Tuscaloosa, AL weather in December
Tuscaloosa is cool in December, with frequent rain: highs average 58°F and nights drop to about 38°F. Expect about 11 wet days. It is one of the coolest months in Tuscaloosa.
- Normal high
- 58°F
- Normal low
- 38°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 61°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 37°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:35 am / 4:42 pm | 6:53 am / 4:52 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 37°F
- 9 am47°Fdew point 40°F
- Noon54°Fdew point 39°F
- 3 pm57°Fdew point 39°F
- 6 pm51°Fdew point 40°F
- 9 pm46°Fdew point 39°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Tuscaloosa Muni Airport (3 mi away); average wind 6 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°F8 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below13 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in December
Normal precipitation is 4.8 in; a dry December brings about 3.5 in and a wet one about 5.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 66°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 50°F
- Wettest December2012: 9.7 in
- Driest December2003: 2.1 in
- Highest reading80°F (December 25, 2016)
- Lowest reading15°F (December 31, 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 | 66°F | 58°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 38°F | 36°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 8 | 7 |
| Daylight | 10.5 h | 10.0 h | 10.2 h |
Highs change by -8°F from November and -2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Mobile, AL176 mi · high 64°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Murfreesboro, TN194 mi · high 51°F · 13 wet days
How Tuscaloosa ranks in December
- Normal high131st warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 6 in Alabama
- Wet days250th driest of 378
- Comfortable days103rd most of 340
What to pack for Tuscaloosa in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 38°F, highs near 58°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Heating and cooling
December has 530 heating degree days and 5 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 11% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Tuscaloosa in December?
The normal high is 58°F and the normal low is 38°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 15°F (December 31, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Tuscaloosa in December?
About 11 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 2012 (9.7 in); the driest was in 2003 (2.1 in).
Does it snow in Tuscaloosa in December?
Snow is very rare: the 1991-2020 normal for December rounds to 0.0 in.
Is December a good time to visit Tuscaloosa?
December ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Tuscaloosa (51 out of 100). It has about 8 comfortable days. The best months are March and April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Tuscaloosa Muni Airport (USW00093806), 2.7 mi W of the city center, 150 ft (75 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Tuscaloosa Oliver Dam (USC00018385), 1.4 mi W of the city center, 152 ft (73 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Birmingham Airport (USW00013876), 54 mi ENE of the city center, 615 ft (390 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Tuscaloosa Municipal Arpt (722286-93806), 2.7 mi W of the city center, 149 ft (76 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.