Williston weather in December

In December, Williston sees average daytime highs of 24°F and overnight lows near 9°F, with 0.6 in of precipitation across 4.7 wet days and about 8.2 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-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 24% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 24 min at the start of December to 8 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Williston's 9th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Williston's year-round climate.

Daytime high
24°
11th warmest
Overnight low
3rd coldest
Precipitation
0.6 in
4.7 wet days
Daylight
8 h 12 min
8:46 AM – 4:56 PM
Cloud cover
66%
9th clearest
Wind
9 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
1.29 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Williston is city in and seat of Williams County, North Dakota, United States of America.

Density
1,377/km²
people per km²
Founded
1887

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 Williston reaches about 24°F in the afternoon and slips back to 9°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 4°F and 40°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 12°F cooler than November and about 4°F warmer than January.

-20°20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
12913
22813
32812
42812
52711
62711
72711
82611
92610
102610
112610
122510
13259
14259
15259
16249
17248
18248
19248
20238
21237
22227
23227
24226
25226
26216
27215
28205
29205
30204
31204

How December really feels in Williston

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.

Williston weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan20° / 0.64.24.58.60.0
Feb25° / 0.53.73.89.90.0
Mar37° / 19°0.95.3411.60.2
Apr53° / 31°1.57.12.813.43.1
May65° / 42°2.69.30.714.95.8
Jun73° / 53°3.110.7015.86.7
Jul80° / 58°2.38.2015.47.1
Aug80° / 55°1.77.7014.17.3
Sep70° / 46°1.75.8012.47.2
Oct54° / 33°1.35.91.510.63.6
Nov37° / 20°0.84.93.890.1
Dec24° / 0.64.74.98.20.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 61%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23862
33862
43961
53961
63961
73961
83961
93961
103961
114060
124060
134060
144060
154060
164060
173961
183961
193961
203862
213862
223862
233862
243862
253763
263763
273763
283763
293862
303862
313763

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Williston gets around 0.6 in of rain and snow over 4.7 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 15% and peaks near 17% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
11716
21716
31616
41616
51616
61616
71515
81515
91515
101515
111414
121414
131414
141414
151414
161414
171414
181414
191414
201415
211415
221516
231516
241517
251617
261617
271618
281618
291618
301617
311617

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 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light 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
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 24 min at the start of December to 8 h 12 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 8:31 AM to 8:52 AM, and sunset from 4:57 PM to 5:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.48:314:57
28.48:324:57
38.48:334:57
48.48:354:56
58.38:364:56
68.38:374:56
78.38:384:55
88.38:394:55
98.38:404:55
108.28:414:55
118.28:424:55
128.28:434:55
138.28:434:55
148.28:444:55
158.28:454:55
168.28:464:56
178.28:464:56
188.28:474:56
198.18:484:56
208.18:484:57
218.18:494:57
228.18:494:58
238.18:504:58
248.18:504:59
258.18:504:59
268.28:515:00
278.28:515:01
288.28:515:01
298.28:515:02
308.28:525:03
318.28:525:04

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 6.84 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
41.3Dim
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
301.4Dim
311.4Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Williston?

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 Williston.

What to pack for Williston in December

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

In December, Williston sees daytime highs around 24°F and nights near 9°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 5 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Williston 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 Williston peaks around June 21 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 20 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 21UV 8Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May6High
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Williston 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 Williston is worst in August — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.0× the cleanest month (October, 5 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodAug 1216 µg/m³Oct 226 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar12Good
Apr11Good
May11Good
Jun9Good
Jul14Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct5Good
Nov6Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Williston?

Williston sits at 48.1°N, 103.6°W, 1,877 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Dickinson, 96 mi away.

Topography around Williston

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Williston has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 243 ft around an average of 1,867 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 650 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 912 ft.

The land around Williston is covered by grassland (42%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 2 miles, grassland (61%) and cropland (25%) within 10 miles, and grassland (56%) and cropland (38%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
243 ft
10 miles
650 ft
50 miles
912 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Dickinson 96 mi · Minot 107 mi · Mandan 157 mi · Bismarck 162 mi · Arcola East 163 mi · Dewdney East 165 mi · Regina 165 mi · Moose Jaw 178 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 Williston (48.147°, -103.618°, elevation 1,877 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).