Ithaca weather in December

In December, Ithaca sees average daytime highs of 36°F and overnight lows near 25°F, with 3.4 in of precipitation across 12.5 wet days and about 8.9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 39°F in the first days to 34°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 06 min at the start of December to 8 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Ithaca's 11th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ithaca's year-round climate.

Daytime high
36°
10th warmest
Overnight low
25°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.4 in
12.5 wet days
Daylight
8 h 54 min
7:35 AM – 4:29 PM
Cloud cover
81%
11th clearest
Wind
8 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
1.31 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Ithaca is city in Tompkins County, New York, USA, enclosed by the town of the same name.

Density
1,958/km²
people per km²
Founded
1888

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 39°F in the first days to 34°F by the end.

A typical December day in Ithaca reaches about 36°F in the afternoon and slips back to 25°F overnight — a 11°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°F and 48°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14029
24029
33928
43928
53928
63827
73827
83726
93726
103726
113726
123625
133625
143625
153525
163524
173524
183524
193524
203524
213524
223424
233424
243423
253423
263423
273423
283423
293322
303322
313322

How December really feels in Ithaca

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
6 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Ithaca weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 18°2.81210.89.20.0
Feb33° / 19°2.510.48.410.30.0
Mar42° / 26°3.512.37.111.60.4
Apr55° / 37°3.913.32.613.13.2
May66° / 48°3.613.20.114.45.6
Jun75° / 57°3.911.70156.5
Jul79° / 62°3.812.4014.86.3
Aug77° / 60°3.411.3013.76.7
Sep70° / 53°3.810.4012.36.4
Oct58° / 43°4.113.10.510.84.0
Nov46° / 33°3.312.24.19.61.2
Dec36° / 25°3.412.59.18.90.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 8% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 85%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11882
21882
31882
41882
51882
61783
71783
81783
91783
101684
111684
121684
131684
141585
151585
161585
171585
181486
191387
201387
211387
221387
231288
241387
251387
261387
271288
281288
291288
301387
311387

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Ithaca gets around 3.4 in of rain and snow over 12.5 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 41% and peaks near 45% on the wettest days, and about 9 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14523
24524
34525
44526
54527
64428
74429
84430
94331
104331
114332
124232
134232
144132
154132
164032
174031
183931
193931
203830
213830
223829
233729
243729
253729
263729
273829
283829
293930
303930
313931

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, the windiest month of the year.

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.

051015151015202531
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 9 h 06 min at the start of December to 8 h 54 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 7:22 AM to 7:41 AM, and sunset from 4:29 PM to 4:37 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.17:224:29
29.17:234:29
39.17:244:29
49.17:254:29
59.07:264:29
69.07:274:28
79.07:284:28
89.07:294:28
99.07:304:28
109.07:314:28
119.07:314:28
128.97:324:29
138.97:334:29
148.97:344:29
158.97:344:29
168.97:354:29
178.97:364:30
188.97:364:30
198.97:374:30
208.97:374:31
218.97:384:31
228.97:384:32
238.97:394:32
248.97:394:33
258.97:404:33
268.97:404:34
278.97:404:34
288.97:414:35
298.97:414:36
308.97:414:36
318.97:414:37

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.31 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.31 kWh/m² to a high of 5.99 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.31 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.4Dim
21.4Dim
31.4Dim
41.4Dim
51.4Dim
61.4Dim
71.3Dim
81.3Dim
91.3Dim
101.3Dim
111.3Dim
121.3Dim
131.3Dim
141.3Dim
151.3Dim
161.3Dim
171.3Dim
181.3Dim
191.3Dim
201.3Dim
211.3Dim
221.3Dim
231.3Dim
241.3Dim
251.3Dim
261.3Dim
271.3Dim
281.3Dim
291.3Dim
301.3Dim
311.4Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Ithaca?

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 Ithaca.

What to pack for Ithaca in December

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

In December, Ithaca sees daytime highs around 36°F and nights near 25°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Ithaca 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 Ithaca peaks around July 11 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 highHighModerateLowJul 11UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low
Location & terrain

Where is Ithaca?

Ithaca sits at 42.4°N, 76.5°W, 410 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Cortland, 19 mi away.

Topography around Ithaca

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Ithaca has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 919 ft around an average of 686 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,772 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,060 ft.

The land around Ithaca is covered by trees (59%) within 2 miles, trees (65%) and grassland (20%) within 10 miles, and trees (66%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
919 ft
10 miles
1,772 ft
50 miles
2,060 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Cortland 19 mi · Elmira 29 mi · Vestal 34 mi · Auburn 34 mi · Binghamton 38 mi · Syracuse 45 mi · Clay 54 mi · Cicero 54 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 Ithaca (42.4406°, -76.4966°, elevation 410 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).