National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

December at Indianapolis is the coldest in 10 years and the snowiest in 37 years.

The month so far is among the coldest of record for December.  The average temperature through the 29th was 23.8 degrees.  Temperatures will remain above freezing the remainder of the year.  The average temperature for December will continue to rise and may exceed 25 degrees.  Despite the warm end to the year, December will remain the coldest since 2000.  The normal average temperature for December is 31.7 degrees.

The airport received another 1.6 inches of snowfall on the 24^th-25^th and 0.2 inches on the 26^th.  This brought December’s snowfall total at the airport to 16.6 inches.  Two inches of snow remained on the ground at 7 am Thursday.  All of the snow will be gone by Friday night.

December 2010 is the 3rd snowiest of record and the most snow for December since 1973.  Average monthly snowfall for December is 6.3 inches. 

Below are the tables with the coldest and snowiest Decembers of record.  

Indianapolis Area Extremes
Coldest Decembers of Record (Less than 26 degrees F.)
Days: 12/1 - 12/31
Length of period: 31 days
Years: 1871-2010

 

Rank  Value  Ending Date

  1    18.5   12/31/1963

  2    18.7   12/31/1989

  3    19.7   12/31/2000

  4    20.1   12/31/1983

  5    21.0   12/31/1876

  6    22.4   12/31/1985

  7    22.8   12/31/1917

  8    23.4   12/31/1909, 12/31/1950

 10    23.5   12/31/1872

 11    23.9   12/31/1945

 12    24.2   12/31/1903, 12/31/1958

 14    24.3   12/31/1880

 15    24.5   12/31/1976, 12/31/1960
   17    24.9   12/31/1886

 18    25.1   12/31/2010  Projected

 19    25.3   12/31/1944

 20    25.4   12/31/1962

 21    25.7   12/31/1914

 22    25.8   12/31/1878

 23    25.9   12/31/1935

Indianapolis Area Extremes
Highest December Total Snowfall (12 inches or more)
Days: 12/1 - 12/31
Length of period: 31 days
Years: 1884-2010 

Rank  Value  Ending Date
  1    27.5   12/31/1973
  2    21.5   12/31/1895

  3    16.6   12/31/2010  
  4    16.3   12/31/2000
  5    15.6   12/31/1981
  6    15.2   12/31/1977
  7    14.6   12/31/1996
  8    14.1   12/31/2005
  9    13.1   12/31/2004, 12/31/1915
 11    12.9   12/31/1969

 

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