Winchester weather in December

In December, Winchester sees average daytime highs of 44°F and overnight lows near 29°F, with 3.2 in of precipitation across 8.8 wet days and about 9.3 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 47°F in the first days to 42°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Winchester's 7th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Winchester's year-round climate.

Daytime high
44°
10th warmest
Overnight low
29°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.2 in
8.8 wet days
Daylight
9 h 18 min
7:31 AM – 4:47 PM
Cloud cover
63%
7th clearest
Wind
6 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
1.89 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.8
out of 10

Winchester is independent city in Virginia, United States.

Density
1,138/km²
people per km²
Founded
1752

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 47°F in the first days to 42°F by the end.

A typical December day in Winchester reaches about 44°F in the afternoon and slips back to 29°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 32°F and 57°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 4°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14833
24833
34732
44732
54732
64631
74631
84531
94531
104530
114430
124430
134430
144430
154429
164329
174329
184329
194329
204329
214328
224328
234228
244228
254228
264228
274228
284228
294228
304228
314227

How December really feels in Winchester

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
wind chill below the day's low

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

Winchester weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan40° / 25°2.98.33.59.60.0
Feb44° / 27°2.68.33.610.50.6
Mar52° / 34°3.710.42.811.72.8
Apr64° / 44°3.6110.2135.5
May72° / 53°4.112.4014.16.3
Jun81° / 62°3.611.8014.75.9
Jul85° / 67°3.511.3014.55.0
Aug84° / 65°2.910.1013.55.6
Sep77° / 58°4.29.2012.36.9
Oct65° / 46°3.28.10.1116.2
Nov54° / 36°2.97.60.69.93.4
Dec44° / 29°3.28.82.69.30.8

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% 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 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14357
24357
34258
44258
54159
64159
74258
84060
94060
104060
114060
124060
134060
144060
154060
164060
174060
184060
194159
204258
214258
224258
234357
244357
254357
264357
274357
284357
294357
304357
314357

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Winchester gets around 3.2 in of rain and snow over 8.8 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 29% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1296
2306
3307
4307
5307
6308
7308
8309
9319
10319
113110
123110
133110
143110
153010
16309
17309
18309
19299
20289
21289
22278
23278
24268
25268
26258
27258
28258
29258
30268
31269

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19991
20991
21991
22991
23991
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in December

Winds average 6 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 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 7:37 AM, and sunset from 4:46 PM to 4:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.47:194:46
29.47:204:46
39.47:214:45
49.47:224:45
59.47:234:45
69.47:244:45
79.37:244:45
89.37:254:45
99.37:264:45
109.37:274:45
119.37:284:45
129.37:284:46
139.37:294:46
149.37:304:46
159.37:304:46
169.37:314:47
179.37:324:47
189.27:324:47
199.27:334:48
209.27:334:48
219.27:344:48
229.27:344:49
239.27:354:49
249.27:354:50
259.27:364:50
269.27:364:51
279.37:364:52
289.37:374:52
299.37:374:53
309.37:374:53
319.37:374:54

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.89 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.89 kWh/m² to a high of 6.13 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.89 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.0Moderate
22.0Dim
32.0Dim
41.9Dim
51.9Dim
61.9Dim
71.9Dim
81.9Dim
91.9Dim
101.9Dim
111.9Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
141.8Dim
151.8Dim
161.8Dim
171.8Dim
181.9Dim
191.9Dim
201.9Dim
211.9Dim
221.9Dim
231.9Dim
241.9Dim
251.9Dim
261.9Dim
271.9Dim
281.9Dim
291.9Dim
301.9Dim
311.9Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Winchester?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

0.8
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Winchester.

What to pack for Winchester in December

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

In December, Winchester sees daytime highs around 44°F and nights near 29°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Winchester in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Winchester peaks around June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 23UV 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Winchester 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 Winchester is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1317 µg/m³Nov 138 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb11Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Winchester?

Winchester sits at 39.2°N, 78.2°W, 709 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Front Royal, 19 mi away.

Topography around Winchester

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Winchester has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 358 ft around an average of 748 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,814 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,183 ft.

The land around Winchester is covered by trees (45%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 2 miles, trees (51%) and grassland (37%) within 10 miles, and trees (70%) and grassland (21%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
358 ft
10 miles
1,814 ft
50 miles
4,183 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
December weather nearby: Front Royal 19 mi · Martinsburg 22 mi · Leesburg 32 mi · Ashburn 37 mi · Hagerstown 39 mi · South Riding 40 mi · Ballenger Creek 41 mi · Sterling 41 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 Winchester (39.1857°, -78.1633°, elevation 709 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).