Harrisburg weather in December: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Harrisburg in December has a normal high of 44°F and a normal low of 30°F, a daily mean of 37°F, falling from 49°F on the 1st to 41°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 10 days in a normal December, 3.15 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 7°C and low of −1°C, 80 mm of precipitation in December.
- NOAA stationHarrisburg Capitol Cy Airport
- Station IDUSW00014751
- Location40.22°N 76.85°W
- Elevation340 ft (104 m)
- From the center4 miles
- Population50,649
- Jan 40° 25°
- Feb 43° 26°
- Mar 53° 34°
- Apr 65° 43°
- May 75° 53°
- Jun 83° 63°
- Jul 88° 67°
- Aug 85° 66°
- Sep 79° 58°
- Oct 67° 47°
- Nov 55° 37°
- Dec 44° 30°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Harrisburg in December?
The normal high is 44°F and the normal low 30°F, for a daily mean of 37.0°F. December is 9.0°F cooler than November and 4.4°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Harrisburg and the 9th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 8°F, from 49°F on December 1 to 41°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 3.8°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 33°F and 41°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 34%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 49°F | 33°F | 34% | 20% |
| December 8 | 46°F | 31°F | 34% | 21% |
| December 15 | 44°F | 30°F | 33% | 21% |
| December 22 | 43°F | 28°F | 33% | 21% |
| December 31 | 41°F | 27°F | 32% | 20% |
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 | 49°F | 33°F | 34% | 20% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 2 | 49°F | 33°F | 34% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 3 | 48°F | 32°F | 34% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 4 | 48°F | 32°F | 34% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 5 | 47°F | 32°F | 34% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 6 | 47°F | 32°F | 34% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 7 | 47°F | 32°F | 34% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 8 | 46°F | 31°F | 34% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 9 | 46°F | 31°F | 34% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 10 | 46°F | 31°F | 34% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 11 | 46°F | 31°F | 34% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 12 | 45°F | 30°F | 34% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 13 | 45°F | 30°F | 34% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 14 | 45°F | 30°F | 33% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 15 | 44°F | 30°F | 33% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 16 | 44°F | 29°F | 33% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 17 | 44°F | 29°F | 33% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 18 | 44°F | 29°F | 33% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 19 | 43°F | 29°F | 33% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 20 | 43°F | 29°F | 33% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 21 | 43°F | 28°F | 33% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 22 | 43°F | 28°F | 33% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 23 | 42°F | 28°F | 32% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 24 | 42°F | 28°F | 32% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 25 | 42°F | 28°F | 32% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 26 | 42°F | 27°F | 32% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 27 | 42°F | 27°F | 32% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 28 | 42°F | 27°F | 32% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 29 | 41°F | 27°F | 32% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 30 | 41°F | 27°F | 32% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 31 | 41°F | 27°F | 32% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
- Normal high
- 44°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 30°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 3.15 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 100.01 inch or more
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 22
- Daylight
- 9 h 30 min to 9 h 20 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 60%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014751; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain in Harrisburg in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 33% on average, highest around December 7 (34%). In all, 3.15 in falls on 10 days of a normal December, 1 of them with an inch or more.
In a normal December in Harrisburg, 22 nights fall to freezing and 4 days stay below freezing all day.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014751.
What are the records for December in Harrisburg?
The warmest December temperature on this station's record (since 1939) is 75°F, on December 29, 1984; the coldest is −8°F, on December 23, 1960. The wettest December brought 7.57 in (1983); the snowiest, 28.3 inches (1969).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 37.0°F: 2021 42.5°F (+5.5), 2022 35.5°F (−1.5), 2023 42.1°F (+5.1), 2024 36.4°F (−0.6), 2025 31.5°F (−5.5). 2 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 42.5°F | +5.5°F | 0.82 in |
| 2022 | 35.5°F | −1.5°F | 4.35 in |
| 2023 | 42.1°F | +5.1°F | 4.53 in |
| 2024 | 36.4°F | −0.6°F | 2.71 in |
| 2025 | 31.5°F | −5.5°F | 1.63 in |
Source: records: ACIS, station USW00014751; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014751. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Harrisburg compare across Pennsylvania?
Across the 108 places PlainClimate covers in Pennsylvania, December normal highs run from 34°F in Laporte to 48°F in Marcus Hook; Harrisburg's is 44°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.
Other months and places
- Harrisburg in November55°F by day, 37°F at night
- Harrisburg in January40°F by day, 25°F at night
- Harrisburg through the yearEvery month, frost dates, records and recent years
- Pennsylvania in DecemberThe statewide normal and the warmest and coolest places
- Marcus Hook: Pennsylvania's warmest Decembernormal high 48°F