Denver weather in December: Denver, Colorado: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Denver in December has a normal high of 44°F and a normal low of 18°F, a daily mean of 31°F, falling from 47°F on the 1st to 44°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 4 days in a normal December, 0.35 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 7°C and low of −8°C, 9 mm of precipitation in December.
- NOAA stationDenver International Airport
- Station IDUSW00003017
- Location39.83°N 104.66°W
- Elevation5,414 ft (1,650 m)
- From the center13 miles
- Population729,019
- Jan 45° 19°
- Feb 46° 20°
- Mar 56° 28°
- Apr 62° 34°
- May 71° 44°
- Jun 83° 53°
- Jul 90° 60°
- Aug 88° 58°
- Sep 80° 50°
- Oct 65° 37°
- Nov 53° 26°
- Dec 44° 18°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Denver in December?
The normal high is 44°F and the normal low 18°F, for a daily mean of 31.2°F. December is 8.2°F cooler than November and 0.5°F cooler than January. December is the 12th warmest month of the year in Denver and the 12th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 3°F, from 47°F on December 1 to 44°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 3.1°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 28°F and 34°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 15%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 47°F | 21°F | 15% | 5% |
| December 8 | 45°F | 19°F | 15% | 5% |
| December 15 | 43°F | 18°F | 15% | 5% |
| December 22 | 43°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% |
| December 31 | 44°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% |
Every day of December: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon December 1, coldest night December 19)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 47°F | 21°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 2 | 46°F | 20°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 3 | 46°F | 20°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 4 | 46°F | 20°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 5 | 45°F | 20°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 6 | 45°F | 19°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 7 | 45°F | 19°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 8 | 45°F | 19°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 9 | 44°F | 19°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 10 | 44°F | 19°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 11 | 44°F | 18°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 12 | 44°F | 18°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 13 | 44°F | 18°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 14 | 44°F | 18°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 15 | 43°F | 18°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 16 | 43°F | 18°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 17 | 43°F | 18°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 18 | 43°F | 18°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 19 | 43°F | 18°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 20 | 43°F | 18°F | 15% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 21 | 43°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 22 | 43°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 23 | 43°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 24 | 43°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 25 | 43°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 26 | 43°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 27 | 44°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 28 | 44°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 29 | 44°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 30 | 44°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 31 | 44°F | 18°F | 14% | 5% | 9 h 20 min |
- Normal high
- 44°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 18°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 0.35 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 40.01 inch or more
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 29
- Daylight
- 9 h 30 min to 9 h 20 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 79%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00003017; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain in Denver in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 15% on average, highest around December 1 (15%). In all, 0.35 in falls on 4 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Denver, 29 nights fall to freezing and 6 days stay below freezing all day.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00003017.
How humid and windy is Denver in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 39°F with 38% relative humidity and a dew point of 16°F; at 6 a.m. it is 24°F with 59% humidity. The wind averages 9.6 mph, most often from the north-northeast in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 24°F | 12°F | 59% | 9.7 mph | – |
| 9 a.m. | 29°F | 14°F | 54% | 9.3 mph | – |
| noon | 38°F | 15°F | 39% | 9.3 mph | – |
| 3 p.m. | 39°F | 16°F | 38% | 9.8 mph | – |
| 6 p.m. | 30°F | 15°F | 53% | 8.7 mph | – |
| 9 p.m. | 27°F | 14°F | 57% | 9.3 mph | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00003017. 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 Denver?
The warmest December temperature on Denver's official record (since 1872) is 79°F, on December 5, 1939; the coldest is −25°F, on December 24, 1876. The wettest December brought 5.21 in (1913); the snowiest, 57.4 inches (1913).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 31.2°F: 2021 38.4°F (+7.2), 2022 29.3°F (−1.9), 2023 37.4°F (+6.2), 2024 39.4°F (+8.2), 2025 42.3°F (+11.1). 4 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 38.4°F | +7.2°F | 0.16 in |
| 2022 | 29.3°F | −1.9°F | 1.18 in |
| 2023 | 37.4°F | +6.2°F | 0.12 in |
| 2024 | 39.4°F | +8.2°F | 0.04 in |
| 2025 | 42.3°F | +11.1°F | 0.33 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record DENthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00003017. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Denver compare across Colorado?
Across the 125 places PlainClimate covers in Colorado, December normal highs run from 27°F in Crested Butte to 49°F in Campo; Denver's is 44°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.