Syracuse weather in December

In December, Syracuse sees average daytime highs of 36°F and overnight lows near 25°F, with 3.8 in of precipitation across 14.8 wet days and about 8.9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 40°F in the first days to 34°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 06 min at the start of December to 8 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Syracuse's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Syracuse's year-round climate.

Daytime high
36°
10th warmest
Overnight low
25°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.8 in
14.8 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
7:36 AM – 4:26 PM
Cloud cover
81%
11th clearest
Wind
8 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.24 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

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

Density
2,173/km²
people per km²
Founded
1848

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 40°F in the first days to 34°F by the end.

A typical December day in Syracuse reaches about 36°F in the afternoon and slips back to 25°F overnight — a 11°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°F and 49°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14130
24029
34029
43928
53928
63828
73827
83827
93727
103726
113726
123626
133626
143625
153625
163525
173525
183524
193524
203524
213524
223524
233424
243424
253423
263423
273423
283423
293323
303322
313322

How December really feels in Syracuse

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.

Syracuse weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 19°3.314.113.59.20.0
Feb33° / 19°2.91210.710.20.0
Mar41° / 26°3.713.37.711.60.4
Apr55° / 38°4.213.82.713.13.2
May67° / 49°3.913.30.114.45.6
Jun75° / 58°4.513.3015.16.3
Jul79° / 63°4.413.2014.86.2
Aug78° / 62°4.012.6013.86.5
Sep71° / 54°3.910.7012.36.4
Oct58° / 44°4.513.30.310.84.1
Nov46° / 34°3.713.94.69.51.2
Dec36° / 25°3.814.810.98.90.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 8% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 85%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11882
21882
31882
41882
51882
61981
71981
81783
91783
101783
111684
121684
131684
141684
151585
161585
171486
181486
191387
201288
211288
221288
231288
241387
251288
261288
271288
281288
291288
301387
311288

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Syracuse gets around 3.8 in of rain and snow over 14.8 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 48% and peaks near 51% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
15127
25128
35128
45029
55030
65031
74932
84933
94934
104835
114836
124836
134737
144737
154737
164737
174737
184737
194737
204637
214637
224637
234637
244637
254737
264737
274737
284838
294838
304839
314939

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 9 h 06 min at the start of December to 8 h 54 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 7:23 AM to 7:42 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)
19.17:234:26
29.07:244:26
39.07:254:25
49.07:264:25
59.07:274:25
69.07:284:25
78.97:294:25
88.97:294:25
98.97:304:25
108.97:314:25
118.97:324:25
128.97:334:25
138.97:344:25
148.97:344:25
158.87:354:26
168.87:364:26
178.87:364:26
188.87:374:26
198.87:384:27
208.87:384:27
218.87:394:28
228.87:394:28
238.87:404:28
248.87:404:29
258.87:404:30
268.87:414:30
278.87:414:31
288.87:414:31
298.87:424:32
308.97:424:33
318.97:424:34

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.24 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.24 kWh/m² to a high of 6 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.24 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
101.3Dim
111.3Dim
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
281.3Dim
291.3Dim
301.3Dim
311.3Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Syracuse?

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 Syracuse.

What to pack for Syracuse in December

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

In December, Syracuse sees daytime highs around 36°F and nights near 25°F. Pack a warm layer, a heavy coat and rain gear. About 15 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Syracuse 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 25 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in March near 37°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 14 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
May44Bracing
Jun57Bracing
Jul69Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Cool
Oct59Bracing
Nov50Bracing
Dec44Bracing

UV index in Syracuse 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 Syracuse peaks around July 12 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. 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
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Syracuse?

Syracuse sits at 43.0°N, 76.1°W, 397 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Cicero, 8.7 mi away.

Topography around Syracuse

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Syracuse has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 348 ft around an average of 466 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,283 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,909 ft.

The land around Syracuse is covered by artificial surfaces (53%) and trees (37%) within 2 miles, trees (61%) within 10 miles, and trees (60%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
348 ft
10 miles
1,283 ft
50 miles
1,909 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Cicero 8.7 mi · Clay 9.3 mi · Auburn 22 mi · Cortland 31 mi · Oswego 34 mi · Rome 37 mi · Ithaca 45 mi · Utica 47 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 Syracuse (43.0481°, -76.1474°, elevation 397 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).