Bangor weather in December

In December, Bangor sees average daytime highs of 34°F and overnight lows near 19°F, with 4.3 in of precipitation across 11.5 wet days and about 8.7 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 38°F in the first days to 30°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 54 min at the start of December to 8 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Bangor's 7th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bangor's year-round climate.

Daytime high
34°
10th warmest
Overnight low
19°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
4.3 in
11.5 wet days
Daylight
8 h 36 min
7:13 AM – 3:50 PM
Cloud cover
62%
7th clearest
Wind
8 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
1.39 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Bangor is city in and county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States.

Density
362/km²
people per km²
Founded
1769

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 38°F in the first days to 30°F by the end.

A typical December day in Bangor reaches about 34°F in the afternoon and slips back to 19°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°F and 47°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 11°F cooler than November and about 6°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13824
23824
33824
43723
53723
63722
73622
83621
93521
103520
113520
123420
133419
143419
153319
163318
173318
183318
193318
203317
213217
223217
233217
243216
253116
263116
273115
283115
293115
303015
313014

How December really feels in Bangor

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 31 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
31
27 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Bangor weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 11°3.49.16.990.0
Feb31° / 13°2.997.310.10.0
Mar39° / 22°3.610.46.311.60.2
Apr52° / 34°3.611.22.713.22.6
May63° / 44°3.311.30.114.65.3
Jun73° / 53°3.711.4015.36.3
Jul78° / 59°3.110.60156.5
Aug77° / 58°3.09.5013.96.9
Sep69° / 50°3.58.4012.36.7
Oct57° / 40°4.410.60.510.74.0
Nov45° / 30°3.79.82.69.40.9
Dec34° / 19°4.311.578.70.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 55%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24555
34654
44654
54654
64753
74753
84654
94654
104654
114555
124555
134456
144456
154456
164357
174357
184357
194357
204258
214258
224258
234357
244357
254456
264555
274555
284654
294753
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Bangor gets around 4.3 in of rain and snow over 11.5 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 37% and peaks near 39% on the wettest days, and about 7 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13416
23417
33517
43518
53518
63518
73519
83519
93520
103520
113621
123621
133622
143722
153722
163823
173823
183823
193924
203924
213925
223925
233925
243825
253826
263826
273726
283726
293625
303625
313525

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in December

Winds average 8 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 54 min at the start of December to 8 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:59 AM to 7:19 AM, and sunset from 3:51 PM to 3:58 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.96:593:51
28.87:003:50
38.87:013:50
48.87:023:50
58.87:033:50
68.87:043:49
78.77:053:49
88.77:063:49
98.77:073:49
108.77:083:49
118.77:093:49
128.77:103:49
138.67:103:49
148.67:113:49
158.67:123:50
168.67:133:50
178.67:133:50
188.67:143:50
198.67:143:51
208.67:153:51
218.67:163:52
228.67:163:52
238.67:173:53
248.67:173:53
258.67:173:54
268.67:183:54
278.67:183:55
288.67:183:56
298.67:183:56
308.67:193:57
318.67:193:58

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.39 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.39 kWh/m² to a high of 5.74 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.39 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.5Dim
21.4Dim
31.4Dim
41.4Dim
51.4Dim
61.4Dim
71.4Dim
81.4Dim
91.4Dim
101.4Dim
111.4Dim
121.4Dim
131.4Dim
141.4Dim
151.4Dim
161.4Dim
171.4Dim
181.4Dim
191.4Dim
201.4Dim
211.4Dim
221.4Dim
231.4Dim
241.4Dim
251.4Dim
261.4Dim
271.4Dim
281.5Dim
291.5Dim
301.5Dim
311.5Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Bangor

In seasonPeak

None of Bangor's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Bangor sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Bangor?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Bangor.

What to pack for Bangor in December

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

In December, Bangor sees daytime highs around 34°F and nights near 19°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Bangor in December

The nearest coast averages about 44°F in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 30 mi away) is warmest in August at about 58°F and coldest in February near 35°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

30°40°50°60°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan39Bracing
Feb35Bracing
Mar35Bracing
Apr40Bracing
May46Bracing
Jun52Bracing
Jul57Bracing
Aug58Bracing
Sep57Bracing
Oct54Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec44Bracing

UV index in Bangor in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bangor peaks around July 13 at about 7 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateModerateLowJul 13UV 7Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun6High
Jul8Very high
Aug4Moderate
Sep5High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Bangor?

Bangor sits at 44.8°N, 68.8°W, 118 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Bar Harbor, 40 mi away.

Topography around Bangor

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Bangor has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 266 ft around an average of 118 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 912 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,870 ft.

The land around Bangor is covered by trees (51%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 2 miles, trees (78%) within 10 miles, and trees (80%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
266 ft
10 miles
912 ft
50 miles
1,870 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Bar Harbor 40 mi · Waterville 45 mi · Augusta 60 mi · Brunswick 85 mi · Lewiston 86 mi · Auburn 87 mi · Portland 108 mi · South Portland 108 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 Bangor (44.7988°, -68.7726°, elevation 118 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).