Northfield weather in December

In December, Northfield sees average daytime highs of 28°F and overnight lows near 15°F, with 1.5 in of precipitation across 6.8 wet days and about 8.7 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 32°F in the first days to 25°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 54 min at the start of December to 8 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Northfield's 12th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Northfield's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
10th warmest
Overnight low
15°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
1.5 in
6.8 wet days
Daylight
8 h 42 min
7:49 AM – 4:29 PM
Cloud cover
69%
12th clearest
Wind
8 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
1.45 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Northfield is city in Minnesota, United States.

Density
913/km²
people per km²
Founded
1855

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 32°F in the first days to 25°F by the end.

A typical December day in Northfield reaches about 28°F in the afternoon and slips back to 15°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 12°F and 41°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 13°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13320
23319
33219
43218
53118
63117
73017
83017
92916
102916
112916
122915
132815
142815
152815
162814
172714
182714
192714
202714
212713
222613
232613
242613
252613
262612
272512
282512
292511
302511
312411

How December really feels in Northfield

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.

Northfield 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
Jan23° / 1.16.26.290.0
Feb28° / 12°1.15.3510.10.0
Mar40° / 24°2.28.14.311.60.5
Apr55° / 37°3.311.32.313.23.4
May67° / 49°4.612.80.214.65.8
Jun77° / 60°4.712.6015.36.3
Jul81° / 64°3.710.10156.6
Aug78° / 61°4.09.6013.96.9
Sep71° / 53°3.39.2012.36.8
Oct57° / 40°2.58.80.510.74.2
Nov41° / 27°1.96.93.79.40.5
Dec28° / 15°1.56.86.28.70.0

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 11% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 66%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13664
23565
33565
43664
53664
63664
73664
83664
93565
103466
113466
123466
133367
143367
153367
163268
173367
183367
193367
203268
213268
223367
233268
243268
253268
263268
273268
283367
293367
303466
313466

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Northfield gets around 1.5 in of rain and snow over 6.8 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 21% and peaks near 23% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12318
22318
32319
42319
52319
62219
72219
82219
92219
102219
112219
122219
132219
142219
152119
162119
172119
182119
192119
202120
212120
222120
232120
242120
252020
262020
272020
282020
291919
301919
311919

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 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light 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 54 min at the start of December to 8 h 42 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 7:35 AM to 7:55 AM, and sunset from 4:29 PM to 4:37 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.97:354:29
28.97:374:29
38.97:384:29
48.87:394:29
58.87:404:28
68.87:414:28
78.87:424:28
88.87:424:28
98.77:434:28
108.77:444:28
118.77:454:28
128.77:464:28
138.77:474:28
148.77:474:28
158.77:484:29
168.77:494:29
178.77:504:29
188.77:504:29
198.67:514:30
208.67:514:30
218.67:524:30
228.67:524:31
238.67:534:31
248.67:534:32
258.67:544:32
268.77:544:33
278.77:544:34
288.77:554:34
298.77:554:35
308.77:554:36
318.77:554:37

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.45 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.45 kWh/m² to a high of 6.33 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.45 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.6Dim
21.6Dim
31.6Dim
41.5Dim
51.5Dim
61.5Dim
71.5Dim
81.5Dim
91.5Dim
101.5Dim
111.5Dim
121.5Dim
131.5Dim
141.5Dim
151.5Dim
161.4Dim
171.4Dim
181.4Dim
191.4Dim
201.4Dim
211.4Dim
221.4Dim
231.4Dim
241.4Dim
251.5Dim
261.5Dim
271.5Dim
281.5Dim
291.5Dim
301.5Dim
311.5Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Northfield

In seasonPeak

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

Northfield's rainy season runs March–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 Northfield?

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 Northfield.

What to pack for Northfield in December

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

In December, Northfield sees daytime highs around 28°F and nights near 15°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 7 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Northfield 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 Northfield peaks around June 15 at about 9 (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 15UV 9Jan 11UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul7High
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Northfield?

Northfield sits at 44.5°N, 93.2°W, 912 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Faribault, 12 mi away.

Topography around Northfield

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Northfield has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 226 ft around an average of 968 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 423 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 791 ft.

The land around Northfield is covered by trees (39%), cropland (25%) and grassland (22%) within 2 miles, cropland (63%) and trees (21%) within 10 miles, and cropland (56%) and trees (26%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
226 ft
10 miles
423 ft
50 miles
791 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Faribault 12 mi · Farmington 12 mi · Lakeville 14 mi · Apple Valley 19 mi · Rosemount 19 mi · Prior Lake 22 mi · Burnsville 22 mi · Savage 24 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 Northfield (44.4583°, -93.1616°, elevation 912 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).