Middletown weather in December

In December, Middletown sees average daytime highs of 39°F and overnight lows near 26°F, with 4.0 in of precipitation across 10 wet days and about 9.1 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 43°F in the first days to 37°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Middletown's 12th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Middletown's year-round climate.

Daytime high
39°
10th warmest
Overnight low
26°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
4.0 in
10 wet days
Daylight
9 hours
7:23 AM – 4:24 PM
Cloud cover
66%
12th clearest
Wind
7 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
1.64 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.1
out of 10

Middletown is city in Orange County, New York, United States.

Density
2,105/km²
people per km²
Founded
1848

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 43°F in the first days to 37°F by the end.

A typical December day in Middletown reaches about 39°F in the afternoon and slips back to 26°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°F and 52°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)
14430
24330
34330
44229
54229
64128
74128
84128
94027
104027
114027
123926
133926
143926
153926
163826
173826
183825
193825
203825
213825
223825
233825
243825
253724
263724
273724
283724
293724
303724
313723

How December really feels in Middletown

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.

Middletown weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan35° / 20°3.49.56.19.30.0
Feb37° / 21°3.08.85.310.30.0
Mar46° / 29°4.1114.311.71.2
Apr58° / 40°3.810.9113.14.2
May68° / 49°3.811.7014.36.0
Jun77° / 59°4.011.3014.96.5
Jul82° / 64°3.810.7014.76.2
Aug80° / 62°3.710.2013.76.5
Sep73° / 55°4.19.3012.36.9
Oct61° / 44°4.29.40.310.95.1
Nov49° / 34°3.38.71.29.72.2
Dec39° / 26°4.0104.39.10.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 62%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23862
33862
43763
53763
63763
73763
83763
93763
103664
113664
123664
133763
143763
153763
163763
173862
183862
193862
203862
213961
223961
233961
243961
253961
264060
274060
284060
293961
304060
314060

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Middletown gets around 4.0 in of rain and snow over 10 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 35% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13210
23311
33311
43312
53413
63413
73514
83514
93515
103515
113516
123516
133416
143416
153315
163315
173215
183114
193114
203014
213013
222913
232913
242913
252913
262913
273014
283014
293115
303115
313216

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 7 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:11 AM to 7:30 AM, and sunset from 4:24 PM to 4:32 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.27:114:24
29.27:124:24
39.27:134:24
49.27:144:24
59.17:154:23
69.17:154:23
79.17:164:23
89.17:174:23
99.17:184:23
109.17:194:23
119.17:204:23
129.17:214:24
139.07:214:24
149.07:224:24
159.07:234:24
169.07:234:24
179.07:244:25
189.07:254:25
199.07:254:25
209.07:264:26
219.07:264:26
229.07:274:27
239.07:274:27
249.07:284:28
259.07:284:28
269.07:284:29
279.07:294:29
289.07:294:30
299.07:294:31
309.07:294:31
319.07:304:32

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.64 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.64 kWh/m² to a high of 5.96 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.64 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.7Dim
21.7Dim
31.7Dim
41.7Dim
51.7Dim
61.7Dim
71.7Dim
81.6Dim
91.6Dim
101.6Dim
111.6Dim
121.6Dim
131.6Dim
141.6Dim
151.6Dim
161.6Dim
171.6Dim
181.6Dim
191.6Dim
201.6Dim
211.6Dim
221.6Dim
231.6Dim
241.6Dim
251.6Dim
261.7Dim
271.7Dim
281.7Dim
291.7Dim
301.7Dim
311.7Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Middletown?

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

0.1
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Middletown.

What to pack for Middletown in December

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

In December, Middletown sees daytime highs around 39°F and nights near 26°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Middletown 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 Middletown peaks around July 11 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 23 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 highHighModerateLowJul 11UV 8Dec 23UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Middletown 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 Middletown is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (November, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1317 µg/m³Nov 159 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May16Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Middletown?

Middletown sits at 41.4°N, 74.4°W, 558 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Kiryas Joel, 15 mi away.

Topography around Middletown

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Middletown has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 492 ft around an average of 604 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,165 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,370 ft.

The land around Middletown is covered by trees (54%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 2 miles, trees (69%) within 10 miles, and trees (86%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
492 ft
10 miles
1,165 ft
50 miles
4,370 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Kiryas Joel 15 mi · Newburgh 22 mi · West Milford 22 mi · Peekskill 28 mi · Mahwah 29 mi · Monsey 30 mi · Spring Valley 30 mi · New City 30 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 Middletown (41.4459°, -74.4229°, elevation 558 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).