Grand Rapids weather in December: Grand Rapids, Michigan: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Grand Rapids in December has a normal high of 36°F and a normal low of 25°F, a daily mean of 30°F, falling from 41°F on the 1st to 33°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 16 days in a normal December, 2.48 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 2°C and low of −4°C, 63 mm of precipitation and 53 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationGrand Rapids Gerald R Ford International Airport
- Station IDUSW00094860
- Location42.89°N 85.54°W
- Elevation778 ft (237 m)
- From the center7 miles
- Population200,117
- Jan 31° 19°
- Feb 34° 20°
- Mar 45° 27°
- Apr 58° 37°
- May 70° 49°
- Jun 79° 58°
- Jul 83° 63°
- Aug 81° 61°
- Sep 74° 53°
- Oct 61° 42°
- Nov 47° 33°
- Dec 36° 25°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Grand Rapids in December?
The normal high is 36°F and the normal low 25°F, for a daily mean of 30.4°F. December is 9.6°F cooler than November and 5.6°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Grand Rapids and the 10th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 8°F, from 41°F on December 1 to 33°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 4.1°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 26°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 54%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 41°F | 28°F | 47% | 23% |
| December 8 | 38°F | 27°F | 48% | 23% |
| December 15 | 36°F | 25°F | 50% | 23% |
| December 22 | 34°F | 23°F | 52% | 23% |
| December 31 | 33°F | 21°F | 54% | 23% |
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 | 41°F | 28°F | 47% | 23% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 2 | 40°F | 28°F | 47% | 23% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 3 | 40°F | 28°F | 47% | 23% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 4 | 40°F | 28°F | 48% | 23% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 5 | 39°F | 27°F | 48% | 23% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 6 | 39°F | 27°F | 48% | 23% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 7 | 39°F | 27°F | 48% | 23% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 8 | 38°F | 27°F | 48% | 23% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 9 | 38°F | 26°F | 49% | 23% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 10 | 38°F | 26°F | 49% | 23% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 11 | 37°F | 26°F | 49% | 23% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 12 | 37°F | 26°F | 49% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 13 | 37°F | 25°F | 50% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 14 | 36°F | 25°F | 50% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 15 | 36°F | 25°F | 50% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 16 | 36°F | 25°F | 51% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 17 | 36°F | 24°F | 51% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 18 | 35°F | 24°F | 51% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 19 | 35°F | 24°F | 51% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 20 | 35°F | 24°F | 52% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 21 | 35°F | 24°F | 52% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 22 | 34°F | 23°F | 52% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 23 | 34°F | 23°F | 52% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 24 | 34°F | 23°F | 52% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 25 | 34°F | 23°F | 53% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 26 | 34°F | 22°F | 53% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 27 | 33°F | 22°F | 53% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 28 | 33°F | 22°F | 53% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 29 | 33°F | 22°F | 53% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 30 | 33°F | 22°F | 53% | 23% | 9 h |
| December 31 | 33°F | 21°F | 54% | 23% | 9 h |
- Normal high
- 36°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 25°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 2.48 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 160.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 20.8 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 26
- Daylight
- 9 h 20 min to 9 hDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 50%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00094860; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Grand Rapids in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 50% on average, highest around December 31 (54%). In all, 2.48 in falls on 16 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Grand Rapids, 26 nights fall to freezing, 12 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 20.8 inches.
Snow falls on 12 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 14 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00094860.
How humid and windy is Grand Rapids in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 30°F with 72% relative humidity and a dew point of 22°F; at 6 a.m. it is 25°F with 82% humidity. The wind averages 10.5 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. | 25°F | 21°F | 82% | 9.6 mph | – |
| 9 a.m. | 26°F | 21°F | 82% | 9.9 mph | – |
| noon | 29°F | 22°F | 75% | 11.8 mph | – |
| 3 p.m. | 30°F | 22°F | 72% | 12.4 mph | – |
| 6 p.m. | 28°F | 22°F | 76% | 10.6 mph | – |
| 9 p.m. | 27°F | 22°F | 80% | 10.1 mph | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00094860. 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 Grand Rapids?
The warmest December temperature on Grand Rapids's official record (since 1892) is 69°F, on December 5, 2001; the coldest is −18°F, on December 19, 1983. The wettest December brought 6.95 in (1893); the snowiest, 59.2 inches (2000).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 30.4°F: 2021 34.5°F (+4.1), 2022 30.1°F (−0.3), 2023 38.3°F (+7.9), 2024 31.3°F (+0.9), 2025 26.1°F (−4.3). 3 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34.5°F | +4.1°F | 2.23 in |
| 2022 | 30.1°F | −0.3°F | 2.75 in |
| 2023 | 38.3°F | +7.9°F | 1.89 in |
| 2024 | 31.3°F | +0.9°F | 3.08 in |
| 2025 | 26.1°F | −4.3°F | 2.91 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record GRRthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00094860. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Grand Rapids 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; Grand Rapids's is 36°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.
Other months and places
- Grand Rapids in November47°F by day, 33°F at night
- Grand Rapids in January31°F by day, 19°F at night
- Grand Rapids through the yearEvery month, frost dates, records and recent years
- Michigan in DecemberThe statewide normal and the warmest and coolest places
- South Haven: Michigan's warmest Decembernormal high 39°F