Clay weather in December

In December, Clay sees average daytime highs of 37°F and overnight lows near 27°F, with 4.1 in of precipitation across 16.8 wet days and about 8.9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 41°F in the first days to 34°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Clay's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Clay's year-round climate.

Daytime high
37°
10th warmest
Overnight low
27°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
4.1 in
16.8 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
7:36 AM – 4:25 PM
Cloud cover
83%
11th clearest
Wind
9 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.22 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Clay is town in Onondaga County, New York, United States.

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 41°F in the first days to 34°F by the end.

A typical December day in Clay reaches about 37°F in the afternoon and slips back to 27°F overnight — a 10°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°F and 49°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14231
24131
34131
44030
54030
63929
73929
83929
93828
103828
113828
123727
133727
143727
153727
163727
173626
183626
193626
203626
213626
223526
233526
243525
253525
263525
273525
283524
293524
303424
313424

How December really feels in Clay

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
wind chill below the day's low

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

Clay weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 20°3.515.814.49.20.0
Feb33° / 20°2.912.610.510.20.0
Mar41° / 27°3.613.16.811.60.3
Apr53° / 39°4.213.12.113.12.9
May64° / 49°3.812.2014.45.5
Jun73° / 58°4.512.6015.16.4
Jul78° / 64°4.312.8014.96.4
Aug77° / 63°4.012.6013.86.6
Sep71° / 56°4.010.9012.36.4
Oct59° / 46°4.7140.110.84.1
Nov47° / 35°3.915.24.29.51.3
Dec37° / 27°4.116.811.68.90.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 86%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11684
21684
31585
41585
51585
61585
71585
81684
91585
101585
111585
121585
131585
141585
151486
161486
171486
181387
191387
201387
211288
221288
231288
241288
251288
261387
271288
281288
291189
301189
311189

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Clay gets around 4.1 in of rain and snow over 16.8 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 55% and peaks near 58% on the wettest days, and about 12 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
15728
25729
35730
45631
55632
65634
75635
85636
95536
105537
115538
125538
135438
145438
155438
165438
175438
185338
195338
205338
215338
225339
235439
245439
255540
265541
275642
285742
295743
305844
315845

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 9 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 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 7:23 AM to 7:43 AM, and sunset from 4:26 PM to 4:33 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.07:234:26
29.07:244:25
39.07:254:25
49.07:264:25
59.07:274:25
68.97:284:25
78.97:294:25
88.97:304:24
98.97:314:24
108.97:324:25
118.97:334:25
128.97:334:25
138.87:344:25
148.87:354:25
158.87:364:25
168.87:364:25
178.87:374:26
188.87:384:26
198.87:384:26
208.87:394:27
218.87:394:27
228.87:404:28
238.87:404:28
248.87:414:29
258.87:414:29
268.87:414:30
278.87:424:30
288.87:424:31
298.87:424:32
308.87:424:32
318.87:434:33

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.22 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.22 kWh/m² to a high of 6.11 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.22 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.3Dim
21.3Dim
31.3Dim
41.3Dim
51.3Dim
61.3Dim
71.3Dim
81.3Dim
91.3Dim
101.2Dim
111.2Dim
121.2Dim
131.2Dim
141.2Dim
151.2Dim
161.2Dim
171.2Dim
181.2Dim
191.2Dim
201.2Dim
211.2Dim
221.2Dim
231.2Dim
241.2Dim
251.2Dim
261.2Dim
271.2Dim
281.2Dim
291.3Dim
301.3Dim
311.3Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Clay?

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 Clay.

What to pack for Clay in December

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

In December, Clay sees daytime highs around 37°F and nights near 27°F. Pack a warm layer, a heavy coat and rain gear. About 17 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Clay 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 17 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in March near 37°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 14 to Sep 13 — about 2 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan40Bracing
Feb37Bracing
Mar37Bracing
Apr38Bracing
May44Bracing
Jun57Bracing
Jul69Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Cool
Oct59Bracing
Nov50Bracing
Dec44Bracing

UV index in Clay 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 Clay peaks around July 12 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 12UV 8Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Clay?

Clay sits at 43.2°N, 76.2°W, 394 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Cicero, 2.5 mi away.

Topography around Clay

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Clay has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 105 ft around an average of 400 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 413 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,909 ft.

The land around Clay is covered by trees (59%) and grassland (27%) within 2 miles, trees (56%) within 10 miles, and trees (57%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
105 ft
10 miles
413 ft
50 miles
1,909 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Cicero 2.5 mi · Syracuse 9.3 mi · Oswego 25 mi · Auburn 27 mi · Rome 36 mi · Cortland 40 mi · Utica 48 mi · Ithaca 54 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 Clay (43.1859°, -76.1724°, elevation 394 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. 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).