Dickinson weather in December

In December, Dickinson sees average daytime highs of 28°F and overnight lows near 12°F, with 0.6 in of precipitation across 4.1 wet days and about 8.4 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 31°F in the first days to 24°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 36 min at the start of December to 8 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Dickinson's 7th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dickinson's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
11th warmest
Overnight low
12°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
0.6 in
4.1 wet days
Daylight
8 h 18 min
7:37 AM – 3:58 PM
Cloud cover
61%
7th clearest
Wind
12 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.45 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Dickinson is seat of Stark County, North Dakota, United States.

Density
915/km²
people per km²
Founded
1882

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 31°F in the first days to 24°F by the end.

A typical December day in Dickinson reaches about 28°F in the afternoon and slips back to 12°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 8°F and 44°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 11°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13216
23216
33115
43115
53115
63014
73014
83014
93014
102913
112913
122913
132913
142913
152812
162812
172812
182812
192712
202711
212711
222611
232611
242610
252510
262510
272510
28259
29249
30249
31248

How December really feels in Dickinson

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
31 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Dickinson weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan25° / 0.64.34.58.80.0
Feb28° / 11°0.644.2100.0
Mar40° / 20°1.05.94.411.60.4
Apr52° / 31°2.08.43.413.32.9
May64° / 43°2.910.80.814.85.6
Jun74° / 53°3.211.1015.66.6
Jul81° / 58°2.78.9015.36.9
Aug81° / 56°2.27.50147.2
Sep70° / 46°2.06.20.112.47.2
Oct55° / 34°1.55.91.710.63.9
Nov39° / 21°0.83.73.19.20.2
Dec28° / 12°0.64.14.38.40.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% 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 56%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24456
34456
44555
54555
64555
74555
84654
94654
104654
114852
124753
134753
144654
154654
164555
174456
184456
194357
204258
214258
224258
234258
244159
254060
264060
274060
284060
294060
304060
314060

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Dickinson gets around 0.6 in of rain and snow over 4.1 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 13% and peaks near 16% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
11112
21112
31112
41112
51112
61112
71112
81112
91112
101112
111112
121112
131212
141212
151212
161313
171313
181314
191414
201415
211515
221516
231516
241616
251617
261617
271617
281617
291617
301617
311617

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 12 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 11 mph on the calmest days to 12 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
111light breeze
211light breeze
311light breeze
411light breeze
511light breeze
611light breeze
711light breeze
811light breeze
911light breeze
1011light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812light breeze
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 36 min at the start of December to 8 h 24 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 3:59 PM to 4:06 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.67:233:59
28.67:243:59
38.67:253:58
48.57:263:58
58.57:273:58
68.57:283:58
78.57:293:57
88.57:303:57
98.47:313:57
108.47:323:57
118.47:333:57
128.47:343:57
138.47:353:57
148.47:353:57
158.47:363:58
168.37:373:58
178.37:383:58
188.37:383:58
198.37:393:59
208.37:393:59
218.37:403:59
228.37:404:00
238.37:414:00
248.37:414:01
258.37:424:01
268.37:424:02
278.37:424:03
288.37:434:03
298.47:434:04
308.47:434:05
318.47:434:06

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.45 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.45 kWh/m² to a high of 6.85 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.45 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.6Dim
21.5Dim
31.5Dim
41.5Dim
51.5Dim
61.5Dim
71.5Dim
81.5Dim
91.5Dim
101.5Dim
111.5Dim
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
271.5Dim
281.5Dim
291.5Dim
301.5Dim
311.5Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Dickinson?

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 Dickinson.

What to pack for Dickinson in December

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

In December, Dickinson sees daytime highs around 28°F and nights near 12°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 4 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Dickinson 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 Dickinson peaks around June 21 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 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 highHighModerateLowJun 21UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May6High
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep5High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Dickinson?

Dickinson sits at 46.9°N, 102.8°W, 2,411 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Mandan, 90 mi away.

Topography around Dickinson

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Dickinson has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 243 ft around an average of 2,441 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 479 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,650 ft.

The land around Dickinson is covered by grassland (39%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 2 miles, grassland (54%) and cropland (42%) within 10 miles, and grassland (64%) and cropland (34%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
243 ft
10 miles
479 ft
50 miles
1,650 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Mandan 90 mi · Bismarck 95 mi · Williston 96 mi · Minot 117 mi · Jamestown 193 mi · Rapid City 194 mi · Gillette 222 mi · Aberdeen 228 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 Dickinson (46.8792°, -102.7896°, elevation 2,411 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).