50 coldest cities in America on Christmas

Eric Francis // Shutterstock The traditional portrait of a picture-perfect Christmas Day includes neighborhoods covered in soft snow, smoke wafting from homes’ chimneys, and families gathering together to celebrate one of the most highly anticipated holidays of the year. While many hope for a white Christmas, keeping track of weather patterns during December can be tricky in a large country like the United States, with significant weather variations among regions and coastlines. Stacker consulted data from 214 available U.S. cities in the National Centers for Environmental Information Climate at a Glance database to uncover which cities have endured some of the chilliest Christmases. The data is aggregated monthly. Stacker identified the 50 coldest cities by long-term average temperature from 1991-2020 in December. Additional temperature data in 2022 is also included. The data shows that while parts of states like Illinois and Nebraska certainly get cold, their December weather might seem like a walk in the park compared to other areas. Regardless, residents are wise to be prepared for severe cold if their hometown or holiday vacation destination appears in this article. Keep several layers of warm clothes handy, including a pair of thick gloves or mittens–and plenty of hot cocoa. Read on to see which cities in the U.S. have historically endured the coldest Decembers. #49. Omaha, Nebraska (tie) James BO Insogna // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 28.4 F – December 2022 temperature: 24.4 F (4 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 34 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 14.8 F #49. Concord, New Hampshire (tie) Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 28.4 F – December 2022 temperature: 30.6 F (2.3 F above long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 39.8 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 21.4 F #47. Scottsbluff, Nebraska (tie) Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 28.1 F – December 2022 temperature: 23.2 F (4.9 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 35.4 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 11 F #47. Burlington, Vermont (tie) vermontalm // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 28.1 F – December 2022 temperature: 31.7 F (3.6 F above long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 37.8 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 25.5 F #46. Rockford, Illinois Henryk Sadura // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 27.8 F – December 2022 temperature: 26.3 F (1.5 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 34.5 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 18.9 F #44. Billings, Montana (tie) jmw22679 // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 27.7 F – December 2022 temperature: 19.5 F (8.2 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 28.2 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 10.9 F #44. Des Moines, Iowa (tie) Henryk Sadura // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 27.7 F – December 2022 temperature: 24.5 F (3.2 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 32.8 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 16.2 F #43. North Platte, Nebraska Teresa Otto // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 27.4 F – December 2022 temperature: 24.8 F (2.6 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 38 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 11.6 F #42. Elko, Nevada E Fehrenbacher // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 27 F – December 2022 temperature: 26 F (0.9 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 34.5 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 16.6 F #41. Norfolk, Nebraska Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 26.5 F – December 2022 temperature: 22.3 F (4.2 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 31.3 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 13.2 F #40. Great Falls, Montana Victoria Ditkovsky // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 25.9 F – December 2022 temperature: 17.3 F (8.6 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 25.8 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 8.8 F #39. Rapid City, South Dakota Tammy Bashore // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 25.8 F – December 2022 temperature: 20.1 F (5.7 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 31.8 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 8.3 F #37. Ely, Nevada (tie) Sandra Foyt // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 25.6 F – December 2022 temperature: 25.6 F (0.1 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 37.4 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 11.6 F #37. Bangor, Maine (tie) Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 25.6 F – December 2022 temperature: 31 F (5.4 F above long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 38.6 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 23.4 F #36. Pocatallo, Idaho Michael Gordon // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 25.5 F – December 2022 temperature: 23.9 F (1.6 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 32 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 15.8 F #35. Missoula, Montana Justine Emm // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 25.4 F – December 2022 temperature: 22.6 F (2.8 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 30.1 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 15.2 F #34. Madison, Wisconsin Keith Schmidt // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 25.3 F – December 2022 temperature: 23.5 F (1.8 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 31.4 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 17 F #33. Waterloo, Iowa Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 25.2 F – December 2022 temperature: 22.1 F (3.1 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 30.6 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 13.6 F #31. Green Bay, Wisconsin (tie) Ezekiel1986 // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 25.1 F – December 2022 temperature: 24.6 F (0.5 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 31 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 18.1 F #31. Montpelier, Vermont (tie) Ann Hull // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 25.1 F – December 2022 temperature: 30.2 F (5.1 F above long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 37.4 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 23.1 F #30. La Crosse, Wisconsin Maarten Daams // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 24.9 F – December 2022 temperature: 21.6 F (3.3 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 28.9 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 14.3 F #29. Casper, Wyoming Doug Tunison // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 24.7 F – December 2022 temperature: 23.6 F (1.1 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 34.8 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 12.5 F #28. Dubuque, Iowa Gerald Marella // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 24.6 F – December 2022 temperature: 23.2 F (1.4 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 30.9 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 15.5 F #27. Sheridan, Wyoming Ems Images // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 24.5 F – December 2022 temperature: 18.4 F (6.2 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 28.3 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 7.6 F #26. Helena, Montana 6015714281 // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 24.3 F – December 2022 temperature: 18.4 F (5.9 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 27.8 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 9 F #25. Kalispell, Montana davidmarxphoto // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 24.1 F – December 2022 temperature: 17.5 F (6.7 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 24.4 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 10.5 F #23. Sioux City, Iowa (tie) Ricardo Reitmeyer // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 24 F – December 2022 temperature: 19.5 F (4.5 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 28.1 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 12.1 F #23. Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan (tie) Canva – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 24 F – December 2022 temperature: 26.4 F (2.4 F above long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 31.6 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 21.2 F #22. Pierre, South Dakota Tom Reichner // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 22.8 F – December 2022 temperature: 16.2 F (6.6 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 25.4 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 6.9 F #21. Sioux Falls, South Dakota Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 22.6 F – December 2022 temperature: 17.3 F (5.3 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 25.2 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 9.3 F #20. Wausau, Wisconsin Michael Tatman // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 22.3 F – December 2022 temperature: 20.6 F (1.7 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 27.2 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 14 F #19. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota Greg Lundgren // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 22 F – December 2022 temperature: 18.1 F (3.9 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 24.4 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 11.8 F #18. Lander, Wyoming Jeff Futter // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 21.6 F – December 2022 temperature: 20 F (1.6 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 31 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 6.7 F #17. Rochester, Minnesota Ventu Photo // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 21 F – December 2022 temperature: 17.3 F (3.7 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 24.2 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 10.4 F #16. Dickinson, North Dakota travelinlenz701 // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 20.4 F – December 2022 temperature: 9.7 F (10.7 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 18.4 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 1 F #15. Caribou, Maine Ann Stryzhekin // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 19.9 F – December 2022 temperature: 26.4 F (6.5 F above long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 33 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 19.8 F #14. Anchorage, Alaska BILD LLC // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 19.5 F – December 2022 temperature: 14.8 F (4.7 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 21 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 8.5 F #13. Glasgow, Montana jo Crebbin // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 19.1 F – December 2022 temperature: 7.6 F (11.5 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 16.1 F – Long-term average daily minimum: -1 F #11. Bismarck, North Dakota (tie) Phillip Schultz // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 18.8 F – December 2022 temperature: 8.7 F (10.2 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 16.9 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 0 F #11. Aberdeen, South Dakota (tie) Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 18.8 F – December 2022 temperature: 11.3 F (7.4 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 20.5 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 2.1 F #10. Minot, North Dakota Tom Reichner // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 18.4 F – December 2022 temperature: 8.1 F (10.3 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 16.3 F – Long-term average daily minimum: -0.1 F #9. Alamosa, Colorado marekuliasz // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 18.3 F – December 2022 temperature: 23.6 F (5.3 F above long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 42.3 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 4.8 F #8. Duluth, Minnesota Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 16.7 F – December 2022 temperature: 14.1 F (2.6 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 21 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 7.3 F #7. Fargo, North Dakota FiledIMAGE // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 15.9 F – December 2022 temperature: 10.5 F (5.5 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 18.8 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 3.1 F #6. Grand Forks, North Dakota Ryzhkov Oleksandr // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 12.4 F – December 2022 temperature: 8.7 F (3.8 F below long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 16.1 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 1.2 F #5. Mt. Washington, New Hampshire Canva – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 11.8 F – December 2022 temperature: 14.8 F (3 F above long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 20.4 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 9.2 F #4. Bethel, Alaska Jorge Moro // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 10 F – December 2022 temperature: 12.1 F (2.1 F above long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 17.3 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 6.9 F #3. Nome, Alaska Benjamin Nocerini/U.S. Coast Guard // Getty Images – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: 9.1 F – December 2022 temperature: 14.5 F (5.5 F above long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 22.1 F – Long-term average daily minimum: 7 F #2. Fairbanks, Alaska Chollada.p // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: -4.4 F – December 2022 temperature: -4.3 F (0.1 F above long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 4.1 F – Long-term average daily minimum: -12.7 F #1. Utqia vik, Alaska Gabriel Johnson // Shutterstock – Long-term average temperature, 1991-2020: -6.3 F – December 2022 temperature: 4.9 F (11.2 F above long-term average) – Long-term average daily maximum: 12 F – Long-term average daily minimum: -2.2 F