Chesapeake weather in December

In December, Chesapeake sees average daytime highs of 53°F and overnight lows near 38°F, with 3.5 in of precipitation across 9.3 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 56°F in the first days to 51°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 42 min at the start of December to 9 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Chesapeake's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chesapeake's year-round climate.

Daytime high
53°
10th warmest
Overnight low
38°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.5 in
9.3 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
7:17 AM – 4:46 PM
Cloud cover
57%
5th clearest
Wind
8 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.17 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.2
out of 10

Chesapeake is independent city in Virginia, United States.

Density
259/km²
people per km²
Founded
1963

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 56°F in the first days to 51°F by the end.

A typical December day in Chesapeake reaches about 53°F in the afternoon and slips back to 38°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 41°F and 67°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 7°F cooler than November and about 4°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15741
25641
35641
45640
55640
65540
75540
85540
95539
105439
115439
125439
135439
145338
155338
165338
175338
185338
195338
205237
215237
225237
235237
245237
255237
265237
275137
285137
295136
305136
315136

How December really feels in Chesapeake

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 15 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
15
wind chill below the day's low

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

Chesapeake weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan49° / 34°3.49.11.39.82.2
Feb52° / 35°3.091.110.62.8
Mar59° / 42°3.910.40.511.74.5
Apr68° / 51°3.39.7012.96.4
May75° / 59°3.710.9013.96.7
Jun83° / 68°4.111.7014.55.6
Jul87° / 73°5.215.1014.34.3
Aug85° / 71°4.712.9013.45.0
Sep80° / 66°4.711.1012.26.4
Oct71° / 55°3.77.90117.0
Nov61° / 45°3.48.50.1105.3
Dec53° / 38°3.59.30.59.53.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 52%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15248
25149
35149
45050
55050
64951
74951
84852
94852
104852
114753
124753
134753
144753
154753
164753
174753
184753
194852
204852
214852
224951
234951
244852
254852
264852
274852
284753
294753
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Chesapeake gets around 3.5 in of rain and snow over 9.3 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 (%)
1291
2291
3291
4301
5301
6301
7301
8301
9311
10311
11311
12311
13311
14311
15311
16311
17311
18302
19302
20302
21302
22302
23302
24302
25302
26302
27303
28303
29303
30303
31303

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 (%)
190640
290640
390640
491630
591630
691630
791630
892530
993520
1093520
1193520
1293520
1393520
1493520
1594510
1694510
1795410
1895410
1994411
2094411
2194411
2293421
2393421
2493421
2593421
2693421
2793421
2893421
2993421
3094420
3194420

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.

051015151015202531
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 9 h 42 min at the start of December to 9 h 30 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 7:05 AM to 7:23 AM, and sunset from 4:45 PM to 4:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.77:054:45
29.67:064:45
39.67:074:44
49.67:084:44
59.67:084:44
69.67:094:44
79.67:104:44
89.67:114:44
99.57:124:45
109.57:124:45
119.57:134:45
129.57:144:45
139.57:154:45
149.57:154:45
159.57:164:46
169.57:174:46
179.57:174:46
189.57:184:47
199.57:184:47
209.57:194:47
219.57:194:48
229.57:204:48
239.57:204:49
249.57:214:49
259.57:214:50
269.57:214:50
279.57:224:51
289.57:224:52
299.57:224:52
309.57:234:53
319.57:234:54

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.17 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.17 kWh/m² to a high of 6.42 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.17 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.4Moderate
22.4Moderate
32.3Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.3Moderate
62.3Moderate
72.2Moderate
82.2Moderate
92.2Moderate
102.2Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.2Moderate
132.1Moderate
142.1Moderate
152.1Moderate
162.1Moderate
172.1Moderate
182.1Moderate
192.1Moderate
202.1Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.1Moderate
232.1Moderate
242.1Moderate
252.1Moderate
262.2Moderate
272.2Moderate
282.2Moderate
292.2Moderate
302.2Moderate
312.2Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Chesapeake

In seasonPeak

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

Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake?

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

3.2
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Chesapeake.

What to pack for Chesapeake in December

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

In December, Chesapeake sees daytime highs around 53°F and nights near 38°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Chesapeake in December

The nearest coast averages about 52°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 22 mi away) is warmest in August at about 78°F and coldest in February near 43°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 3 to Oct 16 — about 4.5 months when the water holds above 68°F.

40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan46Bracing
Feb43Bracing
Mar46Bracing
Apr53Bracing
May63Cool
Jun72Refreshing
Jul77Warm
Aug78Warm
Sep75Warm
Oct68Refreshing
Nov59Cool
Dec52Bracing

UV index in Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake peaks around July 12 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 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 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Nov 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr12Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Chesapeake?

Chesapeake sits at 36.8°N, 76.3°W, 10 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Portsmouth, 1.9 mi away.

Topography around Chesapeake

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Chesapeake has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 79 ft around an average of 13 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 194 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 230 ft.

The land around Chesapeake is covered by artificial surfaces (43%) and trees (28%) within 2 miles, trees (48%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 10 miles, and trees (41%) and water (39%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
79 ft
10 miles
194 ft
50 miles
230 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Portsmouth 1.9 mi · Norfolk 1.9 mi · Portsmouth Heights 5.0 mi · Newport News 14 mi · Hampton 15 mi · East Hampton 16 mi · Virginia Beach 17 mi · Suffolk 18 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 Chesapeake (36.819°, -76.2749°, elevation 10 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. 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).