Sacramento, CA weather in December
December in Sacramento: cool, with frequent rain. Highs 56°F, lows 41°F, rain on about 10 days. It is one of the coolest months in Sacramento.
- Normal high
- 56°F
- Normal low
- 41°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 59°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 40°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:04 am / 4:45 pm | 7:23 am / 4:54 pm |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 9.5 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 am41°Fdew point 39°F
- 9 am45°Fdew point 41°F
- Noon52°Fdew point 42°F
- 3 pm55°Fdew point 41°F
- 6 pm49°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 pm46°Fdew point 41°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Sacramento Executive Airport (5 mi away); average wind 5 mph; clear or few clouds in 57% 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°F2 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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below2 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in December
Normal precipitation is 3.5 in; a dry December brings about 1.8 in and a wet one about 5.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 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 61°F
- Coolest December1994: average high 51°F
- Wettest December2005: 9.5 in
- Driest December1999: 0.03 in
- Highest reading72°F (December 7, 2020)
- Lowest reading25°F (December 9, 2013)
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 | 65°F | 56°F | 57°F |
| Normal low | 45°F | 41°F | 41°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 10 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 2 | 3 |
| Daylight | 10.1 h | 9.5 h | 9.8 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and +1°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Salinas, CA132 mi · high 62°F · 8 wet days
- Drier: Reno, NV111 mi · high 47°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: South Lake Tahoe, CA85 mi · high 43°F · 11 wet days
How Sacramento ranks in December
- Normal high153rd warmest of 378 cities; 51st of 60 in California
- Wet days223rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days177th most of 340
What to pack for Sacramento in December
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Frost in December
The first fall frost typically comes around Dec 16; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Nov 28. All frost dates for Sacramento.
Heating and cooling
December has 510 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Sacramento in December?
The normal high is 56°F and the normal low is 41°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 25°F (December 9, 2013).
Does it rain a lot in Sacramento in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2005 (9.5 in); the driest was in 1999 (0.03 in).
Is December a good time to visit Sacramento?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Sacramento (44 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and frost dates: Sacramento 5 Ese (USW00023271), 4.6 mi ESE of the city center, 38 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Nicolaus #2 (USC00046194), 24 mi N of the city center, 43 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Sacramento Executive Airport (USW00023232), 5.2 mi S of the city center, 15 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Sacramento Executive Airport (724830-23232), 5.2 mi S of the city center, 19 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.