Climateby Month

Huntington Beach, CA weather in December

NOAA 1991-2020 normals and daily records · Huntington Beach all year

Expect mild, mostly dry weather in Huntington Beach in December, with highs near 68°F and lows near 48°F. Rain falls on about 5 days. It is one of the coolest months in Huntington Beach. Great for outdoor plans.

Normal high
68°F
Normal low
48°F
Wet days
5
2.1 in total
Muggy days
0
dew point 65°F+

How December changes from start to finish

Normal values at the start and end of December
December 1December 31
Normal high70°F69°F
Normal low49°F48°F
Chance of a wet day15%18%
Sunrise / sunset6:38 am / 4:43 pm6:56 am / 4:53 pm
Daylight10.1 h9.9 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

  1. 6 am51°Fdew point 39°F
  2. 9 am57°Fdew point 39°F
  3. Noon64°Fdew point 39°F
  4. 3 pm63°Fdew point 43°F
  5. 6 pm59°Fdew point 45°F
  6. 9 pm57°Fdew point 44°F

NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Los Angeles Intl Airport (30 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 39% 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°F22 of 31
  • Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph2 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 snow5 of 31
  • Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 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 2.1 in; a dry December brings about 0.6 in and a wet one about 3.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.

How December varies from year to year

  • Warmest December, 1991-20202017: average high 75°F
  • Coolest December2012: average high 64°F
  • Wettest December2010: 10.4 in
  • Driest December2000: no measurable precipitation
  • Highest reading90°F (December 12, 2010)
  • Lowest reading25°F (December 10, 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

NovemberDecemberJanuary
Normal high74°F68°F69°F
Normal low53°F48°F49°F
Wet days356
Comfortable days222220
Daylight10.4 h10.0 h10.2 h

Highs change by -6°F from November and +1°F into January.

Nearby alternatives in December

How Huntington Beach ranks in December

  • Normal high38th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 60 in California
  • Wet days49th driest of 378
  • Comfortable days2nd most of 340

Heating and cooling

December has 214 heating degree days and 5 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 10% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.

Questions

How cold is Huntington Beach in December?

The normal high is 68°F and the normal low is 48°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 25°F (December 10, 1998).

Does it rain a lot in Huntington Beach in December?

About 5 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.2 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2010 (10.4 in); the driest was in 2000, with no measurable precipitation.

Is December a good time to visit Huntington Beach?

December ranks 6th of 12 months on our comfort score for Huntington Beach (73 out of 100). It has about 22 comfortable days. The best month is May.

Where the numbers come from

  • Temperature, snowfall and snow depth: Santa Ana Fire Stn (USC00047888), 9.6 mi NE of the city center, 135 ft (98 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
  • Rain: Long Beach Daugherty Fld (USW00023129), 13 mi NW of the city center, 31 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
  • Frost dates: Santa Ana John Wayne Airport (USW00093184), 7.8 mi E of the city center, 54 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
  • Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Los Angeles Intl Airport (USW00023174), 30 mi NW of the city center, 97 ft (60 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
  • Daily humidity and wind: Long Beach / Daugherty Field / Airport (722970-23129), 14 mi NW of the city center, 33 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.