Detroit weather in December: Detroit, Michigan: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Detroit in December has a normal high of 37°F and a normal low of 25°F, a daily mean of 31°F, falling from 42°F on the 1st to 34°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 13 days in a normal December, 2.25 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 3°C and low of −4°C, 57 mm of precipitation and 23 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationDetroit Metro Airport
- Station IDUSW00094847
- Location42.23°N 83.33°W
- Elevation631 ft (192 m)
- From the center16 miles
- Population645,705
- Jan 32° 19°
- Feb 35° 21°
- Mar 46° 29°
- Apr 59° 39°
- May 70° 50°
- Jun 80° 60°
- Jul 84° 64°
- Aug 81° 63°
- Sep 74° 56°
- Oct 62° 44°
- Nov 49° 34°
- Dec 37° 25°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Detroit in December?
The normal high is 37°F and the normal low 25°F, for a daily mean of 31.3°F. December is 9.9°F cooler than November and 5.5°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Detroit and the 10th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 8°F, from 42°F on December 1 to 34°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 4.5°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 27°F and 36°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 | 42°F | 29°F | 40% | 19% |
| December 8 | 39°F | 27°F | 41% | 18% |
| December 15 | 37°F | 26°F | 43% | 18% |
| December 22 | 35°F | 24°F | 44% | 18% |
| December 31 | 34°F | 22°F | 45% | 19% |
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 | 42°F | 29°F | 40% | 19% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 2 | 42°F | 29°F | 40% | 19% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 3 | 41°F | 29°F | 40% | 18% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 4 | 41°F | 28°F | 41% | 18% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 5 | 40°F | 28°F | 41% | 18% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 6 | 40°F | 28°F | 41% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 7 | 40°F | 28°F | 41% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 8 | 39°F | 27°F | 41% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 9 | 39°F | 27°F | 41% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 10 | 39°F | 27°F | 41% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 11 | 38°F | 27°F | 42% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 12 | 38°F | 26°F | 42% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 13 | 38°F | 26°F | 42% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 14 | 37°F | 26°F | 42% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 15 | 37°F | 26°F | 43% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 16 | 37°F | 25°F | 43% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 17 | 37°F | 25°F | 43% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 18 | 36°F | 25°F | 43% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 19 | 36°F | 25°F | 43% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 20 | 36°F | 24°F | 43% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 21 | 36°F | 24°F | 44% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 22 | 35°F | 24°F | 44% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 23 | 35°F | 24°F | 44% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 24 | 35°F | 23°F | 44% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 25 | 35°F | 23°F | 44% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 26 | 35°F | 23°F | 44% | 19% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 27 | 34°F | 23°F | 44% | 19% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 28 | 34°F | 22°F | 44% | 19% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 29 | 34°F | 22°F | 44% | 19% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 30 | 34°F | 22°F | 45% | 19% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 31 | 34°F | 22°F | 45% | 19% | 9 h 10 min |
- Normal high
- 37°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 25°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 2.25 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 130.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 8.9 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 24
- Daylight
- 9 h 20 min to 9 h 10 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 54%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00094847; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Detroit in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 43% on average, highest around December 30 (45%). In all, 2.25 in falls on 13 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Detroit, 24 nights fall to freezing, 10 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 8.9 inches.
Snow falls on 8 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 8 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00094847.
How humid and windy is Detroit in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 32°F with 66% relative humidity and a dew point of 22°F; at 6 a.m. it is 26°F with 79% humidity. The wind averages 10.6 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. | 26°F | 21°F | 79% | 9.5 mph | – |
| 9 a.m. | 27°F | 21°F | 79% | 10.1 mph | – |
| noon | 30°F | 22°F | 71% | 12.2 mph | – |
| 3 p.m. | 32°F | 22°F | 66% | 12.2 mph | – |
| 6 p.m. | 30°F | 22°F | 71% | 10.7 mph | – |
| 9 p.m. | 29°F | 22°F | 76% | 10.3 mph | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00094847. 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 Detroit?
The warmest December temperature on Detroit's official record (since 1874) is 69°F, on December 6, 1998; the coldest is −11°F, on December 29, 1880. The wettest December brought 5.19 in (1967); the snowiest, 34.9 inches (1974).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 31.3°F: 2021 37.2°F (+5.9), 2022 32.8°F (+1.5), 2023 40.1°F (+8.8), 2024 33.3°F (+2.0), 2025 27.7°F (−3.6). 4 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 37.2°F | +5.9°F | 3.47 in |
| 2022 | 32.8°F | +1.5°F | 2.34 in |
| 2023 | 40.1°F | +8.8°F | 2.27 in |
| 2024 | 33.3°F | +2.0°F | 3.27 in |
| 2025 | 27.7°F | −3.6°F | 2.12 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record DTWthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00094847. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Detroit compare across Michigan?
Across the 140 places PlainClimate covers in Michigan, December normal highs run from 26°F in Bergland to 39°F in South Haven; Detroit's is 37°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.