Months › December
December
Recorded events with December start dates, all years 1950 to 2026, 50 states and DC.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Hazard mix in December
| Hazard | December events | Share of that hazard's year |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | 59,317 | 20.6% |
| Wind | 26,106 | 3.7% |
| Flood | 7,123 | 3.9% |
| Cold | 6,895 | 12.8% |
| Drought | 6,851 | 8.0% |
| Fog | 4,089 | 22.2% |
| Tornado | 2,447 | 3.0% |
| Hail | 2,194 | 0.5% |
| Other | 2,010 | 4.4% |
| Heat | 597 | 1.1% |
| Wildfire | 192 | 2.0% |
| Lightning | 116 | 0.6% |
| Tropical | 91 | 0.8% |
States in December
| State | December events | Leading hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 5,932 | Winter |
| California | 5,654 | Wind |
| New York | 4,564 | Winter |
| Iowa | 4,011 | Winter |
| Minnesota | 3,953 | Winter |
| Colorado | 3,733 | Winter |
| Illinois | 3,702 | Winter |
| South Dakota | 3,594 | Winter |
| Kentucky | 3,396 | Winter |
| Pennsylvania | 3,323 | Winter |
| Missouri | 3,312 | Winter |
| Wisconsin | 3,245 | Winter |
| Virginia | 3,187 | Winter |
| Nebraska | 3,161 | Winter |
| Montana | 3,076 | Winter |
| Wyoming | 3,057 | Wind |
| Michigan | 2,883 | Winter |
| Kansas | 2,687 | Winter |
| Ohio | 2,507 | Winter |
| North Carolina | 2,429 | Winter |
| Tennessee | 2,426 | Winter |
| Georgia | 2,404 | Winter |
| New Jersey | 2,367 | Winter |
| Arkansas | 2,314 | Winter |
| Indiana | 2,303 | Winter |
| West Virginia | 2,249 | Winter |
| Oklahoma | 2,222 | Winter |
| North Dakota | 2,221 | Winter |
| Alabama | 2,050 | Wind |
| Mississippi | 2,031 | Wind |
| Oregon | 2,030 | Wind |
| Maine | 1,913 | Winter |
| Washington | 1,780 | Winter |
| New Mexico | 1,675 | Winter |
| Idaho | 1,611 | Winter |
| Maryland | 1,607 | Winter |
| Louisiana | 1,584 | Wind |
| Alaska | 1,519 | Winter |
| Florida | 1,441 | Wind |
| Vermont | 1,385 | Winter |
| Massachusetts | 1,325 | Winter |
| Utah | 1,201 | Winter |
| Nevada | 985 | Wind |
| South Carolina | 939 | Wind |
| New Hampshire | 777 | Winter |
| Hawaii | 642 | Other |
| Arizona | 569 | Winter |
| Connecticut | 457 | Winter |
| Delaware | 324 | Wind |
| Rhode Island | 229 | Wind |
| District of Columbia | 42 | Winter |
Questions and answers
What kind of severe weather is most common in December?
Winter, with 59,317 of the 118,028 events NCEI has recorded in Decembers since 1950; wind follows with 26,106.
Which states record the most events in December?
Texas (5,932), California (5,654), New York (4,564), Iowa (4,011), Minnesota (3,953). Larger states and states with denser reporting record more events.
What share of the year's events fall in December?
6.0% of all recorded events since 1950 occurred in December.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database through 30 Jun 2026, events by month of the recorded start date. Built 30 Sep 2026.