Harrisonburg weather in December

In December, Harrisonburg sees average daytime highs of 45°F and overnight lows near 29°F, with 2.9 in of precipitation across 8.2 wet days and about 9.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 48°F in the first days to 43°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 30 min at the start of December to 9 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Harrisonburg's 5th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Harrisonburg's year-round climate.

Daytime high
45°
10th warmest
Overnight low
29°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.9 in
8.2 wet days
Daylight
9 h 18 min
7:32 AM – 4:52 PM
Cloud cover
58%
5th clearest
Wind
5 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
2.06 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.0
out of 10

Harrisonburg is independent city in Virginia, United States.

Density
1,161/km²
people per km²
Founded
1779

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 48°F in the first days to 43°F by the end.

A typical December day in Harrisonburg reaches about 45°F in the afternoon and slips back to 29°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 32°F and 58°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 9°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14932
24831
34831
44731
54731
64730
74630
84630
94630
104529
114529
124529
134529
144429
154428
164428
174428
184428
194428
204428
214428
224427
234327
244327
254327
264327
274327
284327
294327
304327
314327

How December really feels in Harrisonburg

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.

Harrisonburg weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan42° / 25°2.77.83.29.60.2
Feb45° / 26°2.47.8310.51.0
Mar53° / 33°3.310.12.411.73.1
Apr64° / 43°3.1100.4135.6
May72° / 52°3.512.1014.16.3
Jun80° / 61°2.810.9014.66.3
Jul84° / 65°3.111014.45.5
Aug82° / 64°2.39.5013.56.1
Sep76° / 57°3.68.4012.37.1
Oct65° / 45°2.86.90.2116.3
Nov54° / 35°2.67.20.59.93.5
Dec45° / 29°2.98.22.19.41.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 53%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24852
34852
44753
54753
64753
74753
84753
94753
104654
114753
124753
134654
144654
154654
164753
174753
184753
194753
204753
214852
224852
234852
244753
254753
264753
274753
284852
294852
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Harrisonburg gets around 2.9 in of rain and snow over 8.2 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 27% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1275
2286
3286
4286
5287
6287
7287
8297
9297
10297
11297
12297
13287
14287
15287
16287
17276
18276
19276
20266
21266
22256
23256
24246
25246
26247
27247
28247
29247
30247
31247

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19991
20991
21991
22991
23991
24991
25991
26991
27991
28991
29991
30991
31991

Wind in December

Winds average 5 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 6 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 30 min at the start of December to 9 h 24 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 7:20 AM to 7:38 AM, and sunset from 4:51 PM to 4:59 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.57:204:51
29.57:214:51
39.57:224:50
49.57:234:50
59.47:234:50
69.47:244:50
79.47:254:50
89.47:264:50
99.47:274:50
109.47:274:50
119.47:284:50
129.47:294:51
139.47:304:51
149.37:304:51
159.37:314:51
169.37:324:52
179.37:324:52
189.37:334:52
199.37:334:53
209.37:344:53
219.37:354:53
229.37:354:54
239.37:354:54
249.37:364:55
259.37:364:55
269.37:374:56
279.37:374:57
289.37:374:57
299.37:384:58
309.37:384:59
319.47:384:59

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.06 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.06 kWh/m² to a high of 6.15 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.06 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.1Moderate
102.0Moderate
112.0Moderate
122.0Moderate
132.0Moderate
142.0Moderate
152.0Moderate
162.0Moderate
172.0Moderate
182.0Moderate
192.0Moderate
202.0Moderate
212.0Moderate
222.0Moderate
232.0Moderate
242.0Moderate
252.0Moderate
262.1Moderate
272.1Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.1Moderate
302.1Moderate
312.1Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Harrisonburg?

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

1.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Harrisonburg.

What to pack for Harrisonburg in December

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

In December, Harrisonburg sees daytime highs around 45°F and nights near 29°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg peaks around June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Nov 187 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr14Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Harrisonburg?

Harrisonburg sits at 38.4°N, 78.9°W, 1,325 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Staunton, 24 mi away.

Topography around Harrisonburg

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Harrisonburg has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 453 ft around an average of 1,388 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,241 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,701 ft.

The land around Harrisonburg is covered by artificial surfaces (36%), trees (32%) and grassland (24%) within 2 miles, trees (38%) and grassland (38%) within 10 miles, and trees (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
453 ft
10 miles
2,241 ft
50 miles
4,701 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
December weather nearby: Staunton 24 mi · Waynesboro 26 mi · Charlottesville 36 mi · Culpeper 47 mi · Front Royal 48 mi · Winchester 63 mi · Linton Hall 73 mi · Lynchburg 73 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 Harrisonburg (38.4496°, -78.8689°, elevation 1,325 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).