Moorhead weather in December

In December, Moorhead sees average daytime highs of 24°F and overnight lows near 9°F, with 0.9 in of precipitation across 5.5 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 28°F in the first days to 20°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% 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 Moorhead's 12th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Moorhead's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
10th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Precipitation
0.9 in
5.5 wet days
Daylight
8 h 18 min
8:13 AM – 4:34 PM
Cloud cover
69%
12th clearest
Wind
8 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
1.31 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Moorhead is city in Clay County, Minnesota, USA.

Density
728/km²
people per km²
Founded
1871

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 28°F in the first days to 20°F by the end.

A typical December day in Moorhead reaches about 24°F in the afternoon and slips back to 9°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 5°F and 39°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 14°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

-20°20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
12914
22814
32813
42813
52713
62712
72612
82611
92611
102511
112510
122510
132410
142410
15249
16249
17249
18239
19238
20238
21228
22228
23227
24227
25217
26216
27216
28206
29205
30205
31204

How December really feels in Moorhead

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.

Moorhead 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
Jan19° / 0.84.84.98.80.0
Feb23° / 0.74.64.4100.0
Mar37° / 20°1.46.2411.60.2
Apr53° / 33°2.17.92.213.33.2
May67° / 46°3.511.40.114.85.9
Jun76° / 57°4.312.2015.66.4
Jul81° / 61°3.710.1015.36.7
Aug79° / 58°3.28.90147.1
Sep70° / 49°2.98.2012.46.9
Oct55° / 36°2.47.9110.63.7
Nov38° / 22°1.15.43.49.20.2
Dec24° / 0.95.55.88.40.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 65%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23862
33862
43862
53763
63763
73763
83862
93664
103664
113664
123664
133664
143565
153565
163466
173466
183466
193466
203367
213367
223367
233367
243268
253268
263367
273367
283466
293466
303466
313565

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Moorhead gets around 0.9 in of rain and snow over 5.5 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 17% and peaks near 19% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
11615
21615
31615
41615
51616
61616
71616
81616
91616
101616
111716
121717
131717
141717
151717
161717
171818
181818
191819
201819
211819
221920
231920
241920
251920
261920
271920
281920
291820
301820
311819

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 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 7:59 AM to 8:19 AM, and sunset from 4:35 PM to 4:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.67:594:35
28.68:004:35
38.68:014:34
48.58:024:34
58.58:034:34
68.58:044:34
78.58:054:33
88.58:064:33
98.48:074:33
108.48:084:33
118.48:094:33
128.48:104:33
138.48:114:33
148.48:114:33
158.48:124:33
168.38:134:34
178.38:144:34
188.38:144:34
198.38:154:35
208.38:154:35
218.38:164:35
228.38:164:36
238.38:174:36
248.38:174:37
258.38:184:37
268.38:184:38
278.38:184:39
288.38:184:39
298.48:194:40
308.48:194:41
318.48:194:42

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 6.38 kWh/m² in July 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
71.4Dim
81.4Dim
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
291.4Dim
301.4Dim
311.4Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Moorhead

In seasonPeak

None of Moorhead's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Moorhead's rainy season runs April–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Moorhead?

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 Moorhead.

What to pack for Moorhead in December

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

In December, Moorhead sees daytime highs around 24°F and nights near 9°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Moorhead 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 Moorhead peaks around June 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 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 8Jan 11UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May6High
Jun9Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug7High
Sep5Moderate
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Moorhead 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 Moorhead is worst in August — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (October, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodAug 1215 µg/m³Oct 206 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr12Good
May11Good
Jun10Good
Jul14Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct6Good
Nov7Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Moorhead?

Moorhead sits at 46.9°N, 96.8°W, 906 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Fargo, 1.2 mi away.

Topography around Moorhead

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Moorhead has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 72 ft around an average of 906 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 121 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 837 ft.

The land around Moorhead is covered by artificial surfaces (41%) and trees (34%) within 2 miles, cropland (65%) within 10 miles, and cropland (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
72 ft
10 miles
121 ft
50 miles
837 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Fargo 1.2 mi · West Fargo 6.2 mi · Grand Forks 74 mi · Jamestown 91 mi · Aberdeen 127 mi · Watertown 137 mi · Willmar 147 mi · Sartell 150 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 Moorhead (46.8739°, -96.7695°, elevation 906 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).