Fayetteville weather in December

In December, Fayetteville sees average daytime highs of 56°F and overnight lows near 38°F, with 3.7 in of precipitation across 8.7 wet days and about 9.7 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 59°F in the first days to 55°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 48 min at the start of December to 9 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Fayetteville's 6th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Fayetteville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
56°
11th warmest
Overnight low
38°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.7 in
8.7 wet days
Daylight
9 h 42 min
7:22 AM – 5:01 PM
Cloud cover
55%
6th clearest
Wind
7 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.32 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.1
out of 10

Fayetteville is city in and seat of Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.

Density
521/km²
people per km²
Founded
1762

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 59°F in the first days to 55°F by the end.

A typical December day in Fayetteville reaches about 56°F in the afternoon and slips back to 38°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 43°F and 70°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 7°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16040
26040
35939
45939
55939
65839
75839
85838
95738
105738
115738
125738
135638
145638
155637
165637
175637
185637
195637
205637
215537
225537
235537
245537
255537
265537
275537
285537
295537
305536
315536

How December really feels in Fayetteville

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 18 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
18
wind chill below the day's low

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

Fayetteville weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan54° / 35°3.59.10.99.93.4
Feb57° / 37°3.28.60.710.74.1
Mar64° / 44°3.79.40.211.76.0
Apr74° / 53°3.48.2012.97.1
May81° / 61°3.39.7013.86.4
Jun87° / 69°4.212.1014.34.4
Jul90° / 73°4.615.3014.13.4
Aug88° / 71°4.913.6013.34.1
Sep82° / 65°5.010.2012.26.0
Oct73° / 54°3.27.3011.17.3
Nov64° / 43°3.27.6010.26.2
Dec56° / 38°3.78.70.29.74.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

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 51%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25347
35248
45248
55149
65149
75149
85050
95050
105050
115050
125050
135050
145050
154951
164951
174951
184951
194951
204951
214951
224951
234951
244951
254852
264753
274753
284852
294852
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Fayetteville gets around 3.7 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 30% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
126
226
326
426
527
627
727
827
928
1028
1128
1229
1329
1429
1529
1630
1730
1830
1930
2030
2130
2229
2329
2429
2530
2630
2730
2830
2930
3030
3130

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 91% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
187751
288741
389641
490640
591630
691630
791630
892620
992620
1092620
1192620
1292620
1392620
1492620
1593610
1691621
1791621
1891621
1992521
2092521
2192521
2292521
2391522
2491522
2590532
2690532
2790532
2890532
2990532
3090532
3191531

Wind in December

Winds average 7 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 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
117light breeze
127light breeze
137light breeze
147light breeze
157light breeze
167light breeze
177light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 48 min at the start of December to 9 h 42 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 5:00 PM to 5:09 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.87:115:00
29.87:125:00
39.87:134:59
49.87:134:59
59.87:144:59
69.77:154:59
79.77:165:00
89.77:175:00
99.77:175:00
109.77:185:00
119.77:195:00
129.77:195:00
139.77:205:00
149.77:215:01
159.77:215:01
169.77:225:01
179.67:235:02
189.67:235:02
199.67:245:02
209.67:245:03
219.67:255:03
229.67:255:04
239.67:265:04
249.67:265:05
259.67:275:05
269.67:275:06
279.67:275:06
289.77:285:07
299.77:285:08
309.77:285:08
319.77:295:09

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.32 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.32 kWh/m² to a high of 6.19 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.32 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.5Moderate
22.5Moderate
32.5Moderate
42.5Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.4Moderate
102.4Moderate
112.3Moderate
122.3Moderate
132.3Moderate
142.3Moderate
152.3Moderate
162.3Moderate
172.3Moderate
182.3Moderate
192.3Moderate
202.3Moderate
212.3Moderate
222.3Moderate
232.3Moderate
242.3Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.3Moderate
312.3Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Fayetteville?

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

4.1
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
0.1
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Fayetteville for sightseeing.

What to pack for Fayetteville in December

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

In December, Fayetteville sees daytime highs around 56°F and nights near 38°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Fayetteville 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 Fayetteville peaks around July 13 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 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 13UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

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

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1517 µg/m³Dec 128 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct10Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Fayetteville?

Fayetteville sits at 35.1°N, 78.9°W, 95 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Hope Mills, 6.8 mi away.

Topography around Fayetteville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Fayetteville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 236 ft around an average of 125 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 423 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 820 ft.

The land around Fayetteville is covered by trees (53%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 2 miles, trees (64%) within 10 miles, and trees (72%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
236 ft
10 miles
423 ft
50 miles
820 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Hope Mills 6.8 mi · Fort Bragg 9.3 mi · Lumberton 31 mi · Sanford 34 mi · Pinehurst 35 mi · Fuquay-Varina 37 mi · Laurinburg 39 mi · Holly Springs 42 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 Fayetteville (35.0527°, -78.8784°, 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).