 56%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014821; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Columbus in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 42% on average, highest around December 31 (45%). In all, 3.13 in falls on 13 days of a normal December, 1 of them with an inch or more.
In a normal December in Columbus, 22 nights fall to freezing, 7 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 5.1 inches.
Snow falls on 6 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 5 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014821.
How humid and windy is Columbus in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 36°F with 65% relative humidity and a dew point of 26°F; at 6 a.m. it is 29°F with 79% humidity. The wind averages 8.8 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. | 29°F | 24°F | 79% | 7.8 mph | 24% |
| 9 a.m. | 30°F | 24°F | 79% | 8.4 mph | 17% |
| noon | 34°F | 25°F | 70% | 10.4 mph | 18% |
| 3 p.m. | 36°F | 26°F | 65% | 10.5 mph | 15% |
| 6 p.m. | 34°F | 26°F | 71% | 8.8 mph | 17% |
| 9 p.m. | 32°F | 25°F | 74% | 8.4 mph | 23% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00014821. 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 Columbus?
The warmest December temperature on Columbus's official record (since 1878) is 76°F, on December 3, 1982; the coldest is −17°F, on December 22, 1989. The wettest December brought 6.98 in (1990); the snowiest, 17.3 inches (1960).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 34.5°F: 2021 41.8°F (+7.3), 2022 34.6°F (+0.1), 2023 41.8°F (+7.3), 2024 37.0°F (+2.5), 2025 31.8°F (−2.7). 4 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 41.8°F | +7.3°F | 4.51 in |
| 2022 | 34.6°F | +0.1°F | 2.02 in |
| 2023 | 41.8°F | +7.3°F | 3.25 in |
| 2024 | 37.0°F | +2.5°F | 3.77 in |
| 2025 | 31.8°F | −2.7°F | 2.50 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record CMHthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014821. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Columbus compare across Ohio?
Across the 99 places PlainClimate covers in Ohio, December normal highs run from 36°F in Montpelier to 46°F in Portsmouth; Columbus's is 42°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.