December is one of the cooler months of the year in Schenectady, with average highs near 1°C and lows around -7°C (mean -3°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 90 mm of rainfall and 89% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Schenectady. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Schenectady was 2015 — when the month averaged 3.6°C — while the coldest was 1989 at -10.6°C. Typical December days reach 1°C with nights near -7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
December is about average for rainfall in Schenectady, averaging 90 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2023 with 168 mm, while the driest was 1989 at 38 mm.
Relative humidity in Schenectady during December averages 89%. The most humid December was 1981 at 95%, and the least humid was 1988 at 82%.
December receives about 1.3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Schenectady. The sunniest Decembers were 1989, 2001 and 2011 at 1.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2007, 2008 and 2014 at 1.1.
Average wind speed in Schenectady during December is 0.3 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 2008 and 2025 at 0.4 m/s, while the calmest was 1982 at 0.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -4.4°C | -2.5°C | -3.4°C | -2.4°C | -1.9°C | +2.5°C |
| Avg High | -0.4°C | 1.6°C | 0.5°C | 1.5°C | 2.0°C | +2.4°C |
| Avg Low | -8.5°C | -6.5°C | -7.3°C | -6.3°C | -5.9°C | +2.6°C |
| Avg Rain | 72 mm | 82 mm | 103 mm | 94 mm | 106 mm | +34 mm |
December temperatures in Schenectady have risen by about 1.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -29.3°C (2017) to a record high of 20.7°C (2015).
Rainfall in December is about average for rainfall, averaging 90 mm, with a wettest year of 168 mm.
A quieter season to visit Schenectady
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of July and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Schenectady. That said, December — with days averaging 1°C and nights around -7°C (mean -3°C) and higher rainfall (90 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 | -1.1°C | -5.5°C | -9.8°C | 11.4°C | -18.2°C | 87 mm | 87% | 0.4 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 1.0°C | -2.7°C | -6.5°C | 11.0°C | -16.4°C | 99 mm | 90% | 0.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2023 🌧️ | 4.0°C | 0.1°C | -3.7°C | 15.7°C | -11.7°C | 168 mm | 94% | 0.3 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2022 | 2.6°C | -1.7°C | -6.0°C | 13.3°C | -15.2°C | 110 mm | 88% | 0.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2021 | 3.5°C | -0.2°C | -3.9°C | 13.1°C | -11.5°C | 83 mm | 88% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2020 | 2.2°C | -1.7°C | -5.7°C | 15.1°C | -19.3°C | 86 mm | 87% | 0.3 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2019 | 0.4°C | -3.4°C | -7.2°C | 6.8°C | -20.1°C | 121 mm | 92% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2018 | 1.3°C | -2.7°C | -6.7°C | 10.7°C | -11.0°C | 95 mm | 90% | 0.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2017 | -1.5°C | -5.3°C | -9.0°C | 10.9°C | -29.3°C | 63 mm | 88% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2016 | 1.2°C | -2.6°C | -6.4°C | 8.3°C | -19.3°C | 72 mm | 85% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2015 🔥 | 7.5°C | 3.6°C | -0.2°C | 20.7°C | -4.9°C | 106 mm | 89% | 0.3 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2014 | 0.4°C | -3.4°C | -7.1°C | 8.1°C | -16.6°C | 112 mm | 92% | 0.3 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2013 | -0.1°C | -3.9°C | -7.8°C | 13.5°C | -22.5°C | 79 mm | 89% | 0.3 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2012 | 2.8°C | -1.2°C | -5.2°C | 13.4°C | -16.9°C | 120 mm | 90% | 0.3 m/s | 1.2 |
| 2011 | 3.6°C | -0.6°C | -4.8°C | 12.5°C | -13.3°C | 89 mm | 90% | 0.3 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2010 | -1.1°C | -4.8°C | -8.6°C | 14.1°C | -13.4°C | 81 mm | 87% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2009 | -0.7°C | -4.4°C | -8.2°C | 14.5°C | -17.6°C | 97 mm | 90% | 0.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2008 | -0.6°C | -4.8°C | -9.1°C | 10.2°C | -21.1°C | 160 mm | 93% | 0.4 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2007 | -0.5°C | -4.4°C | -8.4°C | 8.3°C | -17.7°C | 115 mm | 92% | 0.3 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2006 | 4.4°C | 0.7°C | -3.0°C | 17.6°C | -10.9°C | 78 mm | 89% | 0.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2005 | -0.9°C | -4.6°C | -8.2°C | 5.9°C | -16.8°C | 78 mm | 91% | 0.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2004 | 0.8°C | -3.3°C | -7.5°C | 12.0°C | -21.0°C | 106 mm | 87% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2003 | 0.6°C | -3.2°C | -7.0°C | 8.5°C | -18.3°C | 137 mm | 91% | 0.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2002 | -0.6°C | -4.4°C | -8.1°C | 5.7°C | -15.0°C | 98 mm | 91% | 0.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2001 | 4.5°C | 0.4°C | -3.6°C | 17.5°C | -9.7°C | 57 mm | 86% | 0.3 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2000 | -1.6°C | -5.8°C | -10.0°C | 14.4°C | -17.0°C | 98 mm | 84% | 0.3 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1999 | 2.3°C | -1.6°C | -5.5°C | 11.4°C | -14.3°C | 41 mm | 83% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1998 | 4.9°C | 0.2°C | -4.5°C | 16.3°C | -16.0°C | 40 mm | 84% | 0.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1997 | 1.3°C | -2.8°C | -6.9°C | 6.1°C | -23.8°C | 60 mm | 90% | 0.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1996 | 2.1°C | -1.2°C | -4.4°C | 11.5°C | -19.6°C | 149 mm | 92% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1995 | -3.0°C | -7.0°C | -11.0°C | 4.2°C | -19.1°C | 65 mm | 93% | 0.3 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1994 | 2.9°C | -1.7°C | -6.2°C | 13.3°C | -17.1°C | 83 mm | 88% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1993 | 0.4°C | -3.7°C | -7.7°C | 7.0°C | -23.2°C | 89 mm | 88% | 0.3 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1992 | 1.0°C | -2.9°C | -6.8°C | 7.2°C | -15.6°C | 82 mm | 88% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1991 | 1.4°C | -2.9°C | -7.2°C | 11.7°C | -15.5°C | 81 mm | 88% | 0.3 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1990 | 2.7°C | -1.2°C | -5.0°C | 12.4°C | -10.4°C | 127 mm | 87% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1989 ❄️ | -6.1°C | -10.6°C | -15.2°C | 1.4°C | -25.0°C | 38 mm | 86% | 0.3 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1988 | 0.3°C | -3.9°C | -8.1°C | 8.5°C | -18.4°C | 39 mm | 82% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1987 | 1.3°C | -2.3°C | -5.8°C | 7.4°C | -17.5°C | 47 mm | 90% | 0.3 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1986 | 0.7°C | -3.5°C | -7.6°C | 5.2°C | -15.6°C | 97 mm | 91% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1985 | -2.0°C | -6.3°C | -10.6°C | 4.0°C | -19.6°C | 52 mm | 93% | 0.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1984 | 2.9°C | -1.1°C | -5.2°C | 16.7°C | -15.4°C | 85 mm | 90% | 0.3 m/s | 1.2 |
| 1983 | -2.5°C | -6.3°C | -10.1°C | 4.9°C | -25.6°C | 150 mm | 89% | 0.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 3.6°C | -0.7°C | -5.0°C | 16.0°C | -15.3°C | 51 mm | 83% | 0.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | -1.4°C | -5.2°C | -9.1°C | 7.2°C | -18.8°C | 86 mm | 95% | 0.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 1°C with lows near -7°C (mean -3°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 90 mm of rainfall in Schenectady, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 168 mm in 2023.
The hottest December reached 20.7°C in 2015. The coldest dipped to -29.3°C in 2017.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 1.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 0.1°C to 2°C and overnight lows from -8°C to -6°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Schenectady and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 1°C daytime highs and -7°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 3rd coolest month in Schenectady, averaging -3°C.
For December in Schenectady, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 1°C and lows of -7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 89% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 0.3 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 0.4 m/s (2008).
The wettest December on record was 2023 with 168 mm. On average, December sees 90 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 Schenectady 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.
