Wilmington weather in December: Wilmington, Delaware: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Wilmington in December has a normal high of 46°F and a normal low of 30°F, a daily mean of 38°F, falling from 50°F on the 1st to 43°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 11 days in a normal December, 3.85 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 8°C and low of −1°C, 98 mm of precipitation and 7 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationWilmington Airport
- Station IDUSW00013781
- Location39.67°N 75.60°W
- Elevation79 ft (24 m)
- From the center6 miles
- Population73,176
- Jan 41° 26°
- Feb 44° 27°
- Mar 53° 34°
- Apr 64° 44°
- May 74° 53°
- Jun 82° 63°
- Jul 87° 68°
- Aug 85° 67°
- Sep 79° 59°
- Oct 67° 47°
- Nov 56° 37°
- Dec 46° 30°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Wilmington in December?
The normal high is 46°F and the normal low 30°F, for a daily mean of 38.2°F. December is 8.4°F cooler than November and 4.7°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Wilmington and the 6th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 7°F, from 50°F on December 1 to 43°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 3.8°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 34°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 35%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 50°F | 34°F | 33% | 22% |
| December 8 | 48°F | 32°F | 34% | 22% |
| December 15 | 46°F | 30°F | 35% | 22% |
| December 22 | 44°F | 29°F | 35% | 21% |
| December 31 | 43°F | 27°F | 35% | 20% |
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 | 50°F | 34°F | 33% | 22% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 2 | 50°F | 33°F | 33% | 22% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 3 | 50°F | 33°F | 34% | 22% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 4 | 49°F | 33°F | 34% | 22% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 5 | 49°F | 33°F | 34% | 22% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 6 | 49°F | 32°F | 34% | 22% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 7 | 48°F | 32°F | 34% | 22% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 8 | 48°F | 32°F | 34% | 22% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 9 | 48°F | 32°F | 34% | 22% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 10 | 47°F | 32°F | 34% | 22% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 11 | 47°F | 31°F | 34% | 22% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 12 | 47°F | 31°F | 34% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 13 | 47°F | 31°F | 35% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 14 | 46°F | 31°F | 35% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 15 | 46°F | 30°F | 35% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 16 | 46°F | 30°F | 35% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 17 | 46°F | 30°F | 35% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 18 | 45°F | 30°F | 35% | 22% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 19 | 45°F | 30°F | 35% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 20 | 45°F | 29°F | 35% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 21 | 45°F | 29°F | 35% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 22 | 44°F | 29°F | 35% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 23 | 44°F | 29°F | 35% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 24 | 44°F | 29°F | 35% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 25 | 44°F | 29°F | 35% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 26 | 44°F | 28°F | 35% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 27 | 43°F | 28°F | 35% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 28 | 43°F | 28°F | 35% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 29 | 43°F | 28°F | 35% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 30 | 43°F | 28°F | 35% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 31 | 43°F | 27°F | 35% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
- Normal high
- 46°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 30°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 3.85 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 110.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 2.9 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 20
- Daylight
- 9 h 40 min to 9 h 20 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 68%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00013781; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Wilmington in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 34% on average, highest around December 29 (35%). In all, 3.85 in falls on 11 days of a normal December, 1 of them with an inch or more.
In a normal December in Wilmington, 20 nights fall to freezing, 3 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 2.9 inches.
Snow falls on 2 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 2 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00013781.
What are the records for December in Wilmington?
The warmest December temperature on Wilmington's official record (since 1894) is 75°F, on December 4, 1998; the coldest is −7°F, on December 30, 1917. The wettest December brought 8.58 in (2009); the snowiest, 21.5 inches (1966).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 38.2°F: 2021 43.2°F (+5.0), 2022 37.3°F (−0.9), 2023 41.8°F (+3.6), 2024 37.5°F (−0.7), 2025 33.5°F (−4.7). 2 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 43.2°F | +5.0°F | 1.11 in |
| 2022 | 37.3°F | −0.9°F | 5.18 in |
| 2023 | 41.8°F | +3.6°F | 7.98 in |
| 2024 | 37.5°F | −0.7°F | 3.34 in |
| 2025 | 33.5°F | −4.7°F | 3.27 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record ILGthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00013781. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Wilmington compare across Delaware?
Across the 6 places PlainClimate covers in Delaware, December normal highs run from 46°F in Wilmington to 50°F in Georgetown; Wilmington's is 46°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.
Other months and places
- Wilmington in November56°F by day, 37°F at night
- Wilmington in January41°F by day, 26°F at night
- Wilmington through the yearEvery month, frost dates, records and recent years
- Delaware in DecemberThe statewide normal and the warmest and coolest places
- Georgetown: Delaware's warmest Decembernormal high 50°F