Trenton weather in December

In December, Trenton sees average daytime highs of 36°F and overnight lows near 26°F, with 2.4 in of precipitation across 9.1 wet days and about 9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 11th-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 13% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Trenton's 11th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Trenton's year-round climate.

Daytime high
36°
10th warmest
Overnight low
26°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.4 in
9.1 wet days
Daylight
8 h 54 min
8:01 AM – 4:57 PM
Cloud cover
77%
11th clearest
Wind
9 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
1.46 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Trenton is city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States.

Density
946/km²
people per km²
Founded
1855

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 Trenton reaches about 36°F in the afternoon and slips back to 26°F overnight — a 10°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°F and 49°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 11°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14130
24030
34030
44029
53929
63929
73828
83828
93828
103727
113727
123727
133726
143626
153626
163626
173625
183525
193525
203525
213525
223524
233524
243524
253424
263424
273424
283423
293423
303423
313423

How December really feels in Trenton

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
7 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Trenton weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan32° / 20°2.5105.99.30.0
Feb34° / 21°2.185.310.30.0
Mar44° / 29°2.69.93.611.60.8
Apr56° / 40°3.611.81.113.13.6
May68° / 51°3.712.6014.45.8
Jun78° / 61°3.610.90156.5
Jul82° / 65°3.211014.86.3
Aug80° / 64°3.29.9013.76.7
Sep73° / 56°2.78.8012.36.9
Oct60° / 45°2.79.10.110.84.9
Nov47° / 35°2.79.11.59.61.5
Dec36° / 26°2.49.14.290.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 78%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12476
22476
32476
42377
52377
62476
72377
82377
92377
102377
112278
122278
132278
142278
152278
162278
172278
182179
192278
202179
212278
222278
232179
242179
252179
262179
272179
282179
292179
302179
312080

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Trenton gets around 2.4 in of rain and snow over 9.1 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 30% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13211
23211
33212
43112
53112
63113
73013
83014
93014
103014
113014
123014
133015
143015
153014
163014
173014
183014
193014
203014
212914
222913
232913
242913
252913
262913
273013
283013
293013
303114
313114

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.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light 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
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze
3110light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:48 AM to 8:07 AM, and sunset from 4:57 PM to 5:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.27:484:57
29.17:494:57
39.17:504:57
49.17:514:56
59.17:524:56
69.17:534:56
79.07:544:56
89.07:554:56
99.07:554:56
109.07:564:56
119.07:574:56
129.07:584:56
139.07:594:56
149.07:594:57
158.98:004:57
168.98:014:57
178.98:014:57
188.98:024:58
198.98:034:58
208.98:034:58
218.98:044:59
228.98:044:59
238.98:055:00
248.98:055:00
258.98:055:01
268.98:065:01
278.98:065:02
288.98:065:03
298.98:075:03
309.08:075:04
319.08:075:05

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.46 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.46 kWh/m² to a high of 6.42 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.46 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.6Dim
21.5Dim
31.5Dim
41.5Dim
51.5Dim
61.5Dim
71.5Dim
81.5Dim
91.5Dim
101.5Dim
111.5Dim
121.5Dim
131.4Dim
141.4Dim
151.4Dim
161.4Dim
171.4Dim
181.4Dim
191.4Dim
201.4Dim
211.5Dim
221.5Dim
231.5Dim
241.5Dim
251.5Dim
261.5Dim
271.5Dim
281.5Dim
291.5Dim
301.5Dim
311.5Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Trenton?

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
9th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Trenton.

What to pack for Trenton in December

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

In December, Trenton sees daytime highs around 36°F and nights near 26°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Trenton 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 19 mi away) is warmest in August at about 75°F and coldest in February near 33°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 20 to Sep 21 — about 3.1 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan34Bracing
Feb33Bracing
Mar35Bracing
Apr44Bracing
May55Bracing
Jun67Cool
Jul75Refreshing
Aug75Warm
Sep70Refreshing
Oct58Bracing
Nov46Bracing
Dec38Bracing

UV index in Trenton 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 Trenton peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 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 highHighModerateLowJun 19UV 9Dec 19UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Trenton 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 Trenton is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Oct 239 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Trenton?

Trenton sits at 42.1°N, 83.2°W, 597 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Southgate, 5.0 mi away.

Topography around Trenton

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Trenton has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 354 ft around an average of 594 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 427 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 915 ft.

The land around Trenton is covered by trees (36%), artificial surfaces (29%) and grassland (22%) within 2 miles, trees (25%) within 10 miles, and water (29%), trees (26%) and cropland (25%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
354 ft
10 miles
427 ft
50 miles
915 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Southgate 5.0 mi · Wyandotte 5.6 mi · Lincoln Park 7.5 mi · Allen Park 8.1 mi · Taylor 8.7 mi · LaSalle 9.3 mi · Romulus 12 mi · Dearborn 12 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 Trenton (42.1395°, -83.1783°, elevation 597 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. 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).