Santa Clarita, CA weather in December
In December, Santa Clarita sees highs around 69°F and lows around 42°F: mild and mostly dry. Rain falls on about 6 days. It is one of the coolest months in Santa Clarita. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 69°F
- Normal low
- 42°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 2.7 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 71°F | 69°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 43°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 16% | 20% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:42 am / 4:44 pm | 7:00 am / 4:53 pm |
| Daylight | 10.0 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 (17 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°F18 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 below4 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in December
Normal precipitation is 2.7 in; a dry December brings about 0.8 in and a wet one about 3.8 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 76°F
- Coolest December2008: average high 65°F
- Wettest December2004: 8.4 in
- Driest December2017: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading90°F (December 24, 2005)
- Lowest reading24°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 | 76°F | 69°F | 70°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 42°F | 43°F |
| Wet days | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Comfortable days | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 9.9 h | 10.2 h |
Highs change by -7°F from November and +1°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Drier: Palm Springs, CA121 mi · high 69°F · 2 wet days
- Cooler: Palmdale, CA28 mi · high 58°F · 4 wet days
How Santa Clarita ranks in December
- Normal high30th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 60 in California
- Wet days75th driest of 378
- Comfortable days18th most of 340
What to pack for Santa Clarita in December
- Layers – afternoons near 69°F but nights near 42°F
Heating and cooling
December has 300 heating degree days and 5 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 10% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Santa Clarita in December?
The normal high is 69°F and the normal low is 42°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 24°F (most recently on December 22, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Santa Clarita in December?
About 6 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.7 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2004 (8.4 in); the driest was in 2017, with no measurable precipitation.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and rain: Woodland Hills Pierce College (USC00049785), 15 mi S of the city center, 790 ft (423 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Pacoima Dam Fc33a-E (USC00046602), 9.2 mi ESE of the city center, 1,550 ft (337 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Newhall 5NW (USC00046161), 2.9 mi W of the city center, 1,765 ft (552 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Burbank Glendale Pasadena Airport (USW00023152), 17 mi SE of the city center, 741 ft (472 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Van Nuys Airport (722886-23130), 13 mi SSE of the city center, 785 ft (428 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.