Rochester weather in December: Rochester, Minnesota: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Rochester in December has a normal high of 28°F and a normal low of 14°F, a daily mean of 21°F, falling from 34°F on the 1st to 24°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 10 days in a normal December, 1.28 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of −2°C and low of −10°C, 33 mm of precipitation and 31 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationRochester International Airport
- Station IDUSW00014925
- Location43.90°N 92.49°W
- Elevation1,304 ft (398 m)
- Population123,624
- Jan 23° 7°
- Feb 27° 11°
- Mar 40° 23°
- Apr 55° 35°
- May 68° 47°
- Jun 78° 58°
- Jul 80° 61°
- Aug 78° 58°
- Sep 72° 50°
- Oct 58° 38°
- Nov 42° 26°
- Dec 28° 14°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Rochester in December?
The normal high is 28°F and the normal low 14°F, for a daily mean of 20.8°F. December is 12.8°F cooler than November and 6.1°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Rochester and the 10th wettest, and the snowiest. Across the month the normal high falls 10°F, from 34°F on December 1 to 24°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 15°F and 26°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 | 34°F | 19°F | 32% | 13% |
| December 8 | 31°F | 16°F | 32% | 13% |
| December 15 | 28°F | 14°F | 31% | 12% |
| December 22 | 26°F | 12°F | 31% | 12% |
| December 31 | 24°F | 9°F | 31% | 11% |
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 | 19°F | 32% | 13% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 2 | 33°F | 19°F | 32% | 13% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 3 | 33°F | 18°F | 32% | 13% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 4 | 32°F | 18°F | 32% | 13% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 5 | 32°F | 17°F | 32% | 13% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 6 | 32°F | 17°F | 32% | 13% | 9 h |
| December 7 | 31°F | 17°F | 32% | 13% | 9 h |
| December 8 | 31°F | 16°F | 32% | 13% | 9 h |
| December 9 | 30°F | 16°F | 31% | 13% | 9 h |
| December 10 | 30°F | 15°F | 31% | 13% | 9 h |
| December 11 | 29°F | 15°F | 31% | 13% | 9 h |
| December 12 | 29°F | 15°F | 31% | 13% | 9 h |
| December 13 | 29°F | 14°F | 31% | 13% | 9 h |
| December 14 | 28°F | 14°F | 31% | 13% | 9 h |
| December 15 | 28°F | 14°F | 31% | 12% | 9 h |
| December 16 | 28°F | 13°F | 31% | 12% | 9 h |
| December 17 | 27°F | 13°F | 31% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 18 | 27°F | 13°F | 31% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 19 | 27°F | 12°F | 31% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 20 | 26°F | 12°F | 31% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 21 | 26°F | 12°F | 31% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 22 | 26°F | 12°F | 31% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 23 | 26°F | 11°F | 31% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 24 | 25°F | 11°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 25 | 25°F | 11°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 26 | 25°F | 10°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 27 | 25°F | 10°F | 31% | 11% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 28 | 24°F | 10°F | 31% | 11% | 9 h |
| December 29 | 24°F | 10°F | 31% | 11% | 9 h |
| December 30 | 24°F | 9°F | 31% | 11% | 9 h |
| December 31 | 24°F | 9°F | 31% | 11% | 9 h |
- Normal high
- 28°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 14°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 1.28 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 100.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 12.4 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 30
- Daylight
- 9 h 10 min to 9 hDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 63%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014925; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Rochester in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 31% on average, highest around December 3 (32%). In all, 1.28 in falls on 10 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Rochester, 30 nights fall to freezing, 19 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 12.4 inches.
Snow falls on 9 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 20 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014925.
How humid and windy is Rochester in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 21°F with 76% relative humidity and a dew point of 15°F; at 6 a.m. it is 15°F with 83% humidity. The wind averages 12.8 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 | 11°F | 83% | 12.4 mph | 44% |
| 9 a.m. | 15°F | 11°F | 83% | 12.8 mph | 52% |
| noon | 20°F | 13°F | 76% | 13.7 mph | 45% |
| 3 p.m. | 21°F | 15°F | 76% | 13.7 mph | 52% |
| 6 p.m. | 19°F | 14°F | 80% | 12.4 mph | 46% |
| 9 p.m. | 17°F | 13°F | 81% | 12.6 mph | 55% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00014925. 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 Rochester?
The warmest December temperature on Rochester's official record (since 1886) is 64°F, on December 4, 2017; the coldest is −33°F, on December 19, 1983. The wettest December brought 3.68 in (2010); the snowiest, 41.3 inches (2010).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 20.8°F: 2021 24.9°F (+4.1), 2022 17.2°F (−3.6), 2023 31.8°F (+11.0), 2024 24.1°F (+3.3), 2025 18.0°F (−2.8). 3 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24.9°F | +4.1°F | 1.41 in |
| 2022 | 17.2°F | −3.6°F | 1.62 in |
| 2023 | 31.8°F | +11.0°F | 1.14 in |
| 2024 | 24.1°F | +3.3°F | 1.27 in |
| 2025 | 18.0°F | −2.8°F | 0.94 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record RSTthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014925. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Rochester 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; Rochester's is 28°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.