Elizabeth City weather in December
In December, Elizabeth City sees average daytime highs of 54°F and overnight lows near 40°F, with 3.9 in of precipitation across 9.7 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.
Highs ease over the month, from about 57°F in the first days to 52°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% 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 Elizabeth City's 5th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Elizabeth City's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 54°
- 10th warmest
- Overnight low
- 40°
- 3rd coldest
- Precipitation
- 3.9 in
- 9.7 wet days
- Daylight
- 9 h 30 min
- 7:15 AM – 4:47 PM
- Cloud cover
- 56%
- 5th clearest
- Wind
- 9 mph
- 5th windiest
- Solar energy
- 2.23 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 3.4
- out of 10
Elizabeth City is city in Pasquotank County and Camden County, North Carolina, United States.
- Density
- 567/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1794
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in December
Highs ease over the month, from about 57°F in the first days to 52°F by the end.
A typical December day in Elizabeth City reaches about 54°F in the afternoon and slips back to 40°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 42°F and 67°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 7°F cooler than November and about 4°F warmer than January.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°F) | 58 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 |
| Avg low (°F) | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 38 |
| Avg high (°F) | Avg low (°F) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 58 | 42 |
| 2 | 57 | 42 |
| 3 | 57 | 42 |
| 4 | 57 | 42 |
| 5 | 56 | 42 |
| 6 | 56 | 41 |
| 7 | 56 | 41 |
| 8 | 56 | 41 |
| 9 | 56 | 41 |
| 10 | 55 | 40 |
| 11 | 55 | 40 |
| 12 | 55 | 40 |
| 13 | 55 | 40 |
| 14 | 54 | 40 |
| 15 | 54 | 40 |
| 16 | 54 | 40 |
| 17 | 54 | 39 |
| 18 | 54 | 39 |
| 19 | 53 | 39 |
| 20 | 53 | 39 |
| 21 | 53 | 39 |
| 22 | 53 | 39 |
| 23 | 53 | 38 |
| 24 | 53 | 38 |
| 25 | 53 | 38 |
| 26 | 53 | 38 |
| 27 | 53 | 38 |
| 28 | 52 | 38 |
| 29 | 52 | 38 |
| 30 | 52 | 38 |
| 31 | 52 | 38 |
How December really feels in Elizabeth City
Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 6 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.
The story in December is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Elizabeth City 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.
| Month | High / Low (°F) | Rainfall (inches) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51° / 36° | 3.9 | 9.6 | 1.1 | 9.8 | 2.5 |
| Feb | 53° / 37° | 3.4 | 9.7 | 0.8 | 10.6 | 3.0 |
| Mar | 59° / 43° | 4.0 | 10.8 | 0.3 | 11.7 | 4.6 |
| Apr | 68° / 52° | 3.4 | 9.7 | 0 | 12.9 | 6.4 |
| May | 75° / 60° | 4.0 | 11.2 | 0 | 13.9 | 6.7 |
| Jun | 83° / 69° | 4.4 | 12.7 | 0 | 14.4 | 5.5 |
| Jul | 86° / 73° | 5.1 | 16.5 | 0 | 14.2 | 4.3 |
| Aug | 84° / 72° | 5.2 | 14.3 | 0 | 13.4 | 4.9 |
| Sep | 80° / 67° | 5.0 | 11.4 | 0 | 12.2 | 6.4 |
| Oct | 71° / 56° | 3.7 | 7.6 | 0 | 11.1 | 7.1 |
| Nov | 62° / 46° | 3.7 | 8.4 | 0.1 | 10.1 | 5.5 |
| Dec | 54° / 40° | 3.9 | 9.7 | 0.3 | 9.6 | 3.4 |
Cloud cover in December
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% 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 52%.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 52 | 52 | 51 | 50 | 49 | 49 | 48 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 49 | 49 | 48 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 48 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 48 |
| Cloudier (%) | 48 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 54 | 54 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 51 | 51 | 52 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 52 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 52 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 52 | 48 |
| 2 | 52 | 48 |
| 3 | 51 | 49 |
| 4 | 50 | 50 |
| 5 | 49 | 51 |
| 6 | 49 | 51 |
| 7 | 48 | 52 |
| 8 | 47 | 53 |
| 9 | 47 | 53 |
| 10 | 47 | 53 |
| 11 | 47 | 53 |
| 12 | 46 | 54 |
| 13 | 46 | 54 |
| 14 | 47 | 53 |
| 15 | 47 | 53 |
| 16 | 47 | 53 |
| 17 | 48 | 52 |
| 18 | 48 | 52 |
| 19 | 48 | 52 |
| 20 | 49 | 51 |
| 21 | 49 | 51 |
| 22 | 48 | 52 |
| 23 | 49 | 51 |
| 24 | 49 | 51 |
| 25 | 49 | 51 |
| 26 | 49 | 51 |
| 27 | 48 | 52 |
| 28 | 49 | 51 |
| 29 | 49 | 51 |
| 30 | 49 | 51 |
| 31 | 48 | 52 |
Chance of precipitation in December
Elizabeth City gets around 3.9 in of rain and snow over 9.7 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 32% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
| Snow chance (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Rain chance (%) | Snow chance (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 | 0 |
| 2 | 30 | 0 |
| 3 | 30 | 0 |
| 4 | 30 | 0 |
| 5 | 31 | 0 |
| 6 | 31 | 0 |
| 7 | 31 | 0 |
| 8 | 32 | 0 |
| 9 | 32 | 0 |
| 10 | 32 | 0 |
| 11 | 32 | 0 |
| 12 | 33 | 0 |
| 13 | 33 | 0 |
| 14 | 33 | 0 |
| 15 | 33 | 1 |
| 16 | 33 | 1 |
| 17 | 33 | 1 |
| 18 | 33 | 1 |
| 19 | 32 | 1 |
| 20 | 32 | 1 |
| 21 | 32 | 1 |
| 22 | 32 | 1 |
| 23 | 32 | 1 |
| 24 | 32 | 2 |
| 25 | 32 | 2 |
| 26 | 32 | 2 |
| 27 | 32 | 2 |
| 28 | 32 | 2 |
| 29 | 32 | 2 |
| 30 | 32 | 2 |
| 31 | 32 | 2 |
Humidity in December
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 91% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 88 | 88 | 88 | 89 | 89 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 92 | 92 | 91 | 91 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 93 |
| Comfortable (%) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Humid (%) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Muggy (%) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 88 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| 2 | 88 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| 3 | 88 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| 4 | 89 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| 5 | 89 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| 6 | 90 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| 7 | 90 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| 8 | 90 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| 9 | 90 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| 10 | 90 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| 11 | 91 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 12 | 91 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | 91 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | 91 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | 91 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | 92 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | 92 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 18 | 91 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| 19 | 91 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| 20 | 92 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 21 | 92 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 22 | 92 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 23 | 92 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 24 | 92 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 25 | 92 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 26 | 93 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 27 | 93 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 28 | 93 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 29 | 93 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | 93 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 31 | 93 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
Wind in December
Winds average 9 mph in December.
Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (mph) | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (mph) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | light breeze |
| 2 | 9 | light breeze |
| 3 | 9 | light breeze |
| 4 | 9 | light breeze |
| 5 | 9 | light breeze |
| 6 | 9 | light breeze |
| 7 | 9 | light breeze |
| 8 | 9 | light breeze |
| 9 | 9 | light breeze |
| 10 | 9 | light breeze |
| 11 | 9 | light breeze |
| 12 | 9 | light breeze |
| 13 | 9 | light breeze |
| 14 | 9 | light breeze |
| 15 | 9 | light breeze |
| 16 | 9 | light breeze |
| 17 | 9 | light breeze |
| 18 | 9 | light breeze |
| 19 | 9 | light breeze |
| 20 | 9 | light breeze |
| 21 | 9 | light breeze |
| 22 | 9 | light breeze |
| 23 | 9 | light breeze |
| 24 | 9 | light breeze |
| 25 | 9 | light breeze |
| 26 | 9 | light breeze |
| 27 | 9 | light breeze |
| 28 | 9 | light breeze |
| 29 | 9 | light breeze |
| 30 | 9 | light breeze |
| 31 | 9 | light breeze |
Sunrise & sunset in December
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 7:04 AM to 7:21 AM, and sunset from 4:46 PM to 4:55 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.6 | 9.6 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 7:04 | 7:04 | 7:05 | 7:06 | 7:07 | 7:08 | 7:09 | 7:09 | 7:10 | 7:11 | 7:12 | 7:12 | 7:13 | 7:14 | 7:14 | 7:15 | 7:16 | 7:16 | 7:17 | 7:17 | 7:18 | 7:18 | 7:19 | 7:19 | 7:20 | 7:20 | 7:20 | 7:21 | 7:21 | 7:21 | 7:21 |
| Sunset (PM) | 4:46 | 4:46 | 4:46 | 4:46 | 4:46 | 4:46 | 4:46 | 4:46 | 4:46 | 4:46 | 4:46 | 4:46 | 4:47 | 4:47 | 4:47 | 4:47 | 4:48 | 4:48 | 4:48 | 4:49 | 4:49 | 4:50 | 4:50 | 4:51 | 4:51 | 4:52 | 4:52 | 4:53 | 4:54 | 4:54 | 4:55 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9.7 | 7:04 | 4:46 |
| 2 | 9.7 | 7:04 | 4:46 |
| 3 | 9.7 | 7:05 | 4:46 |
| 4 | 9.7 | 7:06 | 4:46 |
| 5 | 9.6 | 7:07 | 4:46 |
| 6 | 9.6 | 7:08 | 4:46 |
| 7 | 9.6 | 7:09 | 4:46 |
| 8 | 9.6 | 7:09 | 4:46 |
| 9 | 9.6 | 7:10 | 4:46 |
| 10 | 9.6 | 7:11 | 4:46 |
| 11 | 9.6 | 7:12 | 4:46 |
| 12 | 9.6 | 7:12 | 4:46 |
| 13 | 9.6 | 7:13 | 4:47 |
| 14 | 9.6 | 7:14 | 4:47 |
| 15 | 9.5 | 7:14 | 4:47 |
| 16 | 9.5 | 7:15 | 4:47 |
| 17 | 9.5 | 7:16 | 4:48 |
| 18 | 9.5 | 7:16 | 4:48 |
| 19 | 9.5 | 7:17 | 4:48 |
| 20 | 9.5 | 7:17 | 4:49 |
| 21 | 9.5 | 7:18 | 4:49 |
| 22 | 9.5 | 7:18 | 4:50 |
| 23 | 9.5 | 7:19 | 4:50 |
| 24 | 9.5 | 7:19 | 4:51 |
| 25 | 9.5 | 7:20 | 4:51 |
| 26 | 9.5 | 7:20 | 4:52 |
| 27 | 9.5 | 7:20 | 4:52 |
| 28 | 9.5 | 7:21 | 4:53 |
| 29 | 9.5 | 7:21 | 4:54 |
| 30 | 9.6 | 7:21 | 4:54 |
| 31 | 9.6 | 7:21 | 4:55 |
Solar energy in December
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.23 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.23 kWh/m² to a high of 6.41 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.23 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.5 | Moderate |
| 2 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 3 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 4 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 5 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 6 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 7 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 8 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 9 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 10 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 11 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 12 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 13 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 14 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 15 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 16 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 17 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 18 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 19 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 20 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 21 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 22 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 23 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 24 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 25 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 26 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 27 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 28 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 29 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 30 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 31 | 2.3 | Moderate |
Hazard calendar for Elizabeth City
None of Elizabeth City's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.
Elizabeth City sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Is December a good time to visit Elizabeth City?
Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Elizabeth City.
What to pack for Elizabeth City in December
From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In December, Elizabeth City sees daytime highs around 54°F and nights near 40°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Elizabeth City in December
The nearest coast averages about 54°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 24 mi away) is warmest in August at about 79°F and coldest in February near 46°F.
It's comfortable for a long swim from May 28 to Oct 21 — about 4.8 months when the water holds above 68°F.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°F) | 49 | 46 | 49 | 56 | 65 | 73 | 78 | 79 | 76 | 69 | 61 | 54 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Cool | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°F) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49 | Bracing |
| Feb | 46 | Bracing |
| Mar | 49 | Bracing |
| Apr | 56 | Bracing |
| May | 65 | Cool |
| Jun | 73 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 78 | Warm |
| Aug | 79 | Warm |
| Sep | 76 | Warm |
| Oct | 69 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 61 | Cool |
| Dec | 54 | Bracing |
UV index in Elizabeth City in December
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 Elizabeth City peaks around July 13 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 2 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | High | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 5 | High |
| Apr | 7 | High |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 7 | Very high |
| Sep | 7 | High |
| Oct | 5 | Moderate |
| Nov | 3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Moderate |
Air quality in Elizabeth City in December
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Elizabeth City is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 7 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | Good |
| Feb | 9 | Good |
| Mar | 12 | Good |
| Apr | 12 | Moderate |
| May | 12 | Good |
| Jun | 17 | Moderate |
| Jul | 17 | Moderate |
| Aug | 14 | Moderate |
| Sep | 11 | Good |
| Oct | 7 | Good |
| Nov | 6 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Where is Elizabeth City?
Elizabeth City sits at 36.3°N, 76.3°W, 3 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is South Suffolk, 35 mi away.
Topography around Elizabeth City
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Elizabeth City.
Within 2 miles, the terrain around Elizabeth City has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 105 ft around an average of 16 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 128 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 226 ft.
The land around Elizabeth City is covered by trees (37%), cropland (26%) and grassland (25%) within 2 miles, cropland (50%) and trees (31%) within 10 miles, and trees (43%) and water (34%) within 50 miles.
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
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 Elizabeth City (36.2946°, -76.2511°, elevation 3 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).