PlainClimate

Utqiaġvik weather in December: Utqiaġvik, Alaska: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December

Utqiaġvik in December has a normal high of 0°F and a normal low of −12°F, a daily mean of −6°F, falling from 4°F on the 1st to −4°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 7 days in a normal December, 0.22 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)

In metric: a normal high of −18°C and low of −25°C, 6 mm of precipitation and 13 cm of snow in December.

  • NOAA stationWiley Post-Will Rogers Airport
  • Station IDUSW00027502
  • Location71.28°N 156.78°W
  • Elevation31 ft (9 m)
  • From the center1 miles
  • Population4,668
  1. Jan -5° -18°
  2. Feb -5° -18°
  3. Mar -4° -17°
  4. Apr 11° -2°
  5. May 27° 19°
  6. Jun 41° 31°
  7. Jul 48° 36°
  8. Aug 45° 35°
  9. Sep 37° 30°
  10. Oct 26° 17°
  11. Nov 12° 0°
  12. Dec 0° -12°

Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.

How warm is Utqiaġvik in December?

The normal high is 0°F and the normal low −12°F, for a daily mean of -6.3°F. December is 12.0°F cooler than November and 5.2°F warmer than January. December is the 9th warmest month of the year in Utqiaġvik and the 8th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 8°F, from 4°F on December 1 to −4°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 5.3°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between -12°F and -1°F.

Utqiaġvik in December, day by day: normal high and low

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 26%).

Normal high and low on five days of December, with the chance of precipitation
DayHighLowChance of 0.01 inChance of 0.10 in
December 14°F−7°F26%2%
December 82°F−10°F24%2%
December 150°F−12°F22%1%
December 22−2°F−14°F20%1%
December 31−4°F−16°F18%1%
Every day of December: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon December 1, coldest night December 31)
Utqiaġvik: NOAA 1991-2020 daily normals for each day of December
DayHighLowChance of 0.01 inChance of 0.10 inDaylight
December 14°F−7°F26%2%0 h
December 24°F−8°F26%2%0 h
December 33°F−8°F25%2%0 h
December 43°F−9°F25%2%0 h
December 53°F−9°F25%2%0 h
December 62°F−9°F24%2%0 h
December 72°F−10°F24%2%0 h
December 82°F−10°F24%2%0 h
December 91°F−10°F24%2%0 h
December 101°F−11°F23%2%0 h
December 111°F−11°F23%2%0 h
December 120°F−11°F23%2%0 h
December 130°F−12°F22%1%0 h
December 140°F−12°F22%1%0 h
December 150°F−12°F22%1%0 h
December 16−1°F−12°F21%1%0 h
December 17−1°F−13°F21%1%0 h
December 18−1°F−13°F21%1%0 h
December 19−1°F−13°F21%1%0 h
December 20−2°F−13°F20%1%0 h
December 21−2°F−14°F20%1%0 h
December 22−2°F−14°F20%1%0 h
December 23−2°F−14°F20%1%0 h
December 24−2°F−14°F19%1%0 h
December 25−3°F−15°F19%1%0 h
December 26−3°F−15°F19%1%0 h
December 27−3°F−15°F19%1%0 h
December 28−3°F−15°F19%1%0 h
December 29−3°F−16°F18%1%0 h
December 30−3°F−16°F18%1%0 h
December 31−4°F−16°F18%1%0 h
Normal high
0°FDecember average
Normal low
−12°FDecember average
Precipitation
0.22 inmonth total
Days with precipitation
70.01 inch or more
Snowfall
5.0 inmonth total
Nights at 32°F or colder
31
Daylight
0 h to 0 hDecember 1 to December 31

Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00027502; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.

Does it rain or snow in Utqiaġvik in December?

On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 22% on average, highest around December 1 (26%). In all, 0.22 in falls on 7 days of a normal December.

In a normal December in Utqiaġvik, 31 nights fall to freezing, 31 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 5.0 inches.

Snow falls on 10 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 31 days.

Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00027502.

How humid and windy is Utqiaġvik in December?

At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is −8°F with 82% relative humidity and a dew point of −12°F; at 6 a.m. it is −7°F with 82% humidity. The wind averages 12.9 mph, most often from the east-northeast in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.

A normal December day at the station, hour by hour (local standard time)
TimeTemperatureDew pointHumidityWindClear or few clouds
6 a.m.−7°F−11°F82%12.8 mph46%
9 a.m.−7°F−11°F82%13.1 mph47%
noon−8°F−12°F81%13.2 mph43%
3 p.m.−8°F−12°F82%12.9 mph–
6 p.m.−7°F−12°F80%12.9 mph41%
9 p.m.−8°F−12°F82%12.8 mph47%

Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00027502. 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 Utqiaġvik?

The warmest December temperature on this station's record (since 1901) is 40°F, on December 5, 2022; the coldest is −55°F, on December 10, 1924. The wettest December brought 1.41 in (2025); the snowiest, 15.8 inches (2011).

The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of -6.3°F: 2021 -6.5°F (−0.2), 2022 4.7°F (+11.0), 2023 1.8°F (+8.1), 2024 -4.9°F (+1.4), 2025 -5.5°F (+0.8). 4 of 5 ran warmer than normal.

Utqiaġvik: December in recent years against the 1991-2020 normal
DecemberMeanAgainst normalPrecip.
2021-6.5°F−0.2°F1.05 in
20224.7°F+11.0°F0.60 in
20231.8°F+8.1°F–
2024-4.9°F+1.4°F0.16 in
2025-5.5°F+0.8°F1.41 in

Source: records: ACIS, station USW00027502; recent months: ACIS, station USW00027502. Records and recent months use complete months only.

How does December in Utqiaġvik compare across Alaska?

Across the 85 places PlainClimate covers in Alaska, December normal highs run from −7°F in Chicken to 42°F in Sitka; Utqiaġvik's is 0°F.

Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.

Other months and places