Saco weather in December

In December, Saco sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 26°F, with 4.2 in of precipitation across 10.2 wet days and about 8.8 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 42°F in the first days to 35°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 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Saco's 8th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Saco's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
10th warmest
Overnight low
26°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
4.2 in
10.2 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
7:15 AM – 4:01 PM
Cloud cover
59%
8th clearest
Wind
9 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
1.51 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Saco is city in York County, Maine, United States.

Density
140/km²
people per km²
Founded
1630

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 35°F by the end.

A typical December day in Saco reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 26°F overnight — a 12°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°F and 49°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 6°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14231
24231
34230
44130
54130
64029
74029
84029
93928
103928
113928
123827
133827
143827
153826
163826
173726
183726
193726
203725
213725
223625
233624
243624
253624
263624
273523
283523
293523
303522
313422

How December really feels in Saco

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
6 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

The story in December is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Saco weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 19°3.39.46.69.10.0
Feb34° / 19°3.18.86.210.20.0
Mar41° / 27°4.110.65.511.60.3
Apr53° / 38°3.810.11.613.22.9
May63° / 47°2.910.10.114.55.3
Jun73° / 57°3.410015.26.6
Jul78° / 64°2.99.2014.96.8
Aug77° / 62°2.98.4013.87.1
Sep70° / 55°3.28.2012.36.8
Oct59° / 45°4.39.70.210.84.6
Nov48° / 35°3.59.21.39.51.7
Dec38° / 26°4.210.25.48.80.0

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 (%)
14654
24852
34852
44753
54852
64852
74852
84753
94753
104753
114654
124654
134654
144654
154555
164555
174456
184456
194555
204555
214555
224654
234555
244654
254654
264753
274753
284852
294951
304951
315050

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Saco gets around 4.2 in of rain and snow over 10.2 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 33% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13112
23113
33114
43114
53115
63215
73216
83216
93217
103317
113317
123317
133317
143317
153417
163417
173417
183417
193417
203417
213317
223317
233318
243318
253318
263319
273319
283319
293220
303220
313220

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

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 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
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light 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 7:01 AM to 7:21 AM, and sunset from 4:02 PM to 4:09 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.07:014:02
29.07:024:01
39.07:034:01
48.97:044:01
58.97:054:01
68.97:064:01
78.97:074:01
88.97:084:00
98.97:094:00
108.87:104:00
118.87:114:01
128.87:124:01
138.87:124:01
148.87:134:01
158.87:144:01
168.87:154:01
178.87:154:02
188.87:164:02
198.87:164:02
208.87:174:03
218.87:174:03
228.87:184:04
238.87:184:04
248.87:194:05
258.87:194:05
268.87:204:06
278.87:204:06
288.87:204:07
298.87:204:08
308.87:214:08
318.87:214:09

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.51 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.51 kWh/m² to a high of 6.12 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.51 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.6Dim
21.6Dim
31.6Dim
41.6Dim
51.6Dim
61.5Dim
71.5Dim
81.5Dim
91.5Dim
101.5Dim
111.5Dim
121.5Dim
131.5Dim
141.5Dim
151.5Dim
161.5Dim
171.5Dim
181.5Dim
191.5Dim
201.5Dim
211.5Dim
221.5Dim
231.5Dim
241.5Dim
251.5Dim
261.5Dim
271.6Dim
281.6Dim
291.6Dim
301.6Dim
311.6Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Saco

In seasonPeak

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

Saco 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 Saco?

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 Saco.

What to pack for Saco in December

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

In December, Saco sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 26°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 Saco in December

The nearest coast averages about 45°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 64°F and coldest in March near 38°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan42Bracing
Feb39Bracing
Mar38Bracing
Apr42Bracing
May48Bracing
Jun56Bracing
Jul62Cool
Aug64Cool
Sep61Cool
Oct55Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec45Bracing

UV index in Saco 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 Saco peaks around July 12 at about 7 (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 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighModerateModerateLowJul 12UV 7Dec 23UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun7High
Jul7Very high
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Saco?

Saco sits at 43.5°N, 70.4°W, 66 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Biddeford, 0.6 mi away.

Topography around Saco

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Saco has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 223 ft around an average of 95 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 463 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,933 ft.

The land around Saco is covered by trees (65%) within 2 miles, trees (59%) and water (24%) within 10 miles, and trees (61%) and water (34%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
223 ft
10 miles
463 ft
50 miles
2,933 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Biddeford 0.6 mi · West Scarborough 5.6 mi · South Portland Gardens 11 mi · Westbrook 12 mi · South Portland 14 mi · Portland 14 mi · Sanford 17 mi · Rochester 30 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 Saco (43.5009°, -70.4428°, elevation 66 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).