Phoenix, AZ weather in December
Phoenix is mild and mostly dry in December: highs average 66°F and nights drop to about 45°F. There are about 4 days with rain. It is one of the coolest months in Phoenix. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 66°F
- Normal low
- 45°F
- Wet days
- 4
- 0.7 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 69°F | 66°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 45°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 11% | 13% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:14 am / 5:20 pm | 7:32 am / 5:30 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 (Arizona time (no daylight saving)).
A typical December day
- 6 am47°Fdew point 33°F
- 9 am51°Fdew point 33°F
- Noon61°Fdew point 30°F
- 3 pm65°Fdew point 29°F
- 6 pm62°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 pm56°Fdew point 33°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 5 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F19 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 snow4 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in December
Normal precipitation is 0.7 in; a dry December brings about 0.2 in and a wet one about 1.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202017: average high 71°F
- Coolest December1997: average high 63°F
- Wettest December1992: 3.1 in
- Driest December1999: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading84°F (December 2, 2017)
- Lowest reading32°F (December 31, 2010)
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 | 77°F | 66°F | 68°F |
| Normal low | 54°F | 45°F | 46°F |
| Wet days | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Comfortable days | 17 | 19 | 21 |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 10.0 h | 10.2 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and +2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Sedona, AZ100 mi · high 58°F · 4 wet days
How Phoenix ranks in December
- Normal high61st warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 13 in Arizona
- Wet days26th driest of 378
- Comfortable days13th most of 340
Heating and cooling
December has 289 heating degree days and 2 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Phoenix in December?
The normal high is 66°F and the normal low is 45°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 32°F (most recently on December 31, 2010).
Does it rain a lot in Phoenix in December?
About 4 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.7 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 1992 (3.1 in); the driest was in 1999, with no measurable precipitation.
Is December a good time to visit Phoenix?
December ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Phoenix (70 out of 100). It has about 19 comfortable days. The best months are January and February.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl Airport (USW00023183), 4.3 mi ESE of the city center, 1,107 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Tempe ASU (USC00028499), 8.9 mi E of the city center, 1,167 ft (79 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl Airport (722780-23183), 4.3 mi ESE of the city center, 1,113 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).