Minneapolis weather in December: Minneapolis, Minnesota: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Minneapolis in December has a normal high of 29°F and a normal low of 15°F, a daily mean of 22°F, falling from 34°F on the 1st to 25°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 10 days in a normal December, 1.17 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of −2°C and low of −9°C, 30 mm of precipitation and 29 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationMinneapolis/St Paul Airport
- Station IDUSW00014922
- Location44.88°N 93.23°W
- Elevation872 ft (266 m)
- From the center6 miles
- Population428,579
- Jan 24° 9°
- Feb 29° 13°
- Mar 42° 25°
- Apr 57° 38°
- May 69° 50°
- Jun 79° 60°
- Jul 83° 65°
- Aug 81° 63°
- Sep 73° 54°
- Oct 58° 41°
- Nov 42° 28°
- Dec 29° 15°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Minneapolis in December?
The normal high is 29°F and the normal low 15°F, for a daily mean of 22.0°F. December is 12.8°F cooler than November and 5.8°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Minneapolis and the 10th wettest, and the snowiest. Across the month the normal high falls 9°F, from 34°F on December 1 to 25°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 5.4°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 17°F and 27°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 31%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 34°F | 21°F | 30% | 11% |
| December 8 | 31°F | 18°F | 30% | 11% |
| December 15 | 29°F | 15°F | 30% | 11% |
| December 22 | 27°F | 13°F | 30% | 11% |
| December 31 | 25°F | 11°F | 31% | 10% |
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 | 34°F | 21°F | 30% | 11% | 9 h |
| December 2 | 34°F | 20°F | 30% | 11% | 9 h |
| December 3 | 33°F | 20°F | 30% | 11% | 9 h |
| December 4 | 33°F | 19°F | 30% | 11% | 9 h |
| December 5 | 33°F | 19°F | 30% | 11% | 9 h |
| December 6 | 32°F | 19°F | 30% | 11% | 9 h |
| December 7 | 32°F | 18°F | 30% | 11% | 9 h |
| December 8 | 31°F | 18°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 9 | 31°F | 17°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 10 | 31°F | 17°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 11 | 30°F | 17°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 12 | 30°F | 16°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 13 | 29°F | 16°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 14 | 29°F | 16°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 15 | 29°F | 15°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 16 | 28°F | 15°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 17 | 28°F | 15°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 18 | 28°F | 14°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 19 | 28°F | 14°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 20 | 27°F | 14°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 21 | 27°F | 13°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 22 | 27°F | 13°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 23 | 26°F | 13°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 24 | 26°F | 13°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 25 | 26°F | 12°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 26 | 26°F | 12°F | 30% | 10% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 27 | 26°F | 12°F | 30% | 10% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 28 | 25°F | 12°F | 31% | 10% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 29 | 25°F | 11°F | 31% | 10% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 30 | 25°F | 11°F | 31% | 10% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 31 | 25°F | 11°F | 31% | 10% | 8 h 50 min |
- Normal high
- 29°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 15°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 1.17 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 100.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 11.4 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 30
- Daylight
- 9 h to 8 h 50 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 62%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014922; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Minneapolis in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 30% on average, highest around December 30 (31%). In all, 1.17 in falls on 10 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Minneapolis, 30 nights fall to freezing, 18 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 11.4 inches.
Snow falls on 9 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 21 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014922.
How humid and windy is Minneapolis in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 22°F with 67% relative humidity and a dew point of 13°F; at 6 a.m. it is 15°F with 80% humidity. The wind averages 9.1 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. | 15°F | 10°F | 80% | 8.3 mph | 31% |
| 9 a.m. | 16°F | 10°F | 78% | 8.9 mph | 29% |
| noon | 20°F | 12°F | 70% | 9.9 mph | 25% |
| 3 p.m. | 22°F | 13°F | 67% | 10.4 mph | 31% |
| 6 p.m. | 20°F | 13°F | 73% | 9.3 mph | 27% |
| 9 p.m. | 19°F | 12°F | 76% | 9.0 mph | 37% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00014922. 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 Minneapolis?
The warmest December temperature on this station's record (since 1938) is 68°F, on December 1, 1998; the coldest is −29°F, on December 19, 1983. The wettest December brought 4.27 in (1982); the snowiest, 33.6 inches (2010).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 22.0°F: 2021 24.5°F (+2.5), 2022 17.9°F (−4.1), 2023 34.3°F (+12.3), 2024 24.7°F (+2.7), 2025 18.9°F (−3.1). 3 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24.5°F | +2.5°F | 1.95 in |
| 2022 | 17.9°F | −4.1°F | 1.82 in |
| 2023 | 34.3°F | +12.3°F | 2.28 in |
| 2024 | 24.7°F | +2.7°F | 1.27 in |
| 2025 | 18.9°F | −3.1°F | 1.66 in |
Source: records: ACIS, station USW00014922; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014922. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Minneapolis 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; Minneapolis's is 29°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.
Other months and places
- Minneapolis in November42°F by day, 28°F at night
- Minneapolis in January24°F by day, 9°F at night
- Minneapolis through the yearEvery month, frost dates, records and recent years
- Minnesota in DecemberThe statewide normal and the warmest and coolest places
- Winona: Minnesota's warmest Decembernormal high 32°F