December 2024 Forecast: A Slow Start to Winter Weather

December 2024 Weather Predictions

December temperatures will be near to above normal across most of the U.S. with the exception of the eastern Carolinas through Florida, and Alaska. December precipitation will be above normal in the Great Lakes, Tennessee Valley, Texas–Oklahoma, and the northern Pacific Northwest; elsewhere, precipitation will be near to below normal.

Across Canada, December temperatures will be warmer than normal in Southern Ontario, the eastern Prairies, southern British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories, and near to below normal elsewhere. December precipitation will be near to below normal from western Atlantic Canada into southeastern Quebec, southeastern British Columbia, and across the Yukon; elsewhere, it will be above normal.

→ See YOUR region’s forecast with weekly weather condition summaries.

December Holiday Weather

Bill of Rights Day, December 15, commemorates the ratification of the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution, which guarantee our civil rights and liberties. On this day, you’ll want to protect yourself from wet weather in most of New England through the Appalachians and the Southeast; across the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and the Deep South; through the Heartland and southern Plains; and across much of the Rockies to the West Coast. Expect clear and dry conditions along the mid-Atlantic Coast, across the northern Plains, and in northern Alaska.

The winter solstice , December 21, marks the longest night and shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Temperatures will be warmer than normal across much of the United States east of the Rockies and near to below normal elsewhere. Cloudy skies and rainy periods will not offer much sunshine from the southern Appalachians and the Southeast through Florida; across the Tennessee Valley, eastern Heartland, and Texas–Oklahoma; and over Hawaii. Expect snow across the southern Plains and much of Alaska. Elsewhere, it will be dry with bright skies. Across Canada, clear skies and mild temperatures will be the rule in southern Quebec, southern Ontario, and the Prairies, while Atlantic Canada and southern British Columbia will see rain and/or snow with near to above normal temps. Rain and/or snow with colder conditions is forecasted for the Yukon. 

December 25 is both Christmas and the start of Chanukah. Expect below-average temps from the mid-Atlantic states across the Southeast and Florida, from the Ohio Valley through the Heartland and the southern Plains, and throughout the Desert Southwest. It will turn very cold across Alaska. In other areas, temperatures will be milder than average. Showers can impact travel and festivities over the southern Appalachians and Southeast, the Tennessee Valley and Texas–Oklahoma, and much of the Rockies through the Pacific Northwest and northern California. Snow showers can lead to a white Christmas from the Heartland into the southern High Plains, while a snowstorm can slow travel across Alaska. Elsewhere, it will be sunny and dry for holiday travel. Across Canada, it will be cold from Atlantic Canada into southern Quebec and very cold across the Yukon; in other regions, it will be milder than normal. Expect rain and/or snow showers over eastern Atlantic Canada and southern British Columbia, and watch for heavier snow with a good chance of a white Christmas across the western Prairies and the Yukon. Elsewhere, it will be clear and dry.

→ Read our White Christmas Forecast… Will it snow on Christmas?

For those attending New Year’s Eve celebrations followed by New Year’s Day festivities: Expect periods of snow in New York City and then flurries and a cold wind. In Atlanta, a few showers in the evening will transform into cool and rainy conditions. Look for a clear and chilly evening in Miami, and later, sunshine and a warmup. It will be mild with showers in Nashville, while New Orleans will be mild with a dry evening followed by showers on New Year’s Day. In Chicago, periods of snow in the evening will be followed by rain and warmer temperatures. In Las Vegas and Los Angeles, it will be warm and dry in the evening, but periods of rain will occur on New Year’s Day. Across Seattle, it will be cold with rain and snow.

Weather and Climate Patterns

Important factors in the upcoming winter include a neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to a weak La Niña. The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) will be in a positive or warm phase, and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) will be in a neutral to negative phase. Oscillations are linked to ocean-atmosphere patterns that influence the weather over periods of weeks to years. 

We are also monitoring solar activity, as there is a relationship between solar energy and the stratospheric winds near the equator (known as the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation, or QBO). Under certain combinations, the polar vortex can be displaced from the North Pole, which can open the door for cold shots across the central and eastern United States and southern Canada this upcoming winter.

→ See our full 2024-2025 Winter Forecast Summary!

Don’t forget to order your copy of The 2025 Old Farmer’s Almanac—a perfect stocking stuffer!