Rhinelander weather in December: Rhinelander, Wisconsin: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Rhinelander in December has a normal high of 27°F and a normal low of 11°F, a daily mean of 19°F, falling from 32°F on the 1st to 24°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 10 days in a normal December, 1.20 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of −3°C and low of −12°C, 30 mm of precipitation in December.
- NOAA stationRhinelander Oneida County Airport
- Station IDUSW00004803
- Location45.63°N 89.47°W
- Elevation1,599 ft (487 m)
- Population8,286
- Jan 23° 4°
- Feb 27° 6°
- Mar 39° 17°
- Apr 52° 29°
- May 66° 41°
- Jun 76° 50°
- Jul 80° 54°
- Aug 77° 52°
- Sep 69° 45°
- Oct 55° 34°
- Nov 39° 23°
- Dec 27° 11°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Rhinelander in December?
The normal high is 27°F and the normal low 11°F, for a daily mean of 18.9°F. December is 12.0°F cooler than November and 5.8°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Rhinelander and the 10th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 8°F, from 32°F on December 1 to 24°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 5.1°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 14°F and 24°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 32%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 32°F | 16°F | 32% | 12% |
| December 8 | 29°F | 13°F | 32% | 11% |
| December 15 | 27°F | 11°F | 31% | 11% |
| December 22 | 26°F | 8°F | 30% | 11% |
| December 31 | 24°F | 6°F | 30% | 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 | 32°F | 16°F | 32% | 12% | 9 h |
| December 2 | 32°F | 16°F | 32% | 12% | 9 h |
| December 3 | 31°F | 15°F | 32% | 12% | 9 h |
| December 4 | 31°F | 15°F | 32% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 5 | 30°F | 14°F | 32% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 6 | 30°F | 14°F | 32% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 7 | 30°F | 14°F | 32% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 8 | 29°F | 13°F | 32% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 9 | 29°F | 13°F | 32% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 10 | 29°F | 12°F | 32% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 11 | 28°F | 12°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 12 | 28°F | 12°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 13 | 28°F | 11°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 14 | 28°F | 11°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 15 | 27°F | 11°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 16 | 27°F | 10°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 17 | 27°F | 10°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 18 | 26°F | 10°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 19 | 26°F | 9°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 20 | 26°F | 9°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 21 | 26°F | 9°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 22 | 26°F | 8°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 23 | 25°F | 8°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 24 | 25°F | 8°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 25 | 25°F | 8°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 26 | 25°F | 7°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 27 | 25°F | 7°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 28 | 24°F | 7°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 29 | 24°F | 7°F | 30% | 11% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 30 | 24°F | 6°F | 30% | 10% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 31 | 24°F | 6°F | 30% | 10% | 8 h 40 min |
- Normal high
- 27°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 11°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 1.20 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 100.01 inch or more
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 30
- Daylight
- 9 h to 8 h 40 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 56%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00004803; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain in Rhinelander in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 31% on average, highest around December 1 (32%). In all, 1.20 in falls on 10 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Rhinelander, 30 nights fall to freezing and 22 days stay below freezing all day.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00004803.
What are the records for December in Rhinelander?
The warmest December temperature on Rhinelander's official record (since 1893) is 62°F, on December 2, 1998; the coldest is −34°F, on December 27, 1924. The wettest December brought 3.96 in (2015); the snowiest, 46.0 inches (1968).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 18.9°F: 2021 20.7°F (+1.8), 2022 17.5°F (−1.4), 2023 29.6°F (+10.7), 2024 21.4°F (+2.5), 2025 14.2°F (−4.7). 3 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 20.7°F | +1.8°F | 2.41 in |
| 2022 | 17.5°F | −1.4°F | 2.34 in |
| 2023 | 29.6°F | +10.7°F | 0.76 in |
| 2024 | 21.4°F | +2.5°F | 0.88 in |
| 2025 | 14.2°F | −4.7°F | 2.04 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record RHIthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00004803. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Rhinelander compare across Wisconsin?
Across the 165 places PlainClimate covers in Wisconsin, December normal highs run from 24°F in Drummond to 37°F in Kenosha; Rhinelander's is 27°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.
Other months and places
- Rhinelander in November39°F by day, 23°F at night
- Rhinelander in January23°F by day, 4°F at night
- Rhinelander through the yearEvery month, frost dates, records and recent years
- Wisconsin in DecemberThe statewide normal and the warmest and coolest places
- Kenosha: Wisconsin's warmest Decembernormal high 37°F