New York weather in December

There's a real gradient across New York in December: 44° afternoons in New York City, 29° in Lake Placid, with snow in the mix at the cold end.

Based on 3 weather stations. Three stations, three different New Yorks — the city, the lake-effect west, and the Adirondack high ground, which can sit a season apart in the same week.

New York City

Highs near 44°, nights around 34°, and 4.9 in of snow in a typical December.

Place	Highs / lows	Wet days	Snow	The short version
New York City	44° / 34°	2	4.9 in	Cold and often wet — the coat matters more than the snow.

Western New York

Highs near 37°, nights around 24°, and 2.4 in of rain in a typical December.

Place	Highs / lows	Wet days	The short version
Niagara Falls	37° / 24°	16	Something falls nearly every day; the falls glow anyway.

The Adirondacks

Highs near 29°, nights around 14°, and 22.7 in of snow in a typical December.

Place	Highs / lows	Wet days	Snow	The short version
Lake Placid	29° / 14°	12	22.7 in	The snowiest month, and the sun barely bothers.

Each place above has its own page for the full story — what the month feels like, what to pack, and whether the timing is right.

Where to go in December, across the whole country ›