Lakeland, FL weather in December
December in Lakeland: mild, with some rain. Highs 77°F, lows 53°F, rain on about 8 days. It is one of the coolest months in Lakeland. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 77°F
- Normal low
- 53°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 2.5 in total
- Daylight
- 10.4 h
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 79°F | 75°F |
| Normal low | 56°F | 51°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 23% | 25% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:01 am / 5:31 pm | 7:19 am / 5:42 pm |
| Daylight | 10.5 h | 10.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am58°Fdew point 54°F
- 9 am62°Fdew point 55°F
- Noon69°Fdew point 56°F
- 3 pm71°Fdew point 55°F
- 6 pm67°Fdew point 55°F
- 9 pm63°Fdew point 56°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Tampa Intl Airport (36 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 33% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 46%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F (temperature only: no humidity station nearby)21 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in4 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in December
Normal precipitation is 2.5 in; a dry December brings about 0.9 in and a wet one about 2.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202016: average high 82°F
- Coolest December2010: average high 66°F
- Wettest December1997: 14.8 in
- Driest December2016: 0.3 in
- Highest reading90°F (December 2, 2018)
- Lowest reading18°F (December 27, 1995)
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 | 81°F | 77°F | 75°F |
| Normal low | 58°F | 53°F | 50°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 16 | 21 | 22 |
| Daylight | 10.8 h | 10.4 h | 10.6 h |
Highs change by -4°F from November and -2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Daytona Beach, FL99 mi · high 72°F · 8 wet days
How Lakeland ranks in December
- Normal high14th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 23 in Florida
- Wet days147th driest of 378
What to pack for Lakeland in December
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 8 days
Heating and cooling
December has 104 heating degree days and 106 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Lakeland in December?
The normal high is 77°F and the normal low is 53°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest December reading was 90°F (most recently on December 2, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Lakeland in December?
About 8 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 1997 (14.8 in); the driest was in 2016 (0.3 in).
Is December a good time to visit Lakeland?
December ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Lakeland (72 out of 100). It has about 21 comfortable days (judged by temperature only). The best months are January, February and December.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Plant City (USC00087205), 12 mi W of the city center, 110 ft (86 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Lakeland 2 (USC00084802), 5.1 mi SW of the city center, 139 ft (57 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Tampa Intl Airport (USW00012842), 36 mi W of the city center, 19 ft (177 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: daily humidity and wind (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).