Furnace Creek, CA weather in December
December in Furnace Creek: mild and dry. Highs 66°F, lows 41°F, about 2 days with rain. It is one of the coolest months in Furnace Creek. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 66°F
- Normal low
- 41°F
- Wet days
- 2
- 0.3 in total
- Daylight
- 9.7 h
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 69°F | 65°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 40°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 4% | 6% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:40 am / 4:32 pm | 6:59 am / 4:41 pm |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.7 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F (temperature only: no humidity station nearby)18 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow2 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in1 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below5 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in December
Normal precipitation is 0.3 in; a dry December brings about 0.01 in and a wet one about 0.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Snow is very rare.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20201999: average high 70°F
- Coolest December1992: average high 61°F
- Wettest December2004: 1.3 in
- Driest December1998: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading88°F (December 17, 1998)
- Lowest reading23°F (December 25, 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 | 77°F | 66°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 41°F | 43°F |
| Wet days | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Comfortable days | 18 | 18 | 21 |
| Daylight | 10.2 h | 9.7 h | 10.0 h |
Highs change by -11°F from November and +1°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Las Vegas, NV98 mi · high 57°F · 3 wet days
How Furnace Creek ranks in December
- Normal high69th warmest of 378 cities; 25th of 60 in California
- Wet days1st driest of 378
What to pack for Furnace Creek in December
- Layers – afternoons near 66°F but nights near 41°F
Frost in December
The first fall frost typically comes around Dec 19; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Dec 4. All frost dates for Furnace Creek.
Heating and cooling
December has 363 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 Furnace Creek in December?
The normal high is 66°F and the normal low is 41°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 23°F (December 25, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Furnace Creek in December?
About 2 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.3 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2004 (1.3 in); the driest was in 1998, with no measurable precipitation.
Is December a good time to visit Furnace Creek?
December ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Furnace Creek (70 out of 100). It has about 18 comfortable days (judged by temperature only). The best months are January and February.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Death Valley NP (USC00042319), 0.4 mi NE of the city center, -194 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour, cloud cover and daily humidity and wind (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).