Oswego weather in December

In December, Oswego sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 30°F, with 4.8 in of precipitation across 18.9 wet days and about 8.8 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 42°F in the first days to 36°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Oswego's 11th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Oswego's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
9th warmest
Overnight low
30°
4th coldest
Precipitation
4.8 in
18.9 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
7:39 AM – 4:26 PM
Cloud cover
84%
11th clearest
Wind
12 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
1.22 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Oswego is city in and county seat of Oswego County, New York, United States.

Density
612/km²
people per km²
Founded
1796

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 42°F in the first days to 36°F by the end.

A typical December day in Oswego reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 30°F overnight — a 8°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°F and 48°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 9°F cooler than November and about 6°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14234
24234
34233
44133
54133
64032
74032
84032
93931
103931
113931
123931
133830
143830
153830
163830
173829
183729
193729
203729
213729
223729
233728
243628
253628
263628
273628
283627
293627
303527
313527

How December really feels in Oswego

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.

Oswego weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 9th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 22°4.117.715.69.10.0
Feb32° / 21°3.112.41010.20.0
Mar38° / 27°3.512.46.511.60.0
Apr48° / 38°4.412.82.113.21.6
May58° / 47°3.611.4014.54.2
Jun68° / 58°4.212015.26.1
Jul75° / 66°4.412.1014.96.8
Aug75° / 66°4.312.7013.86.8
Sep69° / 59°4.411.5012.36.2
Oct58° / 49°5.415.4010.83.8
Nov47° / 38°4.616.23.99.51.3
Dec38° / 30°4.818.911.88.80.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 6% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 87%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11684
21585
31486
41486
51486
61585
71585
81585
91585
101585
111585
121387
131387
141387
151387
161486
171387
181288
191288
201288
211288
221288
231288
241189
251090
26991
27991
28991
29991
30991
31892

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Oswego gets around 4.8 in of rain and snow over 18.9 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 62% and peaks near 65% on the wettest days, and about 12 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
16228
26329
36330
46331
56333
66234
76235
86236
96136
106137
116138
126038
136038
146038
156038
166038
176038
186038
196038
206039
216039
226040
236140
246141
256242
266243
276344
286444
296545
306546
316547

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 12 mph in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 12 mph on the calmest days to 12 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1812light breeze
1912light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812light breeze
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 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 7:25 AM to 7:45 AM, and sunset from 4:26 PM to 4:34 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.07:254:26
29.07:274:26
39.07:284:26
48.97:294:25
58.97:304:25
68.97:304:25
78.97:314:25
88.97:324:25
98.97:334:25
108.87:344:25
118.87:354:25
128.87:364:25
138.87:364:25
148.87:374:25
158.87:384:26
168.87:394:26
178.87:394:26
188.87:404:26
198.87:404:27
208.87:414:27
218.87:424:28
228.87:424:28
238.87:424:28
248.87:434:29
258.87:434:30
268.87:444:30
278.87:444:31
288.87:444:31
298.87:444:32
308.87:454:33
318.87:454:34

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.22 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.22 kWh/m² to a high of 6.36 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.22 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.3Dim
21.3Dim
31.3Dim
41.3Dim
51.3Dim
61.3Dim
71.3Dim
81.3Dim
91.3Dim
101.2Dim
111.2Dim
121.2Dim
131.2Dim
141.2Dim
151.2Dim
161.2Dim
171.2Dim
181.2Dim
191.2Dim
201.2Dim
211.2Dim
221.2Dim
231.2Dim
241.2Dim
251.2Dim
261.2Dim
271.2Dim
281.2Dim
291.2Dim
301.2Dim
311.3Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Oswego?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Oswego.

What to pack for Oswego in December

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

In December, Oswego sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 30°F. Pack a warm layer and rain gear. Worth having: a heavy coat. About 19 days see rain.

a warm layerrain geara heavy coat

Sea temperature near Oswego in December

The nearest coast averages about 44°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 8 mi away) is warmest in August at about 72°F and coldest in March near 37°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 15 to Sep 13 — about 2 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan40Bracing
Feb37Bracing
Mar37Bracing
Apr38Bracing
May43Bracing
Jun57Bracing
Jul69Refreshing
Aug72Refreshing
Sep68Cool
Oct58Bracing
Nov50Bracing
Dec44Bracing

UV index in Oswego 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 Oswego peaks around July 12 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near January 1 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 12UV 8Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Oswego?

Oswego sits at 43.5°N, 76.5°W, 285 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Clay, 25 mi away.

Topography around Oswego

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Oswego has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 240 ft around an average of 305 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 354 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,801 ft.

The land around Oswego is covered by trees (39%) and water (30%) within 2 miles, water (47%) and trees (42%) within 10 miles, and trees (41%) and water (39%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
240 ft
10 miles
354 ft
50 miles
1,801 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Clay 25 mi · Cicero 27 mi · Syracuse 34 mi · Auburn 36 mi · Watertown 47 mi · Prince Edward 53 mi · Kingston 53 mi · Rome 55 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 Oswego (43.4554°, -76.5105°, elevation 285 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. 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).