Short Pump weather in December

In December, Short Pump sees average daytime highs of 51°F and overnight lows near 34°F, with 3.5 in of precipitation across 8.7 wet days and about 9.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 54°F in the first days to 49°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Short Pump's 3rd-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Short Pump's year-round climate.

Daytime high
51°
10th warmest
Overnight low
34°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.5 in
8.7 wet days
Daylight
9 h 24 min
7:24 AM – 4:49 PM
Cloud cover
55%
3rd clearest
Wind
7 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
2.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.5
out of 10

Short Pump is census designated place in Henrico County, Virginia, United States.

Density
1,053/km²
people per km²

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 54°F in the first days to 49°F by the end.

A typical December day in Short Pump reaches about 51°F in the afternoon and slips back to 34°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 38°F and 64°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°F cooler than November and about 4°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15437
25437
35437
45336
55336
65236
75236
85235
95135
105135
115135
125135
135034
145034
155034
165034
175034
185034
194934
204933
214933
224933
234933
244933
254933
264933
274933
284933
294933
304933
314833

How December really feels in Short Pump

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.

Short Pump weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan47° / 31°3.292.19.71.6
Feb50° / 32°2.98.22.110.52.4
Mar59° / 39°3.910.31.211.74.5
Apr69° / 49°3.39.7012.96.4
May76° / 58°3.310.70146.7
Jun85° / 66°3.811.5014.65.2
Jul89° / 71°4.112.7014.34.0
Aug86° / 69°4.210.8013.54.8
Sep80° / 62°4.39.5012.36.6
Oct70° / 51°3.67.50117.0
Nov59° / 40°3.27.60.1104.9
Dec51° / 34°3.58.71.29.42.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25347
35347
45347
55149
65149
75050
84951
95050
105050
115050
124852
134951
144951
154951
164852
174852
184951
194951
204951
215050
225050
235149
245050
255050
265149
275050
285149
295149
305149
315149

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Short Pump gets around 3.5 in of rain and snow over 8.7 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 28% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1283
2293
3294
4294
5294
6294
7294
8305
9305
10305
11295
12294
13294
14294
15294
16294
17283
18283
19283
20273
21273
22273
23273
24273
25263
26263
27263
28263
29263
30263
31263

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 96% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19361
29451
39451
49451
59451
69541
79541
89541
99541
109631
119631
129631
139631
149721
159721
169721
179721
189721
199721
209721
219721
229721
239721
249820
259820
269820
279820
289820
299820
309820
319820

Wind in December

Winds average 7 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 24 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 7:13 AM to 7:31 AM, and sunset from 4:48 PM to 4:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.67:134:48
29.67:134:48
39.67:144:48
49.57:154:47
59.57:164:47
69.57:174:47
79.57:184:47
89.57:194:47
99.57:194:48
109.57:204:48
119.47:214:48
129.47:224:48
139.47:224:48
149.47:234:48
159.47:244:49
169.47:244:49
179.47:254:49
189.47:254:50
199.47:264:50
209.47:274:50
219.47:274:51
229.47:284:51
239.47:284:52
249.47:284:52
259.47:294:53
269.47:294:53
279.47:304:54
289.47:304:55
299.47:304:55
309.47:304:56
319.47:314:57

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.1 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.1 kWh/m² to a high of 6.17 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.1 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.3Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.2Moderate
42.2Moderate
52.2Moderate
62.2Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.1Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.1Moderate
132.1Moderate
142.0Moderate
152.0Moderate
162.0Moderate
172.0Moderate
182.0Moderate
192.0Moderate
202.0Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.1Moderate
232.1Moderate
242.1Moderate
252.1Moderate
262.1Moderate
272.1Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.1Moderate
302.1Moderate
312.1Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Short Pump?

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

2.5
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Short Pump.

What to pack for Short Pump in December

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

In December, Short Pump sees daytime highs around 51°F and nights near 34°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Short Pump in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Short Pump peaks around June 21 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 21UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Short Pump in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Short Pump is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1416 µg/m³Nov 217 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Short Pump?

Short Pump sits at 37.7°N, 77.6°W, 292 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Tuckahoe, 5.0 mi away.

Topography around Short Pump

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Short Pump has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 200 ft around an average of 262 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 564 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,060 ft.

The land around Short Pump is covered by trees (64%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 2 miles, trees (73%) within 10 miles, and trees (79%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
200 ft
10 miles
564 ft
50 miles
2,060 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Tuckahoe 5.0 mi · Laurel 5.6 mi · Bon Air 9.3 mi · Midlothian 9.9 mi · Richmond 11 mi · Mechanicsville 14 mi · Meadowbrook 16 mi · Highland Springs 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 Short Pump (37.6504°, -77.6125°, elevation 292 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. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).