Salinas, CA weather in December
Salinas is cool in December, with some rain: highs average 62°F and nights drop to about 41°F. Expect about 8 wet days. It is one of the coolest months in Salinas.
- Normal high
- 62°F
- Normal low
- 41°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 2.1 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 63°F | 61°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 41°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 25% | 28% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:00 am / 4:50 pm | 7:18 am / 5:00 pm |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.7 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F9 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 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 2.1 in; a dry December brings about 1.2 in and a wet one about 3.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202017: average high 68°F
- Coolest December2001: average high 58°F
- Wettest December2014: 6.0 in
- Driest December2011: 0.01 in
- Highest reading80°F (December 10, 2017)
- Lowest reading24°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 | 68°F | 62°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 41°F | 42°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 8 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 17 | 9 | 10 |
| Daylight | 10.2 h | 9.7 h | 10.0 h |
Highs change by -6°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Solvang, CA167 mi · high 67°F · 7 wet days
- Drier: Lancaster, CA240 mi · high 58°F · 4 wet days
- Cooler: Modesto, CA76 mi · high 56°F · 9 wet days
How Salinas ranks in December
- Normal high99th warmest of 378 cities; 30th of 60 in California
- Wet days152nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days95th most of 340
What to pack for Salinas in December
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 8 days
Frost in December
The first fall frost typically comes around Dec 10; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Nov 21. All frost dates for Salinas.
Heating and cooling
December has 431 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 16% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Salinas in December?
The normal high is 62°F and the normal low is 41°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 24°F (most recently on December 23, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Salinas in December?
About 8 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.1 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2014 (6.0 in); the driest was in 2011 (0.01 in).
Is December a good time to visit Salinas?
December ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Salinas (54 out of 100). It has about 9 comfortable days. The best month is July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Salinas Municipal Airport (USW00023233), 2.8 mi ESE of the city center, 74 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Salinas #2 (USC00047668), 1.4 mi SSW of the city center, 45 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: N Y. Mineta Sn Jo Intl Apt (724945-23293), 49 mi NNW of the city center, 49 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).