Newport weather in December

In December, Newport sees average daytime highs of 44°F and overnight lows near 35°F, with 5.2 in of precipitation across 11.5 wet days and about 9.1 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 47°F in the first days to 41°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% 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 Newport's 8th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Newport's year-round climate.

Daytime high
44°
9th warmest
Overnight low
35°
4th coldest
Precipitation
5.2 in
11.5 wet days
Daylight
9 hours
7:11 AM – 4:12 PM
Cloud cover
60%
8th clearest
Wind
14 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.64 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.6
out of 10

Newport is city in and county seat of Newport County, Rhode Island, United States.

Air quality
Good
PM2.5 7.9 µg/m³ · 2018
Density
821/km²
people per km²
Founded
1639

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 47°F in the first days to 41°F by the end.

A typical December day in Newport reaches about 44°F in the afternoon and slips back to 35°F overnight — a 9°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 34°F and 53°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°30°40°50°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14739
24738
34738
44638
54637
64637
74637
84537
94536
104536
114436
124435
134435
144435
154435
164334
174334
184334
194334
204334
214233
224233
234233
244233
254233
264232
274132
284132
294132
304131
314131

How December really feels in Newport

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.

Newport weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 9th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan38° / 28°4.410.64.59.30.0
Feb38° / 29°3.89.63.910.30.0
Mar42° / 34°5.110.93.611.70.3
Apr49° / 42°4.611.40.613.12.0
May57° / 51°3.910.9014.34.0
Jun66° / 60°3.79.3014.96.1
Jul73° / 67°3.08.9014.77.0
Aug73° / 68°3.68.8013.77.1
Sep68° / 62°4.18.8012.36.6
Oct60° / 53°5.1100.110.95.0
Nov51° / 43°4.59.70.49.72.7
Dec44° / 35°5.211.52.99.10.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24951
34852
44852
54852
64852
74753
84654
94654
104555
114555
124555
134456
144456
154357
164357
174357
184357
194456
204555
214555
224555
234753
244654
254654
264753
274753
284753
294852
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Newport gets around 5.2 in of rain and snow over 11.5 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 36% and peaks near 38% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1355
2356
3366
4367
5367
6378
7378
8388
9389
10389
11389
12389
133810
143810
15379
16379
17379
18379
19369
20369
21369
22359
233510
243510
253510
263510
273510
283510
293611
303611
313611

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
31000
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 14 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 14 mph on the calmest days to 14 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
114breezy
214breezy
314breezy
414breezy
514breezy
614breezy
714breezy
814breezy
914breezy
1014breezy
1114breezy
1214breezy
1314breezy
1414breezy
1514breezy
1614breezy
1714breezy
1814breezy
1914breezy
2014breezy
2114breezy
2214breezy
2314breezy
2414breezy
2514breezy
2614breezy
2714breezy
2814breezy
2914breezy
3014breezy
3114breezy

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 6:58 AM to 7:17 AM, and sunset from 4:12 PM to 4:19 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.26:584:12
29.26:594:11
39.27:004:11
49.27:014:11
59.17:024:11
69.17:034:11
79.17:044:11
89.17:054:11
99.17:064:11
109.17:074:11
119.17:074:11
129.07:084:11
139.07:094:11
149.07:104:11
159.07:104:12
169.07:114:12
179.07:124:12
189.07:124:12
199.07:134:13
209.07:134:13
219.07:144:14
229.07:144:14
239.07:154:15
249.07:154:15
259.07:164:16
269.07:164:16
279.07:164:17
289.07:174:17
299.07:174:18
309.07:174:19
319.07:174:19

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 6.12 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
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.8Dim
41.7Dim
51.7Dim
61.7Dim
71.7Dim
81.7Dim
91.7Dim
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
261.6Dim
271.7Dim
281.7Dim
291.7Dim
301.7Dim
311.7Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Newport

In seasonPeak

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

Newport 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 Newport?

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

0.6
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Newport.

What to pack for Newport in December

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

In December, Newport sees daytime highs around 44°F and nights near 35°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat, rain gear and a windbreaker. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Newport in December

The nearest coast averages about 49°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 9 mi away) is warmest in August at about 69°F and coldest in February near 39°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 26 to Aug 30 — about 1.2 months when the water holds above 68°F.

40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarm
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan43Bracing
Feb39Bracing
Mar40Bracing
Apr44Bracing
May51Bracing
Jun60Cool
Jul67Cool
Aug69Refreshing
Sep67Cool
Oct61Cool
Nov55Bracing
Dec49Bracing

UV index in Newport 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 Newport peaks around June 23 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 highHighModerateLowJun 23UV 8Dec 23UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug5High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Newport?

Newport sits at 41.5°N, 71.3°W, 30 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Middletown, 3.7 mi away.

Topography around Newport

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Newport has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 177 ft around an average of 33 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 315 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,181 ft.

The land around Newport is covered by water (43%) and trees (23%) within 2 miles, water (63%) and trees (24%) within 10 miles, and trees (47%) and water (46%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
177 ft
10 miles
315 ft
50 miles
1,181 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Middletown 3.7 mi · Narragansett 7.5 mi · Portsmouth 8.7 mi · North Kingstown 8.7 mi · South Kingstown 11 mi · Bristol 13 mi · Warwick 16 mi · Fall River 17 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 Newport (41.4901°, -71.3128°, elevation 30 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).