Colonial Heights weather in December

In December, Colonial Heights sees average daytime highs of 52°F and overnight lows near 35°F, with 3.4 in of precipitation across 8.7 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 55°F in the first days to 50°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Colonial Heights's 4th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Colonial Heights's year-round climate.

Daytime high
52°
10th warmest
Overnight low
35°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.4 in
8.7 wet days
Daylight
9 h 24 min
7:22 AM – 4:49 PM
Cloud cover
55%
4th clearest
Wind
7 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.14 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.8
out of 10

Colonial Heights is independent city in Virginia, United States.

Density
881/km²
people per km²
Founded
1926

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 55°F in the first days to 50°F by the end.

A typical December day in Colonial Heights reaches about 52°F in the afternoon and slips back to 35°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 39°F and 65°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15538
25538
35537
45437
55437
65437
75336
85336
95336
105236
115236
125235
135235
145135
155135
165135
175135
185135
195134
205134
215034
225034
235034
245034
255034
265034
275034
285034
295034
305034
315034

How December really feels in Colonial Heights

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 28 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
28
wind chill below the day's low

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

Colonial Heights 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
Jan48° / 32°3.58.91.89.71.9
Feb51° / 33°3.08.61.810.62.7
Mar59° / 40°4.010.20.811.74.7
Apr69° / 50°3.29.5012.96.5
May77° / 58°3.410.70146.7
Jun85° / 67°3.811.2014.55.2
Jul88° / 71°4.313014.34.1
Aug86° / 70°4.411013.44.8
Sep80° / 63°4.69.6012.36.5
Oct70° / 52°3.77.70117.0
Nov60° / 41°3.27.80105.1
Dec52° / 35°3.48.70.99.52.8

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15347
25347
35347
45248
55248
65149
75149
85050
95050
104951
114852
124852
134951
144852
154852
164852
174852
184852
194951
204852
214951
224951
235050
245050
254951
264951
275050
284951
294951
305050
314951

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Colonial Heights gets around 3.4 in of rain and snow over 8.7 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 29% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1292
2292
3292
4292
5292
6293
7293
8293
9293
10293
11293
12293
13293
14293
15293
16293
17293
18283
19283
20283
21283
22283
23283
24283
25283
26283
27283
28283
29283
30283
31283

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 95% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19163
29163
39352
49352
59352
69352
79352
89442
99442
109541
119631
129631
139631
149631
159631
169721
179721
189721
199721
209721
219721
229721
239721
249631
259631
269631
279631
289541
299541
309541
319541

Wind in December

Winds average 7 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 36 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 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:11 AM to 7:29 AM, and sunset from 4:48 PM to 4:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.67:114:48
29.67:124:48
39.67:134:48
49.67:134:48
59.67:144:48
69.57:154:48
79.57:164:48
89.57:174:48
99.57:174:48
109.57:184:48
119.57:194:48
129.57:204:48
139.57:204:48
149.57:214:49
159.57:224:49
169.47:224:49
179.47:234:50
189.47:244:50
199.47:244:50
209.47:254:51
219.47:254:51
229.47:264:52
239.47:264:52
249.47:274:53
259.47:274:53
269.47:274:54
279.47:284:54
289.47:284:55
299.57:284:55
309.57:294:56
319.57:294:57

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.14 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.14 kWh/m² to a high of 6.15 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.14 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.3Moderate
22.3Moderate
32.3Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.2Moderate
62.2Moderate
72.2Moderate
82.2Moderate
92.1Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.1Moderate
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
262.1Moderate
272.1Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.2Moderate
302.2Moderate
312.2Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Colonial Heights?

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

2.8
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 Colonial Heights.

What to pack for Colonial Heights in December

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

In December, Colonial Heights sees daytime highs around 52°F and nights near 35°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Colonial Heights 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 Colonial Heights peaks around June 22 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 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Colonial Heights 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 Colonial Heights is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1416 µg/m³Nov 217 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Colonial Heights?

Colonial Heights sits at 37.3°N, 77.4°W, 95 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Petersburg, 2.5 mi away.

Topography around Colonial Heights

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Colonial Heights has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 226 ft around an average of 82 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 453 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 886 ft.

The land around Colonial Heights is covered by trees (62%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 2 miles, trees (70%) within 10 miles, and trees (78%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
226 ft
10 miles
453 ft
50 miles
886 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Petersburg 2.5 mi · Chester 6.2 mi · Hopewell 6.8 mi · Meadowbrook 13 mi · Bon Air 20 mi · Highland Springs 20 mi · Richmond 20 mi · Midlothian 21 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 Colonial Heights (37.268°, -77.4073°, elevation 95 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).