Elk Grove, CA weather in December
In December, Elk Grove sees highs around 56°F and lows around 39°F: cool, with some rain. Expect about 10 wet days. It is one of the coolest months in Elk Grove.
- Normal high
- 56°F
- Normal low
- 39°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 59°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 38°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 29% | 31% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:03 am / 4:45 pm | 7:22 am / 4:54 pm |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 9.5 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am41°Fdew point 39°F
- 9 am45°Fdew point 41°F
- Noon52°Fdew point 42°F
- 3 pm55°Fdew point 41°F
- 6 pm49°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 pm46°Fdew point 41°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Sacramento Executive Airport (10 mi away); average wind 5 mph; clear or few clouds in 57% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 38%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 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 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below7 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in December
Normal precipitation is 3.4 in; a dry December brings about 1.6 in and a wet one about 5.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 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, 1991-20202017: average high 60°F
- Coolest December1994: average high 50°F
- Wettest December2005: 9.0 in
- Driest December1999: 0.06 in
- Highest reading74°F (December 7, 2020)
- Lowest reading20°F (December 23, 1998)
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 | 56°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 39°F | 39°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 2 | 2 |
| Daylight | 10.1 h | 9.5 h | 9.8 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Salinas, CA121 mi · high 62°F · 8 wet days
- Drier: Reno, NV114 mi · high 47°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: South Lake Tahoe, CA83 mi · high 43°F · 11 wet days
How Elk Grove ranks in December
- Normal high156th warmest of 378 cities; 53rd of 60 in California
- Wet days192nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days187th most of 340
What to pack for Elk Grove in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 39°F, highs near 56°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Frost in December
The first fall frost typically comes around Dec 2; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Nov 16. All frost dates for Elk Grove.
Heating and cooling
December has 550 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Elk Grove in December?
The normal high is 56°F and the normal low is 39°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 20°F (December 23, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Elk Grove in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.4 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2005 (9.0 in); the driest was in 1999 (0.06 in).
Does it snow in Elk Grove in December?
Snow is very rare: the 1991-2020 normal for December rounds to 0.0 in.
Is December a good time to visit Elk Grove?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Elk Grove (43 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best months are April and May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Sacramento Executive Airport (USW00023232), 9.5 mi NW of the city center, 15 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: Sacramento 5 Ese (USW00023271), 10 mi NNW of the city center, 38 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Acampo 5NE (USC00040010), 16 mi SE of the city center, 87 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Sacramento Executive Airport (724830-23232), 9.6 mi NW of the city center, 19 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.