Midland weather in December

In December, Midland sees average daytime highs of 35°F and overnight lows near 23°F, with 2.1 in of precipitation across 8.7 wet days and about 8.8 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 38°F in the first days to 32°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Midland's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Midland's year-round climate.

Daytime high
35°
10th warmest
Overnight low
23°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.1 in
8.7 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
8:10 AM – 4:56 PM
Cloud cover
79%
11th clearest
Wind
8 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
1.37 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Midland is city in and county seat of Midland County, Michigan, United States.

Density
457/km²
people per km²
Founded
1887

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 38°F in the first days to 32°F by the end.

A typical December day in Midland reaches about 35°F in the afternoon and slips back to 23°F overnight — a 12°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°F and 47°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 11°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13927
23927
33827
43826
53726
63725
73725
83625
93624
103624
113524
123524
133523
143523
153423
163423
173422
183422
193422
203322
213322
223322
233322
243321
253321
263321
273321
283220
293220
303220
313220

How December really feels in Midland

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
18 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Midland weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 16°2.19.36.89.10.0
Feb33° / 17°1.87.15.810.20.0
Mar43° / 25°2.29.14.111.60.8
Apr56° / 37°3.5111.813.23.8
May68° / 47°3.511.1014.56.0
Jun78° / 57°3.510.7015.26.6
Jul82° / 62°3.010.1014.96.4
Aug80° / 60°3.010.3013.86.6
Sep72° / 52°2.89.3012.36.8
Oct59° / 41°2.9100.310.84.5
Nov46° / 32°2.492.19.51.2
Dec35° / 23°2.18.75.88.80.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 79%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12080
22080
32080
42179
52179
62179
72179
82179
92179
102179
112179
122179
132179
142179
152179
162179
172179
182179
192179
202179
212179
222179
232179
242278
252278
262278
272278
282278
292278
302278
312278

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Midland gets around 2.1 in of rain and snow over 8.7 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 29% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13116
23117
33117
43018
53018
62918
72919
82919
92919
102919
112819
122819
132819
142819
152819
162819
172819
182819
192819
202818
212818
222818
232818
242818
252818
262818
272818
282919
292919
302919
312919

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.

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 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 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 7:57 AM to 8:16 AM, and sunset from 4:57 PM to 5:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.07:574:57
29.07:584:56
38.97:594:56
48.98:004:56
58.98:014:56
68.98:024:55
78.98:034:55
88.98:044:55
98.88:054:55
108.88:064:55
118.88:064:55
128.88:074:55
138.88:084:56
148.88:094:56
158.88:094:56
168.88:104:56
178.88:114:56
188.88:114:57
198.88:124:57
208.78:134:57
218.78:134:58
228.78:144:58
238.78:144:59
248.78:144:59
258.88:155:00
268.88:155:01
278.88:155:01
288.88:165:02
298.88:165:02
308.88:165:03
318.88:165:04

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.37 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.37 kWh/m² to a high of 6.37 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.37 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
71.4Dim
81.4Dim
91.4Dim
101.4Dim
111.4Dim
121.4Dim
131.4Dim
141.4Dim
151.4Dim
161.4Dim
171.4Dim
181.4Dim
191.4Dim
201.4Dim
211.4Dim
221.4Dim
231.4Dim
241.4Dim
251.4Dim
261.4Dim
271.4Dim
281.4Dim
291.4Dim
301.4Dim
311.4Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Midland?

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 Midland.

What to pack for Midland in December

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

In December, Midland sees daytime highs around 35°F and nights near 23°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Midland in December

The nearest coast averages about 39°F in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 19 mi away) is warmest in August at about 72°F and coldest in February near 33°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 12 to Sep 9 — about 2 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan35Bracing
Feb33Bracing
Mar34Bracing
Apr39Bracing
May48Bracing
Jun60Cool
Jul70Refreshing
Aug72Refreshing
Sep67Cool
Oct55Bracing
Nov45Bracing
Dec39Bracing

UV index in Midland 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 Midland peaks around June 18 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 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 highHighModerateLowJun 18UV 9Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Midland?

Midland sits at 43.6°N, 84.2°W, 627 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Saginaw Township North, 16 mi away.

Topography around Midland

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Midland has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 121 ft around an average of 630 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 177 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,050 ft.

The land around Midland is covered by trees (49%), grassland (22%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 2 miles, trees (52%) and cropland (32%) within 10 miles, and trees (43%) and cropland (38%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
121 ft
10 miles
177 ft
50 miles
1,050 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Saginaw Township North 16 mi · Bay City 18 mi · Saginaw 20 mi · Mount Pleasant 26 mi · Flint 50 mi · Burton 53 mi · Haslett 60 mi · East Lansing 62 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 Midland (43.6156°, -84.2472°, elevation 627 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).