Utica weather in December

In December, Utica sees average daytime highs of 35°F and overnight lows near 22°F, with 4.0 in of precipitation across 14.6 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 38°F in the first days to 32°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 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Utica's 11th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Utica's year-round climate.

Daytime high
35°
10th warmest
Overnight low
22°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
4.0 in
14.6 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
7:32 AM – 4:22 PM
Cloud cover
80%
11th clearest
Wind
8 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
1.28 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Utica is city in Oneida County, New York, United States.

Density
1,387/km²
people per km²
Founded
1734

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 38°F in the first days to 32°F by the end.

A typical December day in Utica reaches about 35°F in the afternoon and slips back to 22°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°F and 48°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)
13927
23926
33826
43826
53825
63725
73724
83624
93624
103623
113523
123522
133522
143522
153422
163421
173421
183421
193421
203321
213321
223320
233320
243320
253320
263320
273320
283220
293219
303219
313219

How December really feels in Utica

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
21 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Utica 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
Jan30° / 15°3.41312.79.20.0
Feb32° / 16°3.111.810.910.20.0
Mar41° / 24°4.013.58.211.60.3
Apr55° / 37°4.413.92.813.13.0
May66° / 47°4.413.90.214.45.4
Jun74° / 56°5.113.7015.16.2
Jul78° / 61°4.713.3014.96.2
Aug76° / 59°4.312013.86.7
Sep70° / 52°4.110.8012.36.3
Oct57° / 41°4.613.10.510.83.8
Nov45° / 31°3.813.64.59.51.0
Dec35° / 22°4.014.610.68.90.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 9% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 7% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 84%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11783
21783
31882
41882
51882
61783
71783
81882
91882
101783
111783
121882
131783
141783
151684
161684
171585
181585
191486
201486
211486
221387
231387
241486
251387
261387
271486
281486
291486
301486
311486

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Utica gets around 4.0 in of rain and snow over 14.6 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 47% and peaks near 50% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
15027
25028
35029
44930
54930
64931
74932
84833
94834
104835
114735
124736
134736
144636
154636
164636
174636
184636
194535
204535
214535
224535
234635
244635
254635
264635
274735
284736
294736
304737
314837

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.

0246810151015202531
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 hours 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 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:19 AM to 7:38 AM, and sunset from 4:22 PM to 4:30 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.07:194:22
29.07:204:22
39.07:214:22
49.07:224:21
59.07:234:21
69.07:244:21
78.97:254:21
88.97:264:21
98.97:274:21
108.97:284:21
118.97:294:21
128.97:294:21
138.97:304:21
148.87:314:21
158.87:324:22
168.87:324:22
178.87:334:22
188.87:344:23
198.87:344:23
208.87:354:23
218.87:354:24
228.87:364:24
238.87:364:25
248.87:374:25
258.87:374:26
268.87:374:26
278.87:384:27
288.87:384:28
298.87:384:28
308.87:384:29
318.97:384:30

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.28 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.28 kWh/m² to a high of 5.91 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.28 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.4Dim
21.4Dim
31.3Dim
41.3Dim
51.3Dim
61.3Dim
71.3Dim
81.3Dim
91.3Dim
101.3Dim
111.3Dim
121.3Dim
131.3Dim
141.3Dim
151.3Dim
161.3Dim
171.3Dim
181.3Dim
191.3Dim
201.3Dim
211.3Dim
221.3Dim
231.3Dim
241.3Dim
251.3Dim
261.3Dim
271.3Dim
281.3Dim
291.3Dim
301.3Dim
311.3Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Utica?

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 Utica.

What to pack for Utica in December

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

In December, Utica sees daytime highs around 35°F and nights near 22°F. Pack a warm layer, a heavy coat and rain gear. About 15 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Utica 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 Utica peaks around July 13 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 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 13UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug5High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Utica?

Utica sits at 43.1°N, 75.2°W, 456 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Rome, 14 mi away.

Topography around Utica

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Utica has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 482 ft around an average of 486 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,355 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,337 ft.

The land around Utica is covered by trees (41%) and artificial surfaces (41%) within 2 miles, trees (60%) and grassland (23%) within 10 miles, and trees (78%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
482 ft
10 miles
1,355 ft
50 miles
3,337 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: Rome 14 mi · Gloversville 45 mi · Cicero 45 mi · Syracuse 47 mi · Clay 48 mi · Amsterdam 54 mi · Cortland 59 mi · Glenville 61 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 Utica (43.1009°, -75.2327°, elevation 456 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).