Birmingham, AL weather in December
Birmingham is cool in December, with frequent rain: highs average 57°F and nights drop to about 38°F. Rain falls on about 10 days. It is one of the coolest months in Birmingham.
- Normal high
- 57°F
- Normal low
- 38°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 4.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 60°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 36°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 32% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:33 am / 4:39 pm | 6:51 am / 4:49 pm |
| Daylight | 10.1 h | 10.0 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am42°Fdew point 36°F
- 9 am47°Fdew point 38°F
- Noon53°Fdew point 37°F
- 3 pm55°Fdew point 37°F
- 6 pm49°Fdew point 38°F
- 9 pm46°Fdew point 38°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Birmingham Airport (5 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 44% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 48%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F7 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below12 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 4.9 in; a dry December brings about 3.3 in and a wet one about 6.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.2 in.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 65°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 48°F
- Wettest December2018: 11.3 in
- Driest December2010: 1.4 in
- Highest reading79°F (December 10, 2007)
- Lowest reading12°F (December 20, 2000)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
December compared with November and January
| November | December | January | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 65°F | 57°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 38°F | 35°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 10 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 7 | 5 |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 10.0 h | 10.2 h |
Highs change by -8°F from November and -2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Montgomery, AL85 mi · high 62°F · 10 wet days
- Cooler: Murfreesboro, TN162 mi · high 51°F · 13 wet days
How Birmingham ranks in December
- Normal high146th warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 6 in Alabama
- Wet days234th driest of 378
- Comfortable days113th most of 340
What to pack for Birmingham in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 38°F, highs near 57°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Heating and cooling
December has 550 heating degree days and 4 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Birmingham in December?
The normal high is 57°F and the normal low is 38°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 12°F (December 20, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Birmingham in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.9 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2018 (11.3 in); the driest was in 2010 (1.4 in).
Does it snow in Birmingham in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 0.2 in.
Is December a good time to visit Birmingham?
December ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Birmingham (49 out of 100). It has about 7 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Birmingham Airport (USW00013876), 4.5 mi NE of the city center, 615 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Birmingham International Airport (722280-13876), 4.5 mi NE of the city center, 616 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.