Duluth weather in December: Duluth, Minnesota: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Duluth in December has a normal high of 25°F and a normal low of 10°F, a daily mean of 17°F, falling from 30°F on the 1st to 21°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 11 days in a normal December, 1.47 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of −4°C and low of −12°C, 37 mm of precipitation and 47 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationDuluth International Airport
- Station IDUSW00014913
- Location46.84°N 92.21°W
- Elevation1,428 ft (435 m)
- From the center6 miles
- Population87,986
- Jan 20° 2°
- Feb 25° 6°
- Mar 36° 18°
- Apr 49° 30°
- May 63° 41°
- Jun 72° 50°
- Jul 78° 56°
- Aug 76° 55°
- Sep 67° 47°
- Oct 53° 36°
- Nov 37° 23°
- Dec 25° 10°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Duluth in December?
The normal high is 25°F and the normal low 10°F, for a daily mean of 17.1°F. December is 12.7°F cooler than November and 5.9°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Duluth and the 9th wettest, and the snowiest. Across the month the normal high falls 9°F, from 30°F on December 1 to 21°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 5.5°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 12°F and 23°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 35%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 30°F | 15°F | 35% | 14% |
| December 8 | 27°F | 12°F | 35% | 13% |
| December 15 | 25°F | 10°F | 35% | 12% |
| December 22 | 23°F | 7°F | 34% | 11% |
| December 31 | 21°F | 5°F | 35% | 11% |
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 | 30°F | 15°F | 35% | 14% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 2 | 29°F | 15°F | 35% | 14% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 3 | 29°F | 14°F | 35% | 14% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 4 | 29°F | 14°F | 35% | 14% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 5 | 28°F | 14°F | 35% | 14% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 6 | 28°F | 13°F | 35% | 13% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 7 | 27°F | 13°F | 35% | 13% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 8 | 27°F | 12°F | 35% | 13% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 9 | 27°F | 12°F | 35% | 13% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 10 | 26°F | 12°F | 35% | 13% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 11 | 26°F | 11°F | 35% | 13% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 12 | 26°F | 11°F | 35% | 13% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 13 | 25°F | 10°F | 35% | 13% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 14 | 25°F | 10°F | 35% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 15 | 25°F | 10°F | 35% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 16 | 24°F | 9°F | 35% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 17 | 24°F | 9°F | 34% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 18 | 24°F | 9°F | 34% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 19 | 24°F | 8°F | 34% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 20 | 23°F | 8°F | 34% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 21 | 23°F | 8°F | 34% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 22 | 23°F | 7°F | 34% | 11% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 23 | 23°F | 7°F | 34% | 11% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 24 | 22°F | 7°F | 34% | 11% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 25 | 22°F | 7°F | 34% | 11% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 26 | 22°F | 6°F | 34% | 11% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 27 | 22°F | 6°F | 35% | 11% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 28 | 22°F | 6°F | 35% | 11% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 29 | 21°F | 5°F | 35% | 11% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 30 | 21°F | 5°F | 35% | 11% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 31 | 21°F | 5°F | 35% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
- Normal high
- 25°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 10°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 1.47 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 110.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 18.7 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 31
- Daylight
- 8 h 50 min to 8 h 40 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 60%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014913; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Duluth in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 35% on average, highest around December 1 (35%). In all, 1.47 in falls on 11 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Duluth, 31 nights fall to freezing, 24 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 18.7 inches.
Snow falls on 13 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 27 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014913.
How humid and windy is Duluth in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 17°F with 68% relative humidity and a dew point of 9°F; at 6 a.m. it is 10°F with 82% humidity. The wind averages 10.6 mph, most often from the west-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. | 10°F | 6°F | 82% | 10.1 mph | 36% |
| 9 a.m. | 10°F | 6°F | 81% | 10.7 mph | 42% |
| noon | 15°F | 8°F | 72% | 11.5 mph | 39% |
| 3 p.m. | 17°F | 9°F | 68% | 11.5 mph | 48% |
| 6 p.m. | 15°F | 8°F | 74% | 10.2 mph | 42% |
| 9 p.m. | 13°F | 8°F | 78% | 10.6 mph | 45% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00014913. 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 Duluth?
The warmest December temperature on Duluth's official record (since 1874) is 56°F, on December 6, 1939; the coldest is −35°F, on December 28, 1917. The wettest December brought 3.89 in (1879); the snowiest, 44.9 inches (2022).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 17.1°F: 2021 18.9°F (+1.8), 2022 13.9°F (−3.2), 2023 30.1°F (+13.0), 2024 20.0°F (+2.9), 2025 11.9°F (−5.2). 3 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 18.9°F | +1.8°F | 2.72 in |
| 2022 | 13.9°F | −3.2°F | 3.27 in |
| 2023 | 30.1°F | +13.0°F | 3.17 in |
| 2024 | 20.0°F | +2.9°F | 1.34 in |
| 2025 | 11.9°F | −5.2°F | 0.71 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record DLHthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014913. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Duluth compare across Minnesota?
Across the 129 places PlainClimate covers in Minnesota, December normal highs run from 19°F in Hallock to 32°F in Winona; Duluth's is 25°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.