Durham weather in December

In December, Durham sees average daytime highs of 53°F and overnight lows near 36°F, with 3.5 in of precipitation across 9.2 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 7th-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 38% 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 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Durham's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Durham's year-round climate.

Daytime high
53°
11th warmest
Overnight low
36°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.5 in
9.2 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
7:25 AM – 4:59 PM
Cloud cover
55%
5th clearest
Wind
7 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.24 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.2
out of 10

Durham is county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, United States.

Density
919/km²
people per km²
Founded
1869

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 Durham reaches about 53°F in the afternoon and slips back to 36°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 40°F and 66°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)
15739
25638
35638
45638
55538
65538
75537
85437
95437
105437
115337
125337
135336
145336
155336
165336
175236
185236
195236
205236
215236
225235
235235
245235
255235
265135
275135
285135
295135
305135
315135

How December really feels in Durham

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 23 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
23
wind chill below the day's low

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

Durham weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan50° / 33°3.69.41.49.82.4
Feb54° / 35°3.28.91.310.63.3
Mar62° / 42°4.310.50.511.75.2
Apr71° / 51°3.59.3012.96.7
May78° / 60°3.410.6013.96.6
Jun85° / 68°3.912014.45.0
Jul88° / 71°4.314.9014.23.9
Aug86° / 70°3.911.6013.44.7
Sep81° / 64°4.49.4012.26.4
Oct71° / 53°3.17.5011.17.1
Nov61° / 42°3.37.70.110.15.5
Dec53° / 36°3.59.20.69.63.2

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 12% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 49%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25446
35347
45248
55248
65149
75149
85050
95050
105050
115050
124951
134951
145050
155050
165050
175050
185149
195149
205149
215149
225149
235149
245149
255149
265050
275050
284951
294951
304951
315050

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Durham gets around 3.5 in of rain and snow over 9.2 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 (%)
1281
2281
3281
4281
5281
6292
7292
8292
9292
10292
11302
12302
13302
14312
15312
16312
17312
18312
19312
20312
21312
22312
23312
24312
25312
26313
27313
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 94% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19253
29253
39253
49253
59253
69253
79442
89442
99442
109442
119532
129631
139631
149631
159631
169631
179631
189631
199631
209631
219631
229631
239631
249541
259541
269541
279541
289451
299451
309352
319352

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 42 min at the start of December to 9 h 36 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 7:13 AM to 7:31 AM, and sunset from 4:57 PM to 5:06 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.77:134:57
29.77:144:57
39.77:154:57
49.77:164:57
59.77:174:57
69.77:184:57
79.67:184:57
89.67:194:57
99.67:204:57
109.67:214:57
119.67:214:58
129.67:224:58
139.67:234:58
149.67:234:58
159.67:244:58
169.67:254:59
179.67:254:59
189.67:264:59
199.67:265:00
209.67:275:00
219.67:285:01
229.67:285:01
239.67:285:02
249.67:295:02
259.67:295:03
269.67:305:03
279.67:305:04
289.67:305:04
299.67:315:05
309.67:315:06
319.67:315:06

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.24 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.24 kWh/m² to a high of 6.15 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.24 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.4Moderate
22.4Moderate
32.4Moderate
42.4Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.3Moderate
72.3Moderate
82.3Moderate
92.3Moderate
102.3Moderate
112.3Moderate
122.2Moderate
132.2Moderate
142.2Moderate
152.2Moderate
162.2Moderate
172.2Moderate
182.2Moderate
192.2Moderate
202.2Moderate
212.2Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.2Moderate
262.2Moderate
272.2Moderate
282.2Moderate
292.2Moderate
302.2Moderate
312.3Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Durham?

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

3.2
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Durham.

What to pack for Durham in December

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

In December, Durham sees daytime highs around 53°F and nights near 36°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Durham 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 Durham peaks around July 13 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 13UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Durham 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 Durham is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1718 µg/m³Nov 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Durham?

Durham sits at 36.0°N, 78.9°W, 404 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Chapel Hill, 11 mi away.

Topography around Durham

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Durham has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 184 ft around an average of 374 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 614 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,122 ft.

The land around Durham is covered by trees (61%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 2 miles, trees (78%) within 10 miles, and trees (78%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
184 ft
10 miles
614 ft
50 miles
1,122 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Chapel Hill 11 mi · Carrboro 11 mi · Morrisville 12 mi · Cary 16 mi · Apex 18 mi · West Raleigh 19 mi · Raleigh 21 mi · Wake Forest 22 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 Durham (35.994°, -78.8986°, elevation 404 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).