Albemarle weather in December

In December, Albemarle sees average daytime highs of 54°F and overnight lows near 37°F, with 3.6 in of precipitation across 9 wet days and about 9.7 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 57°F in the first days to 53°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 48 min at the start of December to 9 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Albemarle's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Albemarle's year-round climate.

Daytime high
54°
11th warmest
Overnight low
37°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.6 in
9 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
7:28 AM – 5:06 PM
Cloud cover
55%
5th clearest
Wind
6 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.29 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.5
out of 10

Albemarle is city and the county seat of Stanly County, North Carolina, United States.

Density
362/km²
people per km²
Founded
1826

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 57°F in the first days to 53°F by the end.

A typical December day in Albemarle reaches about 54°F in the afternoon and slips back to 37°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 42°F and 67°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°F cooler than November and about 2°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15839
25738
35738
45738
55638
65638
75637
85537
95537
105537
115537
125537
135437
145436
155436
165436
175436
185336
195336
205336
215336
225336
235336
245336
255336
265336
275336
285336
295336
305335
315335

How December really feels in Albemarle

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 20 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
20
wind chill below the day's low

The story in December is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Albemarle weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan52° / 34°3.79.61.19.92.9
Feb56° / 37°3.28.70.810.73.7
Mar63° / 43°4.09.60.311.75.7
Apr72° / 52°3.48.5012.97.0
May80° / 60°3.210.1013.86.5
Jun86° / 68°4.012.7014.34.6
Jul89° / 71°4.014.1014.13.8
Aug87° / 70°4.012.2013.34.4
Sep82° / 64°4.39.2012.26.3
Oct72° / 53°3.17011.17.3
Nov62° / 42°3.37.50.110.15.8
Dec54° / 37°3.690.59.73.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15347
25347
35347
45248
55248
65248
75149
85149
95149
105149
115050
125050
135050
145050
154951
164951
174951
184951
194951
204951
214852
224852
234852
244852
254753
264852
274852
284852
294852
304852
314951

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Albemarle gets around 3.6 in of rain and snow over 9 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 30% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1271
2271
3271
4281
5281
6281
7281
8281
9281
10281
11291
12291
13291
14301
15301
16301
17311
18311
19311
20311
21312
22312
23312
24312
25312
26312
27312
28312
29312
30312
31312

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 93% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
190631
290631
391531
491531
592530
692530
792530
893520
994420
1094420
1194420
1294420
1394420
1494420
1594420
1695410
1795410
1894420
1994420
2094420
2193421
2293421
2393421
2493421
2593421
2692431
2792431
2892431
2992431
3092431
3193331

Wind in December

Winds average 6 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 6 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 48 min at the start of December to 9 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:17 AM to 7:35 AM, and sunset from 5:04 PM to 5:13 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.87:175:04
29.87:185:04
39.87:195:04
49.77:195:04
59.77:205:04
69.77:215:04
79.77:225:04
89.77:235:04
99.77:235:04
109.77:245:04
119.77:255:05
129.77:265:05
139.67:265:05
149.67:275:05
159.67:285:05
169.67:285:06
179.67:295:06
189.67:295:06
199.67:305:07
209.67:305:07
219.67:315:08
229.67:315:08
239.67:325:09
249.67:325:09
259.67:335:10
269.67:335:10
279.67:335:11
289.67:345:11
299.67:345:12
309.67:345:13
319.67:355:13

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.29 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.29 kWh/m² to a high of 6.2 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.29 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.5Moderate
22.5Moderate
32.4Moderate
42.4Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.3Moderate
102.3Moderate
112.3Moderate
122.3Moderate
132.3Moderate
142.3Moderate
152.3Moderate
162.3Moderate
172.3Moderate
182.3Moderate
192.3Moderate
202.3Moderate
212.3Moderate
222.3Moderate
232.3Moderate
242.3Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.3Moderate
312.3Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Albemarle?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

3.5
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Albemarle.

What to pack for Albemarle in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Albemarle sees daytime highs around 54°F and nights near 37°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Albemarle in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Albemarle peaks around July 12 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 12UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Albemarle in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Albemarle is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 2418 µg/m³Dec 207 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb11Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr12Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep16Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Albemarle?

Albemarle sits at 35.4°N, 80.2°W, 476 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Concord, 22 mi away.

Topography around Albemarle

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Albemarle.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Albemarle has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 312 ft around an average of 525 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 679 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,266 ft.

The land around Albemarle is covered by trees (63%) and grassland (20%) within 2 miles, trees (63%) within 10 miles, and trees (75%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
312 ft
10 miles
679 ft
50 miles
1,266 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Concord 22 mi · Kannapolis 25 mi · Salisbury 27 mi · Mint Hill 28 mi · Monroe 32 mi · Indian Trail 32 mi · Stallings 33 mi · Lexington 33 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Albemarle (35.3501°, -80.2001°, elevation 476 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).