Denver Weather in December
December is the coldest month for Denver, Colorado. That means temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 °C) are possible for a few nights.
This page gives detailed information on the typical December temperature, precipitation, snow, sun, humidity, wind and storms for Denver. The numbers here are historical averages based on climate data gathered in the Denver community of Stapleton.
Temperature
46 °F | December average high | 8 °C |
18 °F | December average low | -8 °C |
Denver's coldest days of the year usually occur from December 14th to 28th when the daily maximum temperature averages 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) and the minimum averages 17 °F (-9 °C).
13 days | 50 °F max. or more (10 °C) |
18 days | 20 °F min. or less (-8 °C) |
Denver averages 4 days in December when the thermometer reaches into the 60s °F (over 16 °C). Typically on 5 days the mercury remains below freezing for the entire day.
The thermometer dips to 0 °F (-18 °C) or below on an average of one to two nights during December.
Precipitation
0.5 in | total precipitation | 12 mm |
5 days | of rain or snowfall |
Half the time, Denver receives 0.2 to 0.7 inches (5 to 17 mm) of precipitation in December. One in four years has drier weather, while another one in four is wetter.
Snow
6.6 in | total snowfall | 17 cm |
5 days | with new snow |
December's snowfall varies a lot from year to year in Denver. Between 2.5 and 9 inches (6 to 27 cm) of fresh snow arrives in half the years. Less new snow lands in one out of four Decembers, while another twenty-five percent are snowier.
Denver typically has at least an inch (2.5 cm) of snow on the ground for 10 days this month. The snow normally accumulates to 5 inches (13 cm) or deeper on 1 day.
Sun
67 % | sunshine |
11 days | clear skies |
The sun's rays reach the ground in Denver during 67 percent of daylight hours on average in December, for a total of 196 hours in the month. Typically on 11 days this month the sky is mainly clear, with at most 30 percent cloud cover.
Sunlight in December at Denver averages 9 hours and 24 minutes a day. The shortest days of the year, on around December 21st and 22nd, last 9 hours and 21 minutes from sunrise to sunset.
Humidity
57 % | December average humidity |
The relative humidity in Denver during December usually peaks at 65 percent in the morning then drops to 39 percent by early afternoon. December is Denver's most humid month.
Local Time | 2 am | 5 am | 8 am | 11 am | 2 pm | 5 pm | 8 pm | 11 pm |
Humidity % | 65 | 65 | 63 | 45 | 39 | 51 | 61 | 64 |
Wind
8.4 mph | December wind speed average | 13.5 kph |
December is a little less windy than most other months in Denver.
Storms
2 days | snowfall of 1 inch (2.5 cm) or more |
0 days | with thunderstorms in December |
About once a decade, a December snowstorm blankets Denver with ten inches (25 cm) or more of snow in one day.
Reference
The weather data here are long-term averages provided by the US National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Temperature and precipitation are 1991-2020 normals while humidity and thunderstorms are 1961-1990 normals.