Providence weather in December: Providence, Rhode Island: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Providence in December has a normal high of 43°F and a normal low of 28°F, a daily mean of 36°F, falling from 48°F on the 1st to 40°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 12 days in a normal December, 4.65 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 6°C and low of −2°C, 118 mm of precipitation and 19 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationRhode Island T.f. Green International Airport
- Station IDUSW00014765
- Location41.72°N 71.43°W
- Elevation60 ft (18 m)
- From the center7 miles
- Population194,706
- Jan 38° 22°
- Feb 41° 24°
- Mar 48° 30°
- Apr 59° 40°
- May 69° 49°
- Jun 78° 59°
- Jul 84° 65°
- Aug 82° 64°
- Sep 75° 57°
- Oct 64° 45°
- Nov 53° 36°
- Dec 43° 28°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Providence in December?
The normal high is 43°F and the normal low 28°F, for a daily mean of 35.5°F. December is 9.0°F cooler than November and 5.3°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Providence and the 2nd wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 8°F, from 48°F on December 1 to 40°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 3.5°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 32°F and 39°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 38%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 48°F | 31°F | 36% | 24% |
| December 8 | 46°F | 30°F | 37% | 25% |
| December 15 | 44°F | 28°F | 38% | 25% |
| December 22 | 42°F | 26°F | 38% | 24% |
| December 31 | 40°F | 24°F | 38% | 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 | 48°F | 31°F | 36% | 24% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 2 | 47°F | 31°F | 36% | 24% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 3 | 47°F | 31°F | 36% | 24% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 4 | 47°F | 31°F | 36% | 24% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 5 | 46°F | 30°F | 36% | 24% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 6 | 46°F | 30°F | 37% | 25% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 7 | 46°F | 30°F | 37% | 25% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 8 | 46°F | 30°F | 37% | 25% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 9 | 45°F | 29°F | 37% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 10 | 45°F | 29°F | 37% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 11 | 45°F | 29°F | 37% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 12 | 44°F | 29°F | 37% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 13 | 44°F | 28°F | 37% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 14 | 44°F | 28°F | 37% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 15 | 44°F | 28°F | 38% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 16 | 43°F | 28°F | 38% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 17 | 43°F | 27°F | 38% | 25% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 18 | 43°F | 27°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 19 | 42°F | 27°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 20 | 42°F | 27°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 21 | 42°F | 26°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 22 | 42°F | 26°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 23 | 42°F | 26°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 24 | 41°F | 26°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 25 | 41°F | 25°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 26 | 41°F | 25°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 27 | 41°F | 25°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 28 | 40°F | 25°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 29 | 40°F | 25°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 30 | 40°F | 24°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 31 | 40°F | 24°F | 38% | 24% | 9 h 10 min |
- Normal high
- 43°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 28°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 4.65 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 120.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 7.6 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 23
- Daylight
- 9 h 20 min to 9 h 10 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 67%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014765; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Providence in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 37% on average, highest around December 26 (38%). In all, 4.65 in falls on 12 days of a normal December, 1 of them with an inch or more.
In a normal December in Providence, 23 nights fall to freezing, 4 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 7.6 inches.
Snow falls on 3 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 4 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014765.
How humid and windy is Providence in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 38°F with 53% relative humidity and a dew point of 22°F; at 6 a.m. it is 29°F with 72% humidity. The wind averages 9.2 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. | 29°F | 22°F | 72% | 8.1 mph | 41% |
| 9 a.m. | 32°F | 22°F | 68% | 9.4 mph | 30% |
| noon | 37°F | 22°F | 55% | 11.5 mph | – |
| 3 p.m. | 38°F | 22°F | 53% | 11.4 mph | – |
| 6 p.m. | 34°F | 23°F | 62% | 8.7 mph | 39% |
| 9 p.m. | 32°F | 22°F | 67% | 8.4 mph | 43% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00014765. 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 Providence?
The warmest December temperature on Providence's official record (since 1904) is 77°F, on December 7, 1998; the coldest is −12°F, on December 30, 1917. The wettest December brought 10.75 in (1969); the snowiest, 26.7 inches (1945).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 35.5°F: 2021 39.9°F (+4.4), 2022 35.6°F (+0.1), 2023 40.0°F (+4.5), 2024 34.5°F (−1.0), 2025 30.9°F (−4.6). 3 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 39.9°F | +4.4°F | 1.72 in |
| 2022 | 35.6°F | +0.1°F | 6.00 in |
| 2023 | 40.0°F | +4.5°F | 7.25 in |
| 2024 | 34.5°F | −1.0°F | 7.58 in |
| 2025 | 30.9°F | −4.6°F | 2.37 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record PVDthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014765. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Providence compare across Rhode Island?
Across the 6 places PlainClimate covers in Rhode Island, December normal highs run from 43°F in Kingston to 45°F in Westerly; Providence's is 43°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.
Other months and places
- Providence in November53°F by day, 36°F at night
- Providence in January38°F by day, 22°F at night
- Providence through the yearEvery month, frost dates, records and recent years
- Rhode Island in DecemberThe statewide normal and the warmest and coolest places
- Westerly: Rhode Island's warmest Decembernormal high 45°F