December is one of the cooler months of the year in Queens, with average highs near 3.4°C and lows around -2.9°C (mean 0.3°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 119 mm of rainfall and 86% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Queens. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Queens was 2015 — when the month averaged 3.5°C — while the coldest was 1989 at -6.4°C. Typical December days reach 3.4°C with nights near -2.9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Queens, averaging 119 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1993 with 212 mm, while the driest was 1988 at 33 mm.
Relative humidity in Queens during December averages 86%. The most humid December was 2015 at 91%, and the least humid was 1988 at 81%.
December receives about 1.1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Queens. The sunniest December was 1989 at 1.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1993, 1999 and 2013, among others at 0.9.
Average wind speed in Queens during December is 1.7 m/s. The windiest December was 1989 at 2 m/s, while the calmest were 2015, 2018 and 2024, among others at 1.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -1.1°C | 0.1°C | 0.2°C | 0.9°C | 1.3°C | +2.4°C |
| Avg High | 2.2°C | 3.4°C | 3.3°C | 3.9°C | 4.3°C | +2.1°C |
| Avg Low | -4.3°C | -3.0°C | -2.9°C | -2.2°C | -1.8°C | +2.5°C |
| Avg Rain | 85 mm | 113 mm | 136 mm | 137 mm | 123 mm | +38 mm |
December temperatures in Queens have risen by about 0.8°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -17°C (1993) to a record high of 15.3°C (2020).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 119 mm, with a wettest year of 212 mm.
A quieter season to visit Queens
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Queens. That said, December — with days averaging 3.4°C and nights around -2.9°C (mean 0.3°C) and higher rainfall (119 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.1°C | -1.3°C | -4.7°C | 12.6°C | -10.7°C | 123 mm | 84% | 1.9 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 3.0°C | 0.0°C | -3.0°C | 12.6°C | -11.3°C | 125 mm | 89% | 1.5 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2023 | 4.5°C | 1.9°C | -0.8°C | 13.6°C | -6.8°C | 111 mm | 89% | 1.6 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2022 | 4.9°C | 2.1°C | -0.7°C | 13.0°C | -6.0°C | 119 mm | 85% | 1.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2021 | 5.0°C | 1.6°C | -1.9°C | 14.1°C | -7.7°C | 116 mm | 82% | 1.7 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2020 | 6.2°C | 3.3°C | 0.4°C | 15.3°C | -7.5°C | 142 mm | 86% | 1.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2019 | 3.5°C | 0.5°C | -2.6°C | 12.2°C | -8.5°C | 123 mm | 85% | 1.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2018 | 1.7°C | -1.6°C | -4.9°C | 11.5°C | -10.3°C | 96 mm | 85% | 1.5 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2017 | 2.9°C | -0.1°C | -3.1°C | 12.6°C | -12.0°C | 109 mm | 85% | 1.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2016 | 2.9°C | -0.4°C | -3.8°C | 12.0°C | -14.9°C | 127 mm | 86% | 1.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2015 🔥 | 6.4°C | 3.5°C | 0.6°C | 12.2°C | -8.2°C | 159 mm | 91% | 1.5 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2014 | 5.3°C | 2.2°C | -1.0°C | 11.9°C | -8.8°C | 165 mm | 87% | 1.6 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2013 | 1.5°C | -1.4°C | -4.4°C | 10.4°C | -12.4°C | 155 mm | 89% | 1.5 m/s | 0.9 |
| 2012 | 5.1°C | 1.7°C | -1.7°C | 12.3°C | -8.6°C | 173 mm | 87% | 1.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2011 | 6.0°C | 2.6°C | -0.8°C | 15.0°C | -9.2°C | 109 mm | 85% | 1.6 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2010 | 4.0°C | 1.9°C | -0.3°C | 14.1°C | -6.8°C | 157 mm | 90% | 1.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2009 | 2.9°C | 0.0°C | -2.9°C | 14.1°C | -9.5°C | 111 mm | 86% | 1.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2008 | 5.1°C | 1.3°C | -2.5°C | 13.9°C | -9.6°C | 186 mm | 84% | 1.9 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2007 | 1.7°C | -1.8°C | -5.3°C | 8.6°C | -10.3°C | 147 mm | 86% | 1.8 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2006 | 4.9°C | 1.9°C | -1.0°C | 13.7°C | -7.8°C | 147 mm | 84% | 1.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2005 | 3.2°C | 0.5°C | -2.3°C | 11.1°C | -7.6°C | 132 mm | 89% | 1.6 m/s | 1 |
| 2004 | 3.0°C | -0.2°C | -3.5°C | 10.4°C | -13.3°C | 159 mm | 85% | 1.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2003 | 3.6°C | 0.7°C | -2.3°C | 11.0°C | -8.7°C | 158 mm | 83% | 1.9 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2002 | 2.3°C | -0.7°C | -3.8°C | 9.9°C | -11.0°C | 63 mm | 83% | 1.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2001 | 4.4°C | 1.9°C | -0.7°C | 13.1°C | -4.9°C | 57 mm | 88% | 1.6 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2000 | 1.7°C | -1.6°C | -4.9°C | 12.4°C | -11.6°C | 199 mm | 87% | 1.9 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1999 | 4.3°C | 1.3°C | -1.8°C | 12.2°C | -9.4°C | 82 mm | 84% | 1.7 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1998 | 3.9°C | 0.6°C | -2.7°C | 12.9°C | -11.3°C | 77 mm | 85% | 1.6 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1997 | 2.4°C | -0.8°C | -3.9°C | 7.3°C | -12.3°C | 95 mm | 88% | 1.8 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1996 | 4.8°C | 2.0°C | -0.7°C | 11.9°C | -14.3°C | 134 mm | 87% | 1.7 m/s | 1 |
| 1995 | 0.8°C | -2.1°C | -4.9°C | 8.2°C | -10.5°C | 96 mm | 88% | 1.8 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1994 | 2.8°C | -0.6°C | -3.9°C | 10.1°C | -11.5°C | 170 mm | 87% | 1.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1993 🌧️ | 3.8°C | 0.8°C | -2.3°C | 13.8°C | -17.0°C | 212 mm | 89% | 1.8 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1992 | 2.8°C | -0.3°C | -3.4°C | 9.7°C | -11.8°C | 106 mm | 86% | 1.9 m/s | 0.9 |
| 1991 | 2.7°C | -1.3°C | -5.2°C | 12.0°C | -12.1°C | 58 mm | 86% | 1.7 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1990 | 5.3°C | 1.8°C | -1.7°C | 11.3°C | -8.7°C | 104 mm | 84% | 1.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1989 ❄️ | -3.1°C | -6.4°C | -9.7°C | 6.5°C | -16.0°C | 33 mm | 84% | 2 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1988 | 1.5°C | -1.8°C | -5.1°C | 8.1°C | -13.3°C | 33 mm | 81% | 1.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1987 | 1.6°C | -1.2°C | -4.0°C | 11.4°C | -11.3°C | 76 mm | 87% | 1.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1986 | 3.0°C | -0.6°C | -4.3°C | 10.9°C | -13.1°C | 76 mm | 81% | 1.8 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1985 | 1.0°C | -2.3°C | -5.6°C | 11.1°C | -12.6°C | 69 mm | 85% | 1.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 1984 | 4.7°C | 1.1°C | -2.6°C | 10.2°C | -15.5°C | 125 mm | 84% | 1.7 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1983 | 2.5°C | -0.7°C | -3.9°C | 11.2°C | -14.1°C | 117 mm | 85% | 1.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 4.6°C | 1.0°C | -2.7°C | 12.7°C | -16.1°C | 91 mm | 88% | 1.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 3.9°C | 1.4°C | -1.1°C | 10.8°C | -7.1°C | 146 mm | 88% | 1.7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 3.4°C with lows near -2.9°C (mean 0.3°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 119 mm of rainfall in Queens, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 212 mm in 1993.
The hottest December reached 15.3°C in 2020. The coldest dipped to -17°C in 1993.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 0.8°C. Daytime highs moved from 3.3°C to 3.9°C and overnight lows from -3.2°C to -2.2°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Queens and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 3.4°C daytime highs and -2.9°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 3rd coolest month in Queens, averaging 0.3°C.
For December in Queens, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 3.4°C and lows of -2.9°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 86% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 1.7 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 2 m/s (1989).
The wettest December on record was 1993 with 212 mm. On average, December sees 119 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Queens behaves each December, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for December specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
