December marks the true arrival of winter in Washington, but it rarely rushes in all at once. The month often opens on a relatively mild note, with late-autumn air lingering into the first week or two. But as the days shorten and the calendar turns toward the holidays, colder air gains ground. Snow becomes increasingly likely — sometimes just in time for Christmas — and winter begins to settle in for good.
Normal and record daily temperatures
Average highs fall from 53 degrees at the start of December to 46 by month’s end, with lows dropping from 38 to 32 degrees.
Despite the seasonal chill, December spans a wide range of extremes. It’s the only month with a record high below 80 degrees — 79 on Dec. 7, 1998. On the other end, the temperature plunged to minus-13 on Dec. 31, 1880, the coldest reading on record for the month.
Record daily precipitation
With the cold season in full swing, December’s daily precipitation records are relatively modest. Most peak near 1 inch, with only a few topping 3 inches.
The wettest day on record brought 3.1 inches on Dec. 7, 2011, while the lowest daily record is 1.19 inches on Dec. 16, 1902.
Record daily snowfall
December’s record daily snowfall is 15 inches, set during the historic winter of 2009–10 as part of a storm, known as Snowpocalypse, that brought more than 16 inches to D.C.
Notably, Dec. 1 has never recorded accumulating snow. Otherwise, the lowest daily snowfall records are 1 inch, on Dec. 3 and Dec. 7.
Monthly temperatures by year
December’s average temperature of 41.7 degrees is about 7 degrees cooler than November, signaling the transition into winter.
The warmest December on record was 2015 (51.2 degrees) — more than 10 degrees above normal and one of the most anomalously warm months on record. The coldest was 1886 (27.1 degrees), while 1989 also stood out, running about 11 degrees below average.
Overall, December temperatures have risen about 5 degrees since 1900.
Monthly precipitation by the year
December is the wettest month of meteorological winter and averages 3.41 inches of precipitation, slightly more than November.
The wettest December on record was 1901 (7.56 inches), while the driest was 1889 (0.19 inches).
Overall, precipitation averages have remained relatively steady over time.
Monthly snowfall by year
December doesn’t usually bring much snow, but most years see at least a trace. The 1991–2020 average is 1.7 inches.
The snowiest December was 2009, when the Snowpocalyspe storm dropped 16.4 inches, helping make it the snowiest winter on record.
In contrast, recent years have been quiet — from 2020 to 2024, only 0.2 inches fell in total, with no measurable snow in the first three years.
White Christmas frequency
If you’re hoping for a white Christmas, Washington is a long shot.
There have been 13 official white Christmases on record, most recently in 2009 — based on snow depth at the start of the day.
That year tied 1966 for the deepest snow cover on Christmas morning (7 inches), although rain wiped it out before the day ended.
Events of note
Dec. 4, 1957. An 11.1-inch snowstorm struck — one of the largest so early in the season — and was called the worst in 15 years at the time, causing numerous accidents.
Dec. 5, 2002. The first and largest of a string of Dec. 5 snowfalls brought 6.1 inches. Snow also fell on this date in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009 before a lull until flakes returned in 2024 and measurable snow in 2025.
Dec. 7, 2011. The wettest December day on record brought 3.1 inches in D.C. and 2 to 4 inches area-wide, briefly ending as snow.
Dec. 11, 1960. A snowstorm dropped nearly 7 inches in the city and 6 to 8 inches across the region, helping kick off a snowy decade.
Dec. 12, 1988. Record cold for so early in the season, with a high of 23 degrees and a low of 13 degrees.
Dec. 15, 2018. A calendar-day record 2.55 inches of rain pushed Washington to its wettest year on record. It was the 24th day that year with at least 1 inch of rain.
Dec. 18–19, 2009. The “Snowpocalypse” storm dropped 16.4 inches, including 15 inches on the 19th. Some areas near and inside the Beltway picked up 2 feet or more.
Dec. 23, 1989. A second straight frigid December day set records of 22 degrees for a high and 7 degrees for a low. The month ended tied as the second coldest on record.
Dec. 24, 2015. Record warmth for Christmas Eve, with a high of 71 degrees and a low of 60 degrees — the warmest low ever recorded in December.
Dec. 25, 1962. The snowiest Christmas Day on record, with 6.5 inches. Snow depth reached 7 inches, tying 2009 for the greatest on Christmas morning.
Dec. 31, 1880. D.C.’s coldest December reading — and one of its coldest ever — with a low of minus-13 degrees.
