Sault Ste. Marie weather in December

In December, Sault Ste. Marie sees average daytime highs of 28°F and overnight lows near 17°F, with 2.2 in of precipitation across 11 wet days and about 8.5 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 9th-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 9% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 42 min at the start of December to 8 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Sault Ste. Marie's 12th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sault Ste. Marie's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
10th warmest
Overnight low
17°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.2 in
11 wet days
Daylight
8 h 24 min
8:22 AM – 4:46 PM
Cloud cover
80%
12th clearest
Wind
8 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
1.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Sault Ste. Marie is city in Michigan, United States.

Density
265/km²
people per km²
Founded
1668

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 Sault Ste. Marie reaches about 28°F in the afternoon and slips back to 17°F overnight — a 12°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 15°F and 39°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 11°F cooler than November and about 7°F warmer than January.

20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13322
23222
33221
43121
53120
63120
73020
83019
93019
102918
112918
122918
132917
142817
152817
162817
172816
182816
192716
202716
212715
222715
232715
242614
252614
262614
272613
282513
292513
302512
312412

How December really feels in Sault Ste. Marie

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.

Sault Ste. Marie weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan21° / 1.810.112.18.80.0
Feb23° / 1.57.88.5100.0
Mar33° / 17°1.88.6711.60.0
Apr46° / 30°2.610.2413.31.2
May58° / 42°2.99.90.314.84.4
Jun69° / 53°3.310.2015.56.3
Jul73° / 58°3.911.3015.26.7
Aug72° / 58°3.811.10146.6
Sep65° / 51°4.111.8012.45.6
Oct52° / 40°4.013.60.410.72.5
Nov39° / 29°2.6116.39.20.2
Dec28° / 17°2.21110.98.50.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 83%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11585
21684
31684
41783
51783
61882
71882
81783
91783
101882
111882
121882
131882
141882
151882
161882
171882
181882
191882
201783
211783
221783
231783
241783
251783
261783
271783
281783
291783
301684
311684

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Sault Ste. Marie gets around 2.2 in of rain and snow over 11 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 35% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13732
23732
33632
43633
53633
63534
73534
83534
93534
103434
113434
123434
133434
143434
153434
163434
173434
183434
193434
203534
213534
223534
233535
243535
253536
263536
273537
283538
293539
303539
313540

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

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light 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 42 min at the start of December to 8 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 8:08 AM to 8:28 AM, and sunset from 4:47 PM to 4:53 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.78:084:47
28.68:094:46
38.68:104:46
48.68:114:46
58.68:124:46
68.58:134:45
78.58:144:45
88.58:154:45
98.58:164:45
108.58:174:45
118.58:184:45
128.48:194:45
138.48:194:45
148.48:204:45
158.48:214:45
168.48:224:46
178.48:224:46
188.48:234:46
198.48:234:46
208.48:244:47
218.48:254:47
228.48:254:48
238.48:264:48
248.48:264:49
258.48:264:49
268.48:274:50
278.48:274:50
288.48:274:51
298.48:274:52
308.48:284:53
318.48:284:53

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.1 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.1 kWh/m² to a high of 6.48 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.1 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.1Dim
21.1Dim
31.1Dim
41.1Dim
51.1Dim
61.1Dim
71.1Dim
81.1Dim
91.1Dim
101.1Dim
111.1Dim
121.1Dim
131.1Dim
141.1Dim
151.1Dim
161.1Dim
171.1Dim
181.1Dim
191.1Dim
201.1Dim
211.1Dim
221.1Dim
231.1Dim
241.1Dim
251.1Dim
261.1Dim
271.1Dim
281.1Dim
291.1Dim
301.1Dim
311.2Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Sault Ste. Marie?

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 Sault Ste. Marie.

What to pack for Sault Ste. Marie in December

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

In December, Sault Ste. Marie sees daytime highs around 28°F and nights near 17°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Sault Ste. Marie in December

The nearest coast averages about 38°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 66°F and coldest in February near 33°F.

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

30°40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan35Bracing
Feb33Bracing
Mar33Bracing
Apr35Bracing
May41Bracing
Jun51Bracing
Jul63Cool
Aug66Cool
Sep61Cool
Oct53Bracing
Nov44Bracing
Dec38Bracing

UV index in Sault Ste. Marie 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 Sault Ste. Marie peaks around June 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 18UV 8Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7High
Jun8Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug7High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Sault Ste. Marie?

Sault Ste. Marie sits at 46.5°N, 84.3°W, 0 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Sault Ste. Marie, 1.9 mi away.

Topography around Sault Ste. Marie

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Sault Ste. Marie has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 197 ft around an average of 627 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 807 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,611 ft.

The land around Sault Ste. Marie is covered by trees (31%), artificial surfaces (25%) and water (25%) within 2 miles, trees (60%) within 10 miles, and trees (64%) and water (31%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
197 ft
10 miles
807 ft
50 miles
1,611 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Sault Ste. Marie 1.9 mi · Mackinac Island 47 mi · Traverse City 135 mi · Marquette 145 mi · Valley East 159 mi · Greater Sudbury 160 mi · Timmins 196 mi · Midland 199 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 Sault Ste. Marie (46.4953°, -84.3453°, elevation 0 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).