Nantucket weather in December: Nantucket, Massachusetts: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Nantucket in December has a normal high of 45°F and a normal low of 32°F, a daily mean of 39°F, falling from 49°F on the 1st to 42°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 12 days in a normal December, 3.93 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 7°C and low of 0°C, 100 mm of precipitation in December.
- NOAA stationNantucket Mem Airport
- Station IDUSW00014756
- Location41.25°N 70.06°W
- Elevation45 ft (14 m)
- From the center2 miles
- Population (town)14,670
- Census place10,837
- Jan 40° 27°
- Feb 40° 27°
- Mar 44° 32°
- Apr 52° 39°
- May 61° 47°
- Jun 69° 56°
- Jul 75° 63°
- Aug 76° 62°
- Sep 70° 57°
- Oct 62° 49°
- Nov 53° 40°
- Dec 45° 32°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Nantucket in December?
The normal high is 45°F and the normal low 32°F, for a daily mean of 38.6°F. December is 7.8°F cooler than November and 5.5°F warmer than January. December is the 9th warmest month of the year in Nantucket and the 2nd wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 7°F, from 49°F on December 1 to 42°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 3.4°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 35°F and 42°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 | 49°F | 36°F | 39% | 23% |
| December 8 | 47°F | 34°F | 40% | 24% |
| December 15 | 45°F | 32°F | 39% | 24% |
| December 22 | 44°F | 31°F | 39% | 25% |
| December 31 | 42°F | 29°F | 39% | 24% |
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 | 36°F | 39% | 23% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 2 | 48°F | 36°F | 39% | 23% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 3 | 48°F | 36°F | 39% | 23% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 4 | 48°F | 35°F | 39% | 23% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 5 | 48°F | 35°F | 39% | 23% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 6 | 47°F | 35°F | 39% | 24% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 7 | 47°F | 34°F | 40% | 24% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 8 | 47°F | 34°F | 40% | 24% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 9 | 47°F | 34°F | 40% | 24% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 10 | 47°F | 34°F | 40% | 24% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 11 | 46°F | 33°F | 40% | 24% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 12 | 46°F | 33°F | 40% | 24% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 13 | 46°F | 33°F | 40% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 14 | 46°F | 33°F | 39% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 15 | 45°F | 32°F | 39% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 16 | 45°F | 32°F | 39% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 17 | 45°F | 32°F | 39% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 18 | 45°F | 32°F | 39% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 19 | 44°F | 31°F | 39% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 20 | 44°F | 31°F | 39% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 21 | 44°F | 31°F | 39% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 22 | 44°F | 31°F | 39% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 23 | 43°F | 30°F | 39% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 24 | 43°F | 30°F | 39% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 25 | 43°F | 30°F | 39% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 26 | 43°F | 30°F | 39% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 27 | 43°F | 30°F | 39% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 28 | 42°F | 29°F | 39% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 29 | 42°F | 29°F | 39% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 30 | 42°F | 29°F | 39% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 31 | 42°F | 29°F | 39% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
- Normal high
- 45°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 32°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 3.93 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 120.01 inch or more
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 16
- Daylight
- 9 h 30 min to 9 h 10 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 65%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014756; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain in Nantucket in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 39% on average, highest around December 9 (40%). In all, 3.93 in falls on 12 days of a normal December, 1 of them with an inch or more.
In a normal December in Nantucket, 16 nights fall to freezing and 2 days stay below freezing all day.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014756.
What are the records for December in Nantucket?
The warmest December temperature on this station's record (since 1948) is 66°F, on December 25, 2015; the coldest is −3°F, on December 31, 1962. The wettest December brought 9.74 in (1969); the snowiest, 24.7 inches (1963).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 38.6°F: 2021 44.5°F (+5.9), 2023 42.5°F (+3.9), 2024 38.2°F (−0.4), 2025 35.2°F (−3.4). 2 of 4 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 44.5°F | +5.9°F | 1.32 in |
| 2023 | 42.5°F | +3.9°F | 2.81 in |
| 2024 | 38.2°F | −0.4°F | 1.20 in |
| 2025 | 35.2°F | −3.4°F | 1.91 in |
Source: records: ACIS, station USW00014756; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014756. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Nantucket compare across Massachusetts?
Across the 35 places PlainClimate covers in Massachusetts, December normal highs run from 36°F in Pittsfield to 46°F in Edgartown; Nantucket's is 45°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.
Other months and places
- Nantucket in November53°F by day, 40°F at night
- Nantucket in January40°F by day, 27°F at night
- Nantucket through the yearEvery month, frost dates, records and recent years
- Massachusetts in DecemberThe statewide normal and the warmest and coolest places
- Edgartown: Massachusetts's warmest Decembernormal high 46°F