West Fargo weather in December

In December, West Fargo sees average daytime highs of 23°F and overnight lows near 9°F, with 0.9 in of precipitation across 5.5 wet days and about 8.4 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 28°F in the first days to 20°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 36 min at the start of December to 8 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is West Fargo's 11th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see West Fargo's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
10th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Precipitation
0.9 in
5.5 wet days
Daylight
8 h 18 min
8:13 AM – 4:34 PM
Cloud cover
68%
11th clearest
Wind
8 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
1.29 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

West Fargo is city in North Dakota, United States of America.

Density
882/km²
people per km²
Founded
1926

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 28°F in the first days to 20°F by the end.

A typical December day in West Fargo reaches about 23°F in the afternoon and slips back to 9°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 5°F and 39°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 14°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

-20°20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
12814
22814
32813
42713
52712
62612
72611
82611
92511
102510
112510
122410
13249
14249
15249
16239
17238
18238
19238
20228
21228
22227
23227
24217
25216
26216
27206
28205
29205
30194
31194

How December really feels in West Fargo

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.

West Fargo weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan18° / 0.74.74.98.80.0
Feb23° / 0.74.74.6100.0
Mar36° / 19°1.35.93.911.60.1
Apr53° / 33°2.07.52.213.33.1
May67° / 46°3.410.90.214.85.9
Jun76° / 57°4.311.8015.66.5
Jul80° / 61°3.710.1015.36.7
Aug79° / 58°3.18.60147.2
Sep70° / 49°2.87.9012.46.8
Oct54° / 36°2.37.4110.63.6
Nov37° / 22°1.15.23.69.20.2
Dec23° / 0.95.568.40.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 64%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23862
33763
43763
53763
63763
73763
83763
93763
103763
113763
123763
133664
143664
153664
163565
173565
183565
193466
203466
213466
223466
233466
243466
253565
263565
273565
283565
293763
303763
313763

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

West Fargo gets around 0.9 in of rain and snow over 5.5 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 17% and peaks near 20% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
11616
21616
31616
41616
51516
61516
71516
81517
91517
101617
111617
121617
131618
141618
151718
161718
171719
181719
191819
201819
211820
221920
231920
241921
252021
262021
271920
281920
291920
301919
311919

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 36 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 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:59 AM to 8:19 AM, and sunset from 4:36 PM to 4:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.67:594:36
28.68:004:35
38.68:014:35
48.58:034:35
58.58:044:34
68.58:054:34
78.58:064:34
88.58:074:34
98.48:084:34
108.48:094:34
118.48:094:34
128.48:104:34
138.48:114:34
148.48:124:34
158.48:134:34
168.38:134:34
178.38:144:34
188.38:154:35
198.38:154:35
208.38:164:35
218.38:164:36
228.38:174:36
238.38:174:37
248.38:184:37
258.38:184:38
268.38:184:38
278.38:194:39
288.38:194:40
298.48:194:41
308.48:194:41
318.48:194:42

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.29 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.29 kWh/m² to a high of 6.36 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.29 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.52151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.4Dim
21.4Dim
31.4Dim
41.4Dim
51.4Dim
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
301.4Dim
311.4Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for West Fargo

In seasonPeak

None of West Fargo's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

West Fargo's rainy season runs April–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit West Fargo?

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 West Fargo.

What to pack for West Fargo in December

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

In December, West Fargo sees daytime highs around 23°F and nights near 9°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in West Fargo 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 West Fargo peaks around June 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 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 18UV 8Jan 11UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May6High
Jun9Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug7High
Sep5Moderate
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in West Fargo 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 West Fargo is worst in August — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (October, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodAug 1215 µg/m³Oct 206 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr12Good
May11Good
Jun10Good
Jul14Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct6Good
Nov7Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is West Fargo?

West Fargo sits at 46.9°N, 96.9°W, 896 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Fargo, 5.0 mi away.

Topography around West Fargo

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around West Fargo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 75 ft around an average of 899 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 112 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 807 ft.

The land around West Fargo is covered by artificial surfaces (39%) and grassland (28%) within 2 miles, cropland (67%) within 10 miles, and cropland (80%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
75 ft
10 miles
112 ft
50 miles
807 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Fargo 5.0 mi · Moorhead 6.2 mi · Grand Forks 73 mi · Jamestown 85 mi · Aberdeen 124 mi · Watertown 137 mi · Willmar 150 mi · Sartell 155 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 West Fargo (46.875°, -96.9004°, elevation 896 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).