Los Angeles, CA weather in December
Expect mild, mostly dry weather in Los Angeles in December, with highs near 67°F and lows near 48°F. Rain falls on about 6 days. It is one of the coolest months in Los Angeles. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 67°F
- Normal low
- 48°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 2.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 69°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 48°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 15% | 19% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:40 am / 4:43 pm | 6:58 am / 4:53 pm |
| Daylight | 10.1 h | 9.9 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
- 6 am51°Fdew point 39°F
- 9 am57°Fdew point 39°F
- Noon64°Fdew point 39°F
- 3 pm63°Fdew point 43°F
- 6 pm59°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 pm57°Fdew point 44°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Los Angeles Intl Airport (12 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°F20 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 snow6 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in4 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 2.5 in; a dry December brings about 0.9 in and a wet one about 3.3 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 74°F
- Coolest December2012: average high 64°F
- Wettest December2010: 10.2 in
- Driest December2000: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading88°F (December 16, 1998)
- Lowest reading36°F (December 27, 2015)
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 | 73°F | 67°F | 68°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 48°F | 49°F |
| Wet days | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Comfortable days | 22 | 20 | 18 |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 9.9 h | 10.2 h |
Highs change by -6°F from November and +1°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Drier: Palm Springs, CA99 mi · high 69°F · 2 wet days
- Cooler: Palmdale, CA37 mi · high 58°F · 4 wet days
How Los Angeles ranks in December
- Normal high45th warmest of 378 cities; 11th of 60 in California
- Wet days58th driest of 378
- Comfortable days7th most of 340
Heating and cooling
December has 227 heating degree days and 4 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 10% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Los Angeles in December?
The normal high is 67°F and the normal low is 48°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 36°F (December 27, 2015).
Does it rain a lot in Los Angeles in December?
About 6 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2010 (10.2 in); the driest was in 2000, with no measurable precipitation.
Is December a good time to visit Los Angeles?
December ranks 6th of 12 months on our comfort score for Los Angeles (70 out of 100). It has about 20 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Los Angeles Downtown Usc Campus (USW00093134), 0.5 mi E of the city center, 230 ft (54 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: U C L A (USC00049152), 12 mi W of the city center, 430 ft (146 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Los Angeles Intl Airport (USW00023174), 12 mi SW of the city center, 97 ft (187 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Los Angeles International Airport (722950-23174), 11 mi SW of the city center, 97 ft (187 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.