Erie weather in December

In December, Erie sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 31°F, with 5.1 in of precipitation across 17.8 wet days and about 9 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 41°F in the first days to 35°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Erie's 11th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Erie's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
9th warmest
Overnight low
31°
4th coldest
Precipitation
5.1 in
17.8 wet days
Daylight
8 h 54 min
7:48 AM – 4:45 PM
Cloud cover
83%
11th clearest
Wind
15 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
1.26 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Erie is city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Density
1,992/km²
people per km²
Founded
1795

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 35°F by the end.

A typical December day in Erie reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 31°F overnight — a 7°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°F and 48°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 9°F cooler than November and about 6°F warmer than January.

20°30°40°50°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14235
24235
34135
44134
54034
64034
74033
84033
93933
103933
113932
123832
133832
143831
153831
163831
173731
183731
193730
203730
213730
223730
233630
243629
253629
263629
273629
283629
293528
303528
313528

How December really feels in Erie

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.

Erie weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 24°4.416.613.39.30.0
Feb32° / 22°3.011.98.910.30.0
Mar37° / 28°3.712.2611.60.0
Apr47° / 39°4.313.1213.11.3
May59° / 51°3.912.6014.44.3
Jun71° / 64°4.513.10156.3
Jul76° / 69°4.813.5014.86.6
Aug75° / 68°4.412.6013.76.8
Sep69° / 62°4.211.1012.36.3
Oct58° / 51°4.914.50.110.83.9
Nov47° / 40°4.915.54.49.61.2
Dec38° / 31°5.117.811.290.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 6% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 87%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11882
21783
31783
41783
51684
61684
71684
81585
91585
101585
111486
121486
131486
141486
151486
161387
171387
181387
191387
201387
211189
221189
231189
241189
251189
261189
271189
281189
291189
301189
311189

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Erie gets around 5.1 in of rain and snow over 17.8 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 58% and peaks near 59% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
15925
25926
35927
45928
55829
65830
75831
85832
95833
105734
115735
125735
135736
145736
155737
165737
175837
185838
195838
205738
215738
225738
235738
245739
255739
265739
275739
285740
295740
305841
315841

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 15 mph in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 15 mph on the calmest days to 15 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
115breezy
215breezy
315breezy
415breezy
515breezy
615breezy
715breezy
815breezy
915breezy
1015breezy
1115breezy
1215breezy
1315breezy
1415breezy
1515breezy
1615breezy
1715breezy
1815breezy
1915breezy
2015breezy
2115breezy
2215breezy
2315breezy
2415breezy
2515breezy
2615breezy
2715breezy
2815breezy
2915breezy
3015breezy
3115breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:35 AM to 7:55 AM, and sunset from 4:45 PM to 4:52 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.27:354:45
29.17:374:44
39.17:374:44
49.17:384:44
59.17:394:44
69.17:404:44
79.07:414:44
89.07:424:44
99.07:434:44
109.07:444:44
119.07:454:44
129.07:454:44
139.07:464:44
149.07:474:44
158.97:484:44
168.97:484:45
178.97:494:45
188.97:504:45
198.97:504:46
208.97:514:46
218.97:514:47
228.97:524:47
238.97:524:47
248.97:534:48
258.97:534:49
268.97:534:49
278.97:544:50
288.97:544:50
298.97:544:51
309.07:544:52
319.07:554:52

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.26 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.26 kWh/m² to a high of 6.54 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.26 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.4Dim
21.4Dim
31.4Dim
41.4Dim
51.3Dim
61.3Dim
71.3Dim
81.3Dim
91.3Dim
101.3Dim
111.3Dim
121.3Dim
131.3Dim
141.3Dim
151.3Dim
161.3Dim
171.2Dim
181.2Dim
191.2Dim
201.2Dim
211.2Dim
221.2Dim
231.2Dim
241.2Dim
251.2Dim
261.3Dim
271.3Dim
281.3Dim
291.3Dim
301.3Dim
311.3Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Erie?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Erie.

What to pack for Erie in December

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

In December, Erie sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 31°F. Pack a warm layer and rain gear. Worth having: a heavy coat and a windbreaker. About 18 days see rain.

a warm layerrain geara heavy coata windbreaker

Sea temperature near Erie in December

The nearest coast averages about 43°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 15 mi away) is warmest in August at about 74°F and coldest in February near 33°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 4 to Sep 21 — about 2.6 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan36Bracing
Feb33Bracing
Mar34Bracing
Apr39Bracing
May49Bracing
Jun63Cool
Jul72Refreshing
Aug74Refreshing
Sep70Refreshing
Oct61Cool
Nov51Bracing
Dec43Bracing

UV index in Erie 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 Erie peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 20UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low
Location & terrain

Where is Erie?

Erie sits at 42.1°N, 80.1°W, 653 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ashtabula, 40 mi away.

Topography around Erie

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Erie has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 276 ft around an average of 650 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 981 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,611 ft.

The land around Erie is covered by artificial surfaces (47%) and water (29%) within 2 miles, water (45%) and trees (33%) within 10 miles, and water (44%) and trees (41%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
276 ft
10 miles
981 ft
50 miles
1,611 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Ashtabula 40 mi · Jamestown 43 mi · Norfolk County 51 mi · Tillsonburg 60 mi · Hermitage 65 mi · Painesville 66 mi · Port Colborne 69 mi · Brantford 70 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 Erie (42.1292°, -80.0851°, elevation 653 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).