Forest Lake weather in December

In December, Forest Lake sees average daytime highs of 27°F and overnight lows near 14°F, with 1.4 in of precipitation across 5.8 wet days and about 8.6 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 21% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 48 min at the start of December to 8 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Forest Lake's 12th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Forest Lake's year-round climate.

Daytime high
27°
11th warmest
Overnight low
14°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
1.4 in
5.8 wet days
Daylight
8 h 36 min
7:51 AM – 4:25 PM
Cloud cover
71%
12th clearest
Wind
8 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
1.38 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Forest Lake is city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States.

Density
213/km²
people per km²
Founded
1874

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 Forest Lake reaches about 27°F in the afternoon and slips back to 14°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 11°F and 40°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 13°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13219
23118
33118
43017
53017
62916
72916
82916
92815
102815
112815
122814
132714
142714
152714
162713
172613
182613
192613
202613
212612
222612
232512
242512
252511
262511
272411
282411
292410
302410
312410

How December really feels in Forest Lake

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.

Forest Lake 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
Jan22° / 0.95.868.90.0
Feb27° / 11°1.04.94.910.10.0
Mar40° / 23°2.07.44.111.60.4
Apr55° / 36°3.310.52.513.23.4
May67° / 49°4.211.50.214.65.9
Jun77° / 59°4.411.8015.46.4
Jul81° / 63°3.610.5015.16.5
Aug79° / 61°3.810013.96.8
Sep71° / 53°3.49.1012.36.7
Oct56° / 40°2.78.90.810.73.9
Nov40° / 27°1.97.13.69.30.4
Dec27° / 14°1.45.85.88.60.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 68%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13466
23466
33466
43466
53466
63367
73466
83466
93466
103367
113367
123367
133367
143268
153268
163268
173268
183169
193070
203070
213169
223169
233169
243169
253169
263169
273268
283367
293367
303367
313466

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Forest Lake gets around 1.4 in of rain and snow over 5.8 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 19% and peaks near 20% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12016
22016
31916
41916
51916
61917
71917
81917
91917
101917
111918
122018
132019
142019
152019
162020
172020
182020
192021
202021
212021
221921
231921
241920
251920
261820
271819
281819
291719
301718
311718

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 8 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light 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 8 h 48 min at the start of December to 8 h 36 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 7:38 AM to 7:57 AM, and sunset from 4:26 PM to 4:33 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.87:384:26
28.87:394:25
38.87:404:25
48.77:414:25
58.77:424:25
68.77:434:24
78.77:444:24
88.77:454:24
98.67:464:24
108.67:474:24
118.67:474:24
128.67:484:24
138.67:494:24
148.67:504:25
158.67:514:25
168.67:514:25
178.67:524:25
188.57:534:25
198.57:534:26
208.57:544:26
218.57:544:27
228.57:554:27
238.57:554:28
248.57:564:28
258.57:564:29
268.57:564:29
278.67:574:30
288.67:574:31
298.67:574:31
308.67:574:32
318.67:574:33

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.38 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.38 kWh/m² to a high of 6.26 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.38 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.5Dim
21.5Dim
31.5Dim
41.4Dim
51.4Dim
61.4Dim
71.4Dim
81.4Dim
91.4Dim
101.4Dim
111.4Dim
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
271.4Dim
281.4Dim
291.4Dim
301.4Dim
311.4Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Forest Lake?

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 Forest Lake.

What to pack for Forest Lake in December

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

In December, Forest Lake sees daytime highs around 27°F and nights near 14°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Forest Lake 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 Forest Lake peaks around June 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 12 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 18UV 8Jan 12UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep5High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Forest Lake?

Forest Lake sits at 45.3°N, 93.0°W, 912 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Lino Lakes, 9.3 mi away.

Topography around Forest Lake

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Forest Lake has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 108 ft around an average of 909 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 243 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 860 ft.

The land around Forest Lake is covered by trees (35%), grassland (22%) and water (21%) within 2 miles, trees (42%) and grassland (35%) within 10 miles, and trees (45%), cropland (27%) and grassland (20%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
108 ft
10 miles
243 ft
50 miles
860 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Lino Lakes 9.3 mi · Ham Lake 13 mi · White Bear Lake 14 mi · Blaine 15 mi · Andover 15 mi · Shoreview 16 mi · Stillwater 17 mi · New Brighton 18 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 Forest Lake (45.2789°, -92.9852°, elevation 912 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).