Elmira weather in December: Elmira, New York: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Elmira in December has a normal high of 39°F and a normal low of 23°F, a daily mean of 31°F, falling from 43°F on the 1st to 35°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 12 days in a normal December, 2.04 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 4°C and low of −5°C, 52 mm of precipitation in December.
- NOAA stationElmira Corning Regional Airport
- Station IDUSW00014748
- Location42.16°N 76.89°W
- Elevation955 ft (291 m)
- From the center6 miles
- Population26,255
- Jan 34° 16°
- Feb 36° 17°
- Mar 45° 24°
- Apr 58° 34°
- May 70° 44°
- Jun 78° 54°
- Jul 82° 58°
- Aug 81° 57°
- Sep 73° 49°
- Oct 61° 39°
- Nov 49° 30°
- Dec 39° 23°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Elmira in December?
The normal high is 39°F and the normal low 23°F, for a daily mean of 30.9°F. December is 8.4°F cooler than November and 5.8°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Elmira and the 10th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 8°F, from 43°F on December 1 to 35°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 27°F and 35°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 40%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 43°F | 26°F | 40% | 18% |
| December 8 | 41°F | 25°F | 39% | 18% |
| December 15 | 39°F | 24°F | 39% | 18% |
| December 22 | 37°F | 22°F | 38% | 17% |
| December 31 | 35°F | 20°F | 37% | 17% |
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 | 43°F | 26°F | 40% | 18% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 2 | 43°F | 26°F | 40% | 18% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 3 | 42°F | 26°F | 40% | 18% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 4 | 42°F | 26°F | 40% | 18% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 5 | 42°F | 25°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 6 | 41°F | 25°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 7 | 41°F | 25°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 8 | 41°F | 25°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 9 | 41°F | 25°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 10 | 40°F | 25°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 11 | 40°F | 24°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 12 | 40°F | 24°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 13 | 39°F | 24°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 14 | 39°F | 24°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 15 | 39°F | 24°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 16 | 39°F | 23°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 17 | 38°F | 23°F | 39% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 18 | 38°F | 23°F | 38% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 19 | 38°F | 23°F | 38% | 18% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 20 | 37°F | 22°F | 38% | 17% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 21 | 37°F | 22°F | 38% | 17% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 22 | 37°F | 22°F | 38% | 17% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 23 | 37°F | 22°F | 38% | 17% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 24 | 37°F | 21°F | 38% | 17% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 25 | 36°F | 21°F | 38% | 17% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 26 | 36°F | 21°F | 38% | 17% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 27 | 36°F | 21°F | 38% | 17% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 28 | 36°F | 20°F | 37% | 17% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 29 | 36°F | 20°F | 37% | 17% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 30 | 35°F | 20°F | 37% | 17% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 31 | 35°F | 20°F | 37% | 17% | 9 h 10 min |
- Normal high
- 39°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 23°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 2.04 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 120.01 inch or more
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 26
- Daylight
- 9 h 20 min to 9 h 10 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 49%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014748; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain in Elmira in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 39% on average, highest around December 1 (40%). In all, 2.04 in falls on 12 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Elmira, 26 nights fall to freezing and 8 days stay below freezing all day.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014748.
How humid and windy is Elmira in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 33°F with 60% relative humidity and a dew point of 21°F; at 6 a.m. it is 25°F with 78% humidity. The wind averages 6.7 mph, most often from the west in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 25°F | 19°F | 78% | 5.5 mph | – |
| 9 a.m. | 26°F | 20°F | 76% | 6.1 mph | – |
| noon | 31°F | 21°F | 65% | 9.0 mph | – |
| 3 p.m. | 33°F | 21°F | 60% | 9.1 mph | – |
| 6 p.m. | 30°F | 20°F | 68% | 6.7 mph | 35% |
| 9 p.m. | 27°F | 20°F | 74% | 5.9 mph | 34% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00014748. 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 Elmira?
The warmest December temperature on this station's record (since 1938) is 70°F, on December 6, 1998; the coldest is −16°F, on December 27, 1950. The wettest December brought 4.13 in (2023); the snowiest, 18.1 inches (1950).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 30.9°F: 2021 36.9°F (+6.0), 2022 29.7°F (−1.2), 2023 38.3°F (+7.4), 2024 31.2°F (+0.3), 2025 25.8°F (−5.1). 3 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 36.9°F | +6.0°F | 1.87 in |
| 2022 | 29.7°F | −1.2°F | 2.18 in |
| 2023 | 38.3°F | +7.4°F | 4.13 in |
| 2024 | 31.2°F | +0.3°F | 1.87 in |
| 2025 | 25.8°F | −5.1°F | 1.08 in |
Source: records: ACIS, station USW00014748; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014748. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Elmira compare across New York?
Across the 131 places PlainClimate covers in New York, December normal highs run from 29°F in Lake Placid to 47°F in Wantagh; Elmira's is 39°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.