San Diego, CA weather in December
San Diego is mild and mostly dry in December: highs average 66°F and nights drop to about 50°F. Expect about 6 wet days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 66°F
- Normal low
- 50°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 1.7 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 67°F | 66°F |
| Normal low | 51°F | 50°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 17% | 20% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:32 am / 4:42 pm | 6:50 am / 4:52 pm |
| Daylight | 10.2 h | 10.0 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 41°F
- 9 am57°Fdew point 41°F
- Noon64°Fdew point 42°F
- 3 pm64°Fdew point 45°F
- 6 pm60°Fdew point 47°F
- 9 pm57°Fdew point 46°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from San Diego Lindbergh Fld (2 mi away); average wind 5 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F16 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 snow6 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 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 1.7 in; a dry December brings about 0.6 in and a wet one about 2.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings 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 71°F
- Coolest December2007: average high 62°F
- Wettest December2010: 5.0 in
- Driest December2000: 0.01 in
- Highest reading83°F (December 29, 2016)
- Lowest reading38°F (December 20, 1992)
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 | 71°F | 66°F | 66°F |
| Normal low | 55°F | 50°F | 50°F |
| Wet days | 4 | 6 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 23 | 16 | 14 |
| Daylight | 10.5 h | 10.0 h | 10.3 h |
Highs change by -5°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Drier: Palm Springs, CA85 mi · high 69°F · 2 wet days
- Cooler: Big Bear Lake, CA107 mi · high 46°F · 5 wet days
How San Diego ranks in December
- Normal high64th warmest of 378 cities; 23rd of 60 in California
- Wet days69th driest of 378
- Comfortable days28th most of 340
Heating and cooling
December has 221 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is San Diego in December?
The normal high is 66°F and the normal low is 50°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 38°F (December 20, 1992).
Does it rain a lot in San Diego in December?
About 6 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.7 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2010 (5.0 in); the driest was in 2000 (0.01 in).
Is December a good time to visit San Diego?
December ranks 9th of 12 months on our comfort score for San Diego (65 out of 100). It has about 16 comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: San Diego Lindbergh Fld (USW00023188), 2.0 mi NW of the city center, 15 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Chula Vista (USC00041758), 6.7 mi SE of the city center, 56 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: San Diego International Airport (722900-23188), 2.0 mi NW of the city center, 15 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).