New Britain weather in December

In December, New Britain sees average daytime highs of 41°F and overnight lows near 27°F, with 4.1 in of precipitation across 10.1 wet days and about 9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 45°F in the first days to 38°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% 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 New Britain's 8th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see New Britain's year-round climate.

Daytime high
41°
10th warmest
Overnight low
27°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
4.1 in
10.1 wet days
Daylight
9 hours
7:17 AM – 4:17 PM
Cloud cover
61%
8th clearest
Wind
7 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
1.68 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.2
out of 10

New Britain is city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States.

Density
2,087/km²
people per km²
Founded
1850

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 38°F by the end.

A typical December day in New Britain reaches about 41°F in the afternoon and slips back to 27°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°F and 54°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)
14631
24530
34530
44430
54429
64329
74329
84228
94228
104228
114227
124127
134127
144127
154027
164026
174026
184026
194026
204026
214026
224026
233926
243925
253925
263925
273925
283925
293824
303824
313824

How December really feels in New Britain

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.

New Britain weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan36° / 21°3.39.35.59.30.0
Feb39° / 23°3.08.6510.30.0
Mar47° / 30°4.110.5411.71.5
Apr59° / 40°3.610.9113.14.4
May69° / 50°3.311014.36.2
Jun78° / 59°3.811.50156.4
Jul84° / 65°3.510.6014.75.5
Aug82° / 63°3.910.1013.76.3
Sep74° / 56°3.88.5012.37.0
Oct62° / 45°4.19.20.210.95.5
Nov51° / 35°3.38.50.99.72.6
Dec41° / 27°4.110.14.490.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 53%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34852
44852
54753
64753
74753
84753
94753
104654
114555
124555
134555
144654
154654
164654
174654
184654
194753
204753
214753
224852
234852
244852
254951
264852
274852
284852
294852
304852
314852

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

New Britain gets around 4.1 in of rain and snow over 10.1 wet days in December, the wettest month. 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 33% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1319
23210
33211
43211
53312
63313
73313
83314
93315
103315
113315
123315
133315
143315
153215
163215
173214
183114
193114
203113
213113
223113
233113
243113
253113
263114
273214
283214
293215
303315
313316

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
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
111000
121000
131000
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 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 7:05 AM to 7:24 AM, and sunset from 4:17 PM to 4:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.27:054:17
29.27:064:17
39.27:074:16
49.17:084:16
59.17:094:16
69.17:104:16
79.17:114:16
89.17:114:16
99.17:124:16
109.17:134:16
119.07:144:16
129.07:154:16
139.07:154:16
149.07:164:17
159.07:174:17
169.07:174:17
179.07:184:17
189.07:194:18
199.07:194:18
209.07:204:18
219.07:204:19
229.07:214:19
239.07:214:20
249.07:224:20
259.07:224:21
269.07:224:21
279.07:234:22
289.07:234:23
299.07:234:23
309.07:244:24
319.07:244:25

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.68 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.68 kWh/m² to a high of 5.95 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.68 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.8Dim
41.8Dim
51.7Dim
61.7Dim
71.7Dim
81.7Dim
91.7Dim
101.7Dim
111.7Dim
121.7Dim
131.6Dim
141.6Dim
151.6Dim
161.6Dim
171.6Dim
181.6Dim
191.6Dim
201.6Dim
211.6Dim
221.7Dim
231.7Dim
241.7Dim
251.7Dim
261.7Dim
271.7Dim
281.7Dim
291.7Dim
301.7Dim
311.7Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for New Britain

In seasonPeak

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

New Britain sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit New Britain?

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

0.2
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 New Britain.

What to pack for New Britain in December

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

In December, New Britain sees daytime highs around 41°F and nights near 27°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 New Britain in December

The nearest coast averages about 46°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 37 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in February near 36°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 4 to Sep 28 — about 2.9 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan39Bracing
Feb36Bracing
Mar37Bracing
Apr44Bracing
May54Bracing
Jun64Cool
Jul71Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep71Refreshing
Oct64Cool
Nov55Bracing
Dec46Bracing

UV index in New Britain 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 New Britain 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
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun7Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug5High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in New Britain 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 New Britain is worst in July — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1615 µg/m³Nov 197 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb11Good
Mar12Good
Apr12Good
May13Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct9Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is New Britain?

New Britain sits at 41.7°N, 72.8°W, 167 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Newington, 3.7 mi away.

Topography around New Britain

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around New Britain has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 420 ft around an average of 187 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,073 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,585 ft.

The land around New Britain is covered by trees (51%) and artificial surfaces (31%) within 2 miles, trees (71%) within 10 miles, and trees (76%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
420 ft
10 miles
1,073 ft
50 miles
2,585 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Newington 3.7 mi · Plainville 4.3 mi · Farmington 5.0 mi · Southington 6.8 mi · West Hartford 7.5 mi · Wethersfield 7.5 mi · Hartford 8.7 mi · Meriden 8.7 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 New Britain (41.6612°, -72.7795°, elevation 167 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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. 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).