Weather in Philadelphia in December

December in Philadelphia is a coat month. Treat it as cities, food and short walks, not as a terrace holiday.

In United States, this is how Philadelphia actually wears December, not how a country centroid would. Compared with July and January, December sits in the middle of Philadelphia's year.

Pack for Philadelphia in December, not for a brochure that was photographed in another season.

Philadelphia
Average temp
4°C

0–8°C

Rainfall
101 mm

Showers likely

Sunshine
4.8 h

hours per day

Wind
16 km/h

What to expect

Daytime

You want a proper coat in Philadelphia in December, not a festival jacket. Wind makes the same afternoon feel sharper than the map suggests.

Outdoor time is the middle of the day. Finish plans before the light goes. Evenings are for indoors.

Rain

Mixed skies in Philadelphia in December. Dry days and wet days share the month. Outdoor plans need a backup, not a cancellation policy.

Pack a shell you will actually carry. The monthly table is the place for totals. This is the feel: usable, interrupted.

Evening

Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.

What to pack

  • Rain jacket

  • A layer for cooler evenings

Where to stay in Philadelphia

Dates are a starting point for December.

All hotels in Philadelphia

Travel guides for Philadelphia

What to read before you book.

All travel guides in Philadelphia

Average weather in Philadelphia

TemperatureRainfall

Source: MeteostatPeriod: 1991-2020Checked: 28 Aug 2026265 places covered

Similar weather in December

Other destinations whose December averages sit close to this one.

Check another month

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FAQs about Philadelphia

Climate averages for Philadelphia, 1991–2020.

The best time to visit Philadelphia is between May and October, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.

July is the hottest month, with an average around 26°C.

September is the wettest month, with about 112 mm of rain.

No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.