Marquette weather in December

In December, Marquette sees average daytime highs of 29°F and overnight lows near 19°F, with 1.8 in of precipitation across 9.8 wet days and about 8.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 32°F in the first days to 25°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 36 min at the start of December to 8 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Marquette's 12th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Marquette's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
10th warmest
Overnight low
19°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
1.8 in
9.8 wet days
Daylight
8 h 24 min
8:34 AM – 4:58 PM
Cloud cover
81%
12th clearest
Wind
10 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.14 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Marquette is city in the U.S. state of Michigan and County seat of Marquette County, Michigan.

Density
421/km²
people per km²
Founded
1849

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 32°F in the first days to 25°F by the end.

A typical December day in Marquette reaches about 29°F in the afternoon and slips back to 19°F overnight — a 10°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 16°F and 39°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 6°F warmer than January.

20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13323
23223
33222
43222
53122
63121
73121
83021
93020
103020
112920
122920
132919
142919
152919
162919
172818
182818
192818
202818
212817
222717
232717
242717
252616
262616
272616
282615
292515
302515
312514

How December really feels in Marquette

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.

Marquette weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 10°1.58.710.78.80.0
Feb24° / 10°1.26.47.3100.0
Mar34° / 19°1.98.8711.60.0
Apr45° / 30°2.710.65.413.31.1
May58° / 41°3.011.10.714.84.2
Jun68° / 52°3.211015.66.1
Jul74° / 58°3.211.4015.26.8
Aug73° / 57°3.110.70146.7
Sep66° / 50°3.511.6012.45.7
Oct52° / 40°3.513.61.510.72.6
Nov39° / 29°2.310.67.79.20.2
Dec29° / 19°1.89.811.38.40.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 83%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11882
21882
31882
41981
51981
62080
72080
82080
91981
101981
111981
121981
131981
141882
151882
161882
171882
181783
191783
201783
211684
221684
231585
241585
251585
261486
271486
281486
291486
301486
311486

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Marquette gets around 1.8 in of rain and snow over 9.8 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 32% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13337
23237
33236
43136
53136
63035
73035
83034
93034
103034
113034
123034
133034
143134
153134
163235
173235
183236
193336
203337
213337
223338
233438
243439
253439
263339
273339
283339
293339
303238
313238

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 10 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 10 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze
3110light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 36 min at the start of December to 8 h 24 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 8:20 AM to 8:40 AM, and sunset from 4:59 PM to 5:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.68:204:59
28.68:214:58
38.68:224:58
48.68:234:58
58.68:244:58
68.58:254:57
78.58:264:57
88.58:274:57
98.58:284:57
108.58:294:57
118.48:304:57
128.48:314:57
138.48:324:57
148.48:324:57
158.48:334:57
168.48:344:58
178.48:354:58
188.48:354:58
198.48:364:58
208.48:364:59
218.48:374:59
228.48:375:00
238.48:385:00
248.48:385:01
258.48:395:01
268.48:395:02
278.48:395:02
288.48:405:03
298.48:405:04
308.48:405:05
318.48:405:05

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.14 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.14 kWh/m² to a high of 6.39 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.14 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
101.1Dim
111.1Dim
121.1Dim
131.1Dim
141.1Dim
151.1Dim
161.1Dim
171.1Dim
181.1Dim
191.1Dim
201.1Dim
211.1Dim
221.1Dim
231.1Dim
241.1Dim
251.1Dim
261.2Dim
271.2Dim
281.2Dim
291.2Dim
301.2Dim
311.2Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Marquette?

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 Marquette.

What to pack for Marquette in December

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

In December, Marquette sees daytime highs around 29°F and nights near 19°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Marquette in December

The nearest coast averages about 40°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 62°F and coldest in March near 34°F.

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

30°40°50°60°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan36Bracing
Feb35Bracing
Mar34Bracing
Apr35Bracing
May38Bracing
Jun43Bracing
Jul54Bracing
Aug62Cool
Sep59Cool
Oct51Bracing
Nov44Bracing
Dec40Bracing

UV index in Marquette 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 Marquette peaks around June 17 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 17UV 8Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun8Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug7High
Sep5High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Marquette?

Marquette sits at 46.5°N, 87.4°W, 666 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Mackinac Island, 141 mi away.

Topography around Marquette

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Marquette has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 410 ft around an average of 686 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,060 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,667 ft.

The land around Marquette is covered by water (38%), trees (32%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 2 miles, trees (48%) and water (44%) within 10 miles, and trees (56%) and water (41%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
410 ft
10 miles
1,060 ft
50 miles
1,667 ft
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Mackinac Island 141 mi · Howard 142 mi · Green Bay 143 mi · Sault Ste. Marie 145 mi · Sault Ste. Marie 145 mi · Ashwaubenon 146 mi · Bellevue 147 mi · De Pere 149 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 Marquette (46.5435°, -87.3954°, elevation 666 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).