Missoula weather in December: Missoula, Montana: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Missoula in December has a normal high of 31°F and a normal low of 18°F, a daily mean of 24°F, falling from 34°F on the 1st to 30°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 13 days in a normal December, 1.08 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of −1°C and low of −8°C, 27 mm of precipitation and 29 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationMissoula International Airport
- Station IDUSW00024153
- Location46.92°N 114.09°W
- Elevation3,192 ft (973 m)
- From the center4 miles
- Population78,204
- Jan 32° 18°
- Feb 37° 21°
- Mar 48° 27°
- Apr 56° 32°
- May 66° 40°
- Jun 73° 46°
- Jul 85° 52°
- Aug 84° 50°
- Sep 73° 42°
- Oct 56° 32°
- Nov 40° 25°
- Dec 31° 18°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Missoula in December?
The normal high is 31°F and the normal low 18°F, for a daily mean of 24.4°F. December is 7.9°F cooler than November and 0.4°F cooler than January. December is the 12th warmest month of the year in Missoula and the 6th wettest, and the snowiest. Across the month the normal high falls 4°F, from 34°F on December 1 to 30°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 3.2°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 21°F and 28°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 41%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 34°F | 21°F | 38% | 12% |
| December 8 | 32°F | 19°F | 39% | 12% |
| December 15 | 30°F | 18°F | 40% | 12% |
| December 22 | 30°F | 17°F | 41% | 12% |
| December 31 | 30°F | 17°F | 41% | 12% |
Every day of December: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon December 1, coldest night December 25)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 34°F | 21°F | 38% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 2 | 33°F | 21°F | 38% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 3 | 33°F | 20°F | 38% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 4 | 33°F | 20°F | 39% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 5 | 33°F | 20°F | 39% | 12% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 6 | 32°F | 20°F | 39% | 12% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 7 | 32°F | 19°F | 39% | 12% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 8 | 32°F | 19°F | 39% | 12% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 9 | 32°F | 19°F | 39% | 12% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 10 | 31°F | 19°F | 39% | 12% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 11 | 31°F | 18°F | 40% | 12% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 12 | 31°F | 18°F | 40% | 12% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 13 | 31°F | 18°F | 40% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 14 | 31°F | 18°F | 40% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 15 | 30°F | 18°F | 40% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 16 | 30°F | 17°F | 40% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 17 | 30°F | 17°F | 40% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 18 | 30°F | 17°F | 40% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 19 | 30°F | 17°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 20 | 30°F | 17°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 21 | 30°F | 17°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 22 | 30°F | 17°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 23 | 30°F | 17°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 24 | 30°F | 17°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 25 | 30°F | 16°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 26 | 30°F | 16°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 27 | 30°F | 16°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 28 | 30°F | 16°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 29 | 30°F | 16°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 30 | 30°F | 16°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 31 | 30°F | 17°F | 41% | 12% | 8 h 30 min |
- Normal high
- 31°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 18°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 1.08 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 130.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 11.6 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 30
- Daylight
- 8 h 50 min to 8 h 30 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 52%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00024153; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Missoula in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 40% on average, highest around December 29 (41%). In all, 1.08 in falls on 13 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Missoula, 30 nights fall to freezing, 16 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 11.6 inches.
Snow falls on 10 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 16 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00024153.
How humid and windy is Missoula in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 28°F with 73% relative humidity and a dew point of 20°F; at 6 a.m. it is 21°F with 85% humidity. The wind averages 3.7 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. | 21°F | 17°F | 85% | 3.7 mph | – |
| 9 a.m. | 21°F | 17°F | 85% | 3.5 mph | – |
| noon | 25°F | 19°F | 79% | 3.6 mph | 27% |
| 3 p.m. | 28°F | 20°F | 73% | 3.9 mph | 29% |
| 6 p.m. | 25°F | 19°F | 79% | 3.7 mph | 30% |
| 9 p.m. | 24°F | 19°F | 82% | 3.8 mph | 28% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00024153. 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 Missoula?
The warmest December temperature on Missoula's official record (since 1893) is 67°F, on December 1, 2021; the coldest is −30°F, on December 17, 1964. The wettest December brought 6.51 in (1917); the snowiest, 54.1 inches (1996).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 24.4°F: 2021 28.4°F (+4.0), 2022 22.5°F (−1.9), 2023 29.5°F (+5.1), 2024 31.7°F (+7.3), 2025 34.0°F (+9.6). 4 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 28.4°F | +4.0°F | 1.18 in |
| 2022 | 22.5°F | −1.9°F | 1.50 in |
| 2023 | 29.5°F | +5.1°F | 0.50 in |
| 2024 | 31.7°F | +7.3°F | 0.37 in |
| 2025 | 34.0°F | +9.6°F | 3.07 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record MSOthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00024153. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Missoula compare across Montana?
Across the 141 places PlainClimate covers in Montana, December normal highs run from 22°F in Cooke City to 39°F in Geraldine; Missoula's is 31°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.