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Coldest sea in United States in December

4,477 coastal locations in United States ranked by typical December sea temperature, coldest first. Region-wide average in December: 12.4°C.

Coldest in December

Barrow

-1.7°C December mean in United States

Regional December average

12.4°C

across all 4,477 coastal locations in United States

Vs annual mean

-3.8°C

below the year-round regional average

What the United States sea feels like in December

Water at this temperature is cold and will feel very cold initially, but the body will get used to it and longer swims are possible. Experienced swimmers can manage several hours of swimming, however hypothermia is still a real risk.

United States monthly average 10.0°C to 22.6°C
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  • Warmest month August 22.6°C
  • Coldest month February 10.0°C
  • Annual mean 16.2°C
  • Months above 20°C 3 of 12

Where December fits in the year

December sits inside the regional pattern shown on the left. Pick a different month to see how the ranking shifts.

All twelve United States month rankings:

United States sea temperature map (live)

The map shows today's latest reading at every United States location. The list below is based on the typical December mean.

Zoom in to see individual locations. Click a pin for water temperatures. View list →
°C -2 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 24 27 30 35

Top 50 coldest United States locations in December

Sorted by typical December mean from a decade of daily readings, coldest first. Click any place for the full location page.

# Location December mean
1 Barrow Alaska -1.7°C
2 Point Barrow, Alaska Alaska -1.7°C
3 Point Barrow Alaska -1.7°C
4 Barrow (offshore) Alaska -1.6°C
5 Cape Krusenstern, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.6°C
6 Cape Espenberg, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.6°C
7 Prudhoe Bay #2 Alaska -1.6°C
8 Flaxman Island Alaska -1.6°C
9 Goodhope Bay, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.6°C
10 Kotzebue, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.5°C
11 Red Dog Dock Alaska -1.5°C
12 Kivalina Alaska -1.5°C
13 Prudhoe Bay Alaska -1.5°C
14 Kotzebue Alaska -1.5°C
15 Deering, Kotzebue Sound Alaska -1.5°C
16 Cross Island (Dinkum Sands) Alaska -1.4°C
17 Fort Peck Lake Montana -1.4°C
18 Kiwalik, Kotzebue Sound, Alaska Alaska -1.4°C
19 Barter Island Alaska -1.4°C
20 Shishmaref Inlet 2 Alaska -1.4°C
21 Point Hope Alaska -1.4°C
22 Lake Sakakawea North Dakota -1.3°C
23 Nome, Norton Sound Alaska -1.3°C
24 Popokamute (Kokokamute), Kuskokwim River Alaska -1.3°C
25 Carolyn Island, Golovnin Bay, Alaska Alaska -1.3°C
Show 25 more ▸
26 Carolyn Island, Golovnin Bay, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska -1.3°C
27 Black, Black River, Bering Sea, Alaska Alaska -1.3°C
28 St. Michael, Norton Sound Alaska -1.3°C
29 Apokak Creek entrance, Alaska Alaska -1.3°C
30 Eek Channel, off Quinhagak, Alaska Alaska -1.3°C
31 Helmick Point (SE of), Kuskokwim River Alaska -1.3°C
32 Kuskokwak Creek entrance, Alaska Alaska -1.3°C
33 Nome Alaska -1.3°C
34 Popokamute, Alaska Alaska -1.3°C
35 Apoon Mouth, Yukon River, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska -1.3°C
36 Shaktoolik Alaska -1.3°C
37 Teller, Port Clarance, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska -1.3°C
38 Teller, Port Clarence Alaska -1.3°C
39 Kokechik Bay, Bering Sea, Alaska Alaska -1.3°C
40 North Bay, Stuart Island, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska -1.2°C
41 Nunam Iqua (Sheldon Point) Alaska -1.2°C
42 Tooksook Bay, Nelson Island Alaska -1.2°C
43 Cape Romanzof, Bering Sea, Alaska Alaska -1.2°C
44 Tin City, Bering Sea Alaska -1.2°C
45 Dall Point, Hooper Bay Alaska -1.2°C
46 Point Spencer, Port Clarence, Norton Sound Alaska -1.2°C
47 Lost River, Seward Peninsula Alaska -1.2°C
48 Pikmiktalik River entrance, Norton Sound, Alaska Alaska -1.2°C
49 Unalakleet Alaska -1.1°C
50 Mekoryuk, Mekoryuk River Entrance Alaska -1.1°C

Warmest 10 in United States in December

Same data the other way. The warmest spots for the same month.

# Location December mean
1 Palmyra Island Northern Line Islands 28.4°C
2 Howland Island Minor Outlying Islands 28.1°C
3 Wake Island, Pacific Ocean Minor Outlying Islands 27.5°C
4 Long Island New York 27.1°C
5 Johnston Atoll, Pacific Ocean Minor Outlying Islands 27.0°C
6 Johnston Atoll Minor Outlying Islands 27.0°C
7 Boynton Beach Florida 26.6°C
8 Briny Breezes Florida 26.6°C
9 Hypoluxo Florida 26.6°C
10 Lake Worth Florida 26.6°C

More on this region