Morgantown weather in December

In December, Morgantown sees average daytime highs of 42°F and overnight lows near 29°F, with 3.9 in of precipitation across 12.4 wet days and about 9.3 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 45°F in the first days to 40°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Morgantown's 11th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Morgantown's year-round climate.

Daytime high
42°
10th warmest
Overnight low
29°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.9 in
12.4 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
7:40 AM – 4:52 PM
Cloud cover
74%
11th clearest
Wind
7 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
1.57 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.3
out of 10

Morgantown is city in and county seat of Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States.

Density
1,117/km²
people per km²
Founded
1772

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 45°F in the first days to 40°F by the end.

A typical December day in Morgantown reaches about 42°F in the afternoon and slips back to 29°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°F and 57°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 9°F cooler than November and about 4°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14632
24632
34632
44531
54531
64431
74431
84430
94330
104330
114330
124329
134229
144229
154229
164229
174229
184229
194128
204128
214128
224128
234128
244128
254128
264128
274128
284027
294027
304027
314027

How December really feels in Morgantown

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.

Morgantown weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan38° / 24°3.913.179.50.0
Feb42° / 26°3.611.66.210.40.3
Mar51° / 33°4.613.8411.72.2
Apr63° / 44°4.614.50.9134.7
May70° / 52°5.215.5014.25.7
Jun78° / 61°5.314.6014.76.0
Jul81° / 64°5.115.1014.55.7
Aug80° / 63°3.912.1013.66.2
Sep74° / 56°4.010.3012.36.8
Oct63° / 45°3.6110.310.95.4
Nov52° / 36°3.610.51.79.82.6
Dec42° / 29°3.912.45.29.30.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 73%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12971
22971
32872
42872
52773
62674
72674
82674
92674
102674
112575
122674
132674
142674
152674
162674
172773
182773
192773
202773
212872
222773
232773
242773
252773
262773
272773
282773
292872
302872
312674

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Morgantown gets around 3.9 in of rain and snow over 12.4 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 40% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14212
24213
34213
44214
54214
64315
74315
84216
94216
104216
114216
124117
134117
144017
154017
164017
173917
183917
193917
203817
213817
223817
233717
243717
253717
263717
273817
283817
293818
303918
313918

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 (%)Comfortable (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in December

Winds average 7 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 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
297light breeze
307light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 12 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 7:27 AM to 7:46 AM, and sunset from 4:52 PM to 5:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.47:274:52
29.47:284:52
39.47:294:51
49.37:304:51
59.37:314:51
69.37:324:51
79.37:334:51
89.37:344:51
99.37:354:51
109.37:354:51
119.37:364:51
129.27:374:51
139.27:384:52
149.27:384:52
159.27:394:52
169.27:404:52
179.27:404:53
189.27:414:53
199.27:414:53
209.27:424:54
219.27:424:54
229.27:434:55
239.27:434:55
249.27:444:56
259.27:444:56
269.27:454:57
279.27:454:57
289.27:454:58
299.27:464:59
309.27:464:59
319.27:465:00

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.57 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.57 kWh/m² to a high of 5.97 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.57 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.7Dim
21.7Dim
31.6Dim
41.6Dim
51.6Dim
61.6Dim
71.6Dim
81.6Dim
91.6Dim
101.6Dim
111.6Dim
121.6Dim
131.5Dim
141.5Dim
151.5Dim
161.5Dim
171.5Dim
181.5Dim
191.6Dim
201.6Dim
211.6Dim
221.6Dim
231.6Dim
241.6Dim
251.6Dim
261.6Dim
271.6Dim
281.6Dim
291.6Dim
301.6Dim
311.6Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Morgantown?

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

0.3
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Morgantown.

What to pack for Morgantown in December

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

In December, Morgantown sees daytime highs around 42°F and nights near 29°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Morgantown in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Morgantown peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 19UV 9Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Morgantown 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 Morgantown is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1217 µg/m³Nov 187 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar10Good
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Morgantown?

Morgantown sits at 39.6°N, 80.0°W, 889 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Fairmont, 14 mi away.

Topography around Morgantown

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Morgantown has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 551 ft around an average of 1,030 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,631 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,570 ft.

The land around Morgantown is covered by trees (56%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 2 miles, trees (77%) within 10 miles, and trees (83%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
551 ft
10 miles
1,631 ft
50 miles
3,570 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Fairmont 14 mi · Clarksburg 32 mi · Bethel Park 48 mi · Baldwin 49 mi · Upper Saint Clair 49 mi · McKeesport 50 mi · Mount Lebanon 50 mi · Wheeling 50 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 Morgantown (39.6295°, -79.9559°, elevation 889 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).