Mackinac Island weather in December

In December, Mackinac Island sees average daytime highs of 32°F and overnight lows near 24°F, with 2.3 in of precipitation across 11.3 wet days and about 8.5 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 35°F in the first days to 28°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 42 min at the start of December to 8 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Mackinac Island's 12th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mackinac Island's year-round climate.

Daytime high
32°
10th warmest
Overnight low
24°
4th coldest
Precipitation
2.3 in
11.3 wet days
Daylight
8 h 30 min
8:20 AM – 4:49 PM
Cloud cover
84%
12th clearest
Wind
12 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.15 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Mackinac Island is city located on Mackinac Island in Michigan.

Founded
1671

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 35°F in the first days to 28°F by the end.

A typical December day in Mackinac Island reaches about 32°F in the afternoon and slips back to 24°F overnight — a 8°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°F and 41°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 8°F warmer than January.

20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13629
23629
33528
43528
53527
63427
73427
83426
93326
103326
113325
123325
133225
143224
153224
163224
173124
183124
193123
203123
213123
223022
233022
243022
252921
262921
272921
282920
292820
302820
312819

How December really feels in Mackinac Island

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
19 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Mackinac Island 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
Jan24° / 14°1.99.910.98.90.0
Feb24° / 13°1.67.47.310.10.0
Mar33° / 21°2.08.46.111.60.0
Apr44° / 32°2.99.73.213.30.9
May56° / 43°2.910.20.314.73.7
Jun68° / 55°3.010015.56.3
Jul74° / 62°3.310.9015.26.9
Aug73° / 62°3.410013.96.9
Sep66° / 55°3.511.4012.35.9
Oct54° / 44°3.713.50.210.73.0
Nov42° / 34°2.611.65.79.30.5
Dec32° / 24°2.311.311.38.50.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 87%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11387
21387
31387
41387
51486
61486
71486
81585
91486
101486
111486
121486
131486
141486
151486
161387
171288
181288
191288
201288
211288
221288
231288
241288
251288
261288
271288
281288
291288
301288
311288

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Mackinac Island gets around 2.3 in of rain and snow over 11.3 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 36% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14034
24034
34034
43935
53935
63835
73836
83736
93736
103636
113636
123536
133535
143535
153535
163535
173535
183535
193535
203535
213535
223536
233536
243536
253537
263537
273537
283437
293437
303437
313338

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 12 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 11 mph on the calmest days to 12 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1811light breeze
1911light breeze
2011light breeze
2111light breeze
2211light breeze
2311light breeze
2411light breeze
2511light breeze
2611light breeze
2711light breeze
2811light breeze
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 42 min at the start of December to 8 h 30 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 8:06 AM to 8:26 AM, and sunset from 4:50 PM to 4:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.78:064:50
28.78:074:50
38.78:084:50
48.78:094:49
58.68:114:49
68.68:124:49
78.68:134:49
88.68:134:49
98.68:144:49
108.68:154:49
118.58:164:49
128.58:174:49
138.58:184:49
148.58:194:49
158.58:194:49
168.58:204:49
178.58:214:49
188.58:214:50
198.58:224:50
208.58:234:50
218.58:234:51
228.58:244:51
238.58:244:52
248.58:244:52
258.58:254:53
268.58:254:54
278.58:254:54
288.58:264:55
298.58:264:56
308.58:264:56
318.58:264:57

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.15 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.15 kWh/m² to a high of 6.61 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.15 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.2Dim
21.2Dim
31.2Dim
41.2Dim
51.2Dim
61.2Dim
71.2Dim
81.2Dim
91.2Dim
101.2Dim
111.1Dim
121.1Dim
131.1Dim
141.1Dim
151.1Dim
161.1Dim
171.1Dim
181.1Dim
191.1Dim
201.1Dim
211.1Dim
221.1Dim
231.2Dim
241.2Dim
251.2Dim
261.2Dim
271.2Dim
281.2Dim
291.2Dim
301.2Dim
311.2Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Mackinac Island?

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 Mackinac Island.

What to pack for Mackinac Island in December

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

In December, Mackinac Island sees daytime highs around 32°F and nights near 24°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Mackinac Island in December

The nearest coast averages about 38°F in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 66°F and coldest in February near 34°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

30°40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan35Bracing
Feb34Bracing
Mar34Bracing
Apr36Bracing
May41Bracing
Jun52Bracing
Jul62Cool
Aug66Cool
Sep61Cool
Oct53Bracing
Nov44Bracing
Dec38Bracing

UV index in Mackinac Island 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 Mackinac Island peaks around June 19 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 19UV 8Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Mackinac Island?

Mackinac Island sits at 45.8°N, 84.6°W, 0 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Sault Ste. Marie, 47 mi away.

Topography around Mackinac Island

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Mackinac Island has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 351 ft around an average of 614 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 351 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,037 ft.

The land around Mackinac Island is covered by water (72%) and trees (24%) within 2 miles, water (75%) and trees (22%) within 10 miles, and trees (48%) and water (44%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
351 ft
10 miles
351 ft
50 miles
1,037 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Sault Ste. Marie 47 mi · Sault Ste. Marie 48 mi · Traverse City 89 mi · Marquette 141 mi · Midland 155 mi · Mount Pleasant 156 mi · Bay City 160 mi · Saginaw Township North 168 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 Mackinac Island (45.8492°, -84.6189°, elevation 0 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).