Mobile, AL weather in December
Mobile is cool in December, with frequent rain: highs average 64°F and nights drop to about 45°F. Rain falls on about 11 days. It is one of the coolest months in Mobile.
- Normal high
- 64°F
- Normal low
- 45°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 5.2 in total
- Muggy days
- 2
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 67°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 47°F | 43°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:31 am / 4:50 pm | 6:49 am / 5:00 pm |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 10.2 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 am47°Fdew point 43°F
- 9 am53°Fdew point 45°F
- Noon60°Fdew point 45°F
- 3 pm61°Fdew point 45°F
- 6 pm54°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 pm51°Fdew point 46°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Mobile (12 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 44% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 44%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F9 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more2 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below4 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 5.2 in; a dry December brings about 3.2 in and a wet one about 5.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.1 in.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 69°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 57°F
- Wettest December2009: 13.5 in
- Driest December1994: 2.0 in
- Highest reading81°F (December 8, 1998)
- Lowest reading19°F (December 20, 1996)
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 | 72°F | 64°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 45°F | 43°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 9 | 9 |
| Daylight | 10.6 h | 10.2 h | 10.4 h |
Highs change by -8°F from November and -2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Tuscaloosa, AL176 mi · high 58°F · 11 wet days
How Mobile ranks in December
- Normal high82nd warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 6 in Alabama
- Wet days244th driest of 378
- Comfortable days78th most of 340
What to pack for Mobile in December
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Frost in December
The first fall frost typically comes around Dec 6; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Nov 15. All frost dates for Mobile.
Heating and cooling
December has 338 heating degree days and 15 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 8% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Mobile in December?
The normal high is 64°F and the normal low is 45°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 19°F (December 20, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Mobile in December?
About 11 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.2 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (13.5 in); the driest was in 1994 (2.1 in).
Does it snow in Mobile in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 0.1 in.
Is December a good time to visit Mobile?
December ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Mobile (55 out of 100). It has about 9 comfortable days. The best months are March, April and November.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and frost dates: Mobile Downtown Airport (USW00013838), 4.9 mi SSW of the city center, 26 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain: Fairhope 2 Ne (USC00012813), 14 mi SE of the city center, 23 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Mobile (USW00013894), 12 mi W of the city center, 208 ft (199 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Mobile Downtown Airport (722235-13838), 5.6 mi SSW of the city center, 16 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.