New York

What's the weather like in New York in December?

New York’s location on the east coast of the United States gives the city continental weather, and the Big Apple’s in the grip of winter in December. Temperatures are chilly and you'll need a good selection of warm clothes for your trip. Thanks to the movies though, we've all seen how enchanting New York can be when snow falls.

Climatic influences

New York has four distinct seasons, and winter’s particularly cold. December’s also the windiest month of the year, so you should pack a hat and scarf to keep the chill at bay. The Appalachian Mountains and offshore winds stop things from getting even colder. New York’s tall buildings and skyscrapers also keep a bit of heat in, and will give you some shelter from the wind when you're walking the city’s streets.

Averages

The average high in New York’s a chilly 6ºC in December, which drops to -1ºC at night. There’s no such thing as bad weather though, just inappropriate clothing, so bring plenty of warm clothes with you and you'll be fine. You'll need a good reason to get in the sea though, which will be as cold as 8ºC. At least humidity’s no problem. There’s 85mm of rain over 12 days. You can expect nine hours of daylight each day with five hours of sunshine at a low UV level. Sunset’s around 4.30pm.