If you’re planning a trip to the Rose City during the holidays, you’ve probably heard the rumors. People say it’s just one long, grey, miserable soak. Honestly? They aren't totally wrong, but they’re missing the point. The weather Portland Oregon December offers is a specific kind of mood. It’s moody. It’s damp. It’s basically the cinematic equivalent of a low-fidelity indie movie.
You won't see much of the sun. In fact, Portland only gets about 1.8 hours of "magnificent" sunshine per day in December. The rest of the time, the sky looks like a wet wool blanket. But there’s a reason locals don’t stay inside.
What the Numbers Actually Say
Let's get the "official" stuff out of the way so you know what you’re packing for. December is statistically the coldest month in Portland. We're talking average highs of 46°F (about 8°C) and lows that hover right around 35°F (2°C).
It’s chilly. But it’s not "Minneapolis in December" chilly. You aren't going to lose a toe to frostbite just walking to a coffee shop.
Precipitation is the bigger story. On average, it rains on 19 out of 31 days. That’s a lot of wet pavement. You’re looking at about 6.1 inches of rain over the course of the month. It's rarely a tropical downpour, though. Usually, it’s a persistent, fine mist that Portlanders call "liquid sunshine" when they’re being sarcastic.
The Snow Situation
Is there a White Christmas? Don’t bet your house on it.
Meteorological data from the National Weather Service shows the chance of sticking snow on December 25th is a measly 1%.
That said, when Portland does get snow, the city basically stops. We don’t have a massive fleet of salt trucks. We have hills. If even an inch of snow falls, people abandon their cars on the side of Highway 26 and just walk home. It’s chaotic and sorta beautiful in a "the world is ending" kind of way. The most famous recent example was the 2008 Arctic Blast that dumped nearly 20 inches in some spots, but that's a once-in-a-decade fluke.
Why the Rain is Actually Your Friend
If you’re coming from a place where winter means biting wind and frozen pipes, the weather Portland Oregon December brings might actually feel... cozy?
The humidity stays high—around 80% to 90%. This means the air doesn't feel bone-dry like it does in the Northeast. Your skin will thank you. Plus, all that rain makes the surrounding nature explode with color.
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Go to the Columbia River Gorge in December. Seriously.
While most of the country’s waterfalls are frozen solid, places like Multnomah Falls are at their absolute peak power. Rainy season is waterfall season. The rivers run high, the moss is neon green, and the crowds are half what they are in July.
How to Dress Without Looking Like a Tourist
If you carry a giant golf umbrella, everyone knows you’re from out of town.
Most locals just wear a high-quality hooded raincoat. Brands like Columbia (which is based here) or Patagonia are the unofficial uniform.
- Footwear: Wear waterproof boots. Leather Chelsea boots or treated sneakers work fine. Damp socks will ruin your day faster than a bad Voodoo Doughnut.
- Layers: This is the golden rule. Wear a flannel or a light fleece under your shell. Buildings here love to crank the heat, so you’ll want to be able to peel off layers the second you step into a brewery.
- The Headgear: A beanie (locally called a stocking cap or just a "hat") is essential. It keeps the mist off your hair and your ears warm during those 4:30 PM sunsets.
Short Days and Long Nights
Speaking of sunsets, the winter solstice on December 21st is no joke. The sun sets around 4:30 PM.
By 5:00 PM, it feels like midnight.
To fight the "Big Dark," Portland leans hard into light displays. You’ve got ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo, where they string up over a million bulbs. Then there’s Peacock Lane—a residential street where every house goes full "National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation."
If you’re driving across the Burnside Bridge, look at the White Stag sign. In December, the stag's nose glows red like Rudolph. It’s a little thing, but it helps when you haven't seen the sun in three days.
The Mount Hood Escape
If the grey gets to be too much, you’re only an hour away from a literal winter wonderland.
While it’s raining in the city, it’s usually dumping snow on Mt. Hood. December is the start of the real ski and snowboard season at Timberline Lodge and Mt. Hood Meadows.
Timberline is a National Historic Landmark, and even if you don't ski, sitting by the massive stone fireplace with a spiked hot chocolate is the ultimate December move. Just make sure your rental car has traction tires or you carry chains; the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) does not mess around on the mountain passes.
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Survival Tips for a Portland December
If you want to actually enjoy yourself instead of just enduring the damp, you need a strategy.
- Don't plan your whole trip around outdoor hikes. Have a "Plan B" that involves the indoors. Powell’s City of Books is an entire city block of multi-level browsing. You can lose four hours in there and forget it’s raining outside.
- Lean into the food scene. Portland is a city of "comfort food." December is the time for ramen in the Central Eastside or a hot bowl of Pho on Sandy Blvd.
- Check the "King Tides." If you're willing to drive 90 minutes to the coast (Cannon Beach or Seaside), December often brings massive tidal swells. It’s dramatic, dangerous, and incredibly cool to watch from the safety of a hotel window.
The weather Portland Oregon December provides isn't for everyone. If you want sunshine and 70 degrees, go to Phoenix. But if you want a city that knows how to do "winter cozy" better than almost anywhere else in the U.S., you’ll find it here. Just bring a jacket with a hood and leave the umbrella at home.
To make the most of your trip, download the TriMet app for public transit so you don't have to walk too far in the rain, and keep an eye on the "Portland Weather" Twitter (X) threads for any sudden "Silver Thaw" alerts—which is our local term for those nasty ice storms that occasionally glaze the city in late December.