Pasadena, CA weather in December
December in Pasadena: mild, with some rain. Highs 67°F, lows 45°F, about 6 days with rain. It is one of the coolest months in Pasadena. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 67°F
- Normal low
- 45°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 3.3 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 | 46°F | 45°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 17% | 22% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:40 am / 4:42 pm | 6:58 am / 4:52 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 am47°Fdew point 33°F
- 9 am54°Fdew point 34°F
- Noon63°Fdew point 32°F
- 3 pm65°Fdew point 33°F
- 6 pm59°Fdew point 37°F
- 9 pm54°Fdew point 36°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Burbank Glendale Pasadena Airport (13 mi away); average wind 4 mph; clear or few clouds in 77% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 20%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F17 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 3.3 in; a dry December brings about 1.1 in and a wet one about 4.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 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 75°F
- Coolest December2007: average high 63°F
- Wettest December2010: 15.1 in
- Driest December2000: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading87°F (December 30, 2017)
- Lowest reading32°F (December 22, 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 | 75°F | 67°F | 68°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 45°F | 46°F |
| Wet days | 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 19 | 17 | 17 |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 9.9 h | 10.2 h |
Highs change by -8°F from November and +1°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Drier: Palm Springs, CA94 mi · high 69°F · 2 wet days
- Cooler: Palmdale, CA30 mi · high 58°F · 4 wet days
How Pasadena ranks in December
- Normal high47th warmest of 378 cities; 13th of 60 in California
- Wet days81st driest of 378
- Comfortable days20th most of 340
Heating and cooling
December has 283 heating degree days and 3 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 10% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Pasadena in December?
The normal high is 67°F and the normal low is 45°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 32°F (December 22, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Pasadena in December?
About 6 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.3 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2010 (15.1 in); the driest was in 2000, with no measurable precipitation.
Is December a good time to visit Pasadena?
December ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Pasadena (66 out of 100). It has about 17 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Pasadena (USC00046719), 0.0 mi NNW of the city center, 864 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: U C L A (USC00049152), 18 mi WSW of the city center, 430 ft (433 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Burbank Glendale Pasadena Airport (USW00023152), 13 mi WNW of the city center, 741 ft (122 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Burbank-Glendale-Pasa Arpt (722880-23152), 13 mi WNW of the city center, 731 ft (132 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.