Palm Springs, CA weather in December
Palm Springs is mild and dry in December: highs average 69°F and nights drop to about 46°F. Rain falls on about 2 days. It is one of the coolest months in Palm Springs. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 69°F
- Normal low
- 46°F
- Wet days
- 2
- 0.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 72°F | 69°F |
| Normal low | 48°F | 47°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 6% | 9% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:33 am / 4:37 pm | 6:50 am / 4:47 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 am42°Fdew point 30°F
- 9 am56°Fdew point 33°F
- Noon67°Fdew point 30°F
- 3 pm69°Fdew point 30°F
- 6 pm53°Fdew point 33°F
- 9 pm48°Fdew point 33°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Desert Resorts Rgnl Airport (26 mi away); average wind 5 mph; clear or few clouds in 83% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 15%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F21 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 snow2 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 0.8 in; a dry December brings about 0.08 in and a wet one about 1.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202017: average high 75°F
- Coolest December2007: average high 64°F
- Wettest December2008: 2.6 in
- Driest December1999: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading86°F (December 17, 1998)
- Lowest reading32°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 | 79°F | 69°F | 71°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 46°F | 48°F |
| Wet days | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 21 | 22 |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 9.9 h | 10.2 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and +2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Big Bear Lake, CA35 mi · high 46°F · 5 wet days
How Palm Springs ranks in December
- Normal high29th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 60 in California
- Wet days3rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days5th most of 340
Heating and cooling
December has 233 heating degree days and 7 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Palm Springs in December?
The normal high is 69°F and the normal low is 46°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 32°F (December 23, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Palm Springs in December?
About 2 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.8 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (2.6 in); the driest was in 1999, with no measurable precipitation.
Is December a good time to visit Palm Springs?
December ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Palm Springs (73 out of 100). It has about 21 comfortable days. The best months are January, February and December.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and frost dates: Palm Springs Rgnl Airport (USW00093138), 2.3 mi E of the city center, 421 ft (58 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Palm Springs (USC00046635), 2.0 mi E of the city center, 425 ft (54 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Desert Resorts Rgnl Airport (USW00003104), 26 mi ESE of the city center, -118 ft (597 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Desert Resorts Rgnl Arpt (747187-03104), 26 mi ESE of the city center, -118 ft (597 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.