Athens, GA weather in December
December in Athens: cool, with frequent rain. Highs 57°F, lows 36°F, about 10 days with rain. It is one of the coolest months in Athens.
- Normal high
- 57°F
- Normal low
- 36°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 4.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 60°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 38°F | 34°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:20 am / 5:24 pm | 7:38 am / 5:34 pm |
| Daylight | 10.1 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am40°Fdew point 35°F
- 9 am42°Fdew point 36°F
- Noon51°Fdew point 36°F
- 3 pm55°Fdew point 36°F
- 6 pm50°Fdew point 36°F
- 9 pm45°Fdew point 36°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Athens Ben Epps Airport (2 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 59% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 37%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F6 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 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below12 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 4.4 in; a dry December brings about 2.6 in and a wet one about 5.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.1 in.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 66°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 46°F
- Wettest December2015: 12.4 in
- Driest December2001: 1.5 in
- Highest reading79°F (December 10, 2007)
- Lowest reading14°F (December 14, 2010)
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 | 57°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 36°F | 34°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 10 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 13 | 6 | 5 |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 9.9 h | 10.2 h |
Highs change by -8°F from November and -2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Savannah, GA184 mi · high 64°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Gatlinburg, TN122 mi · high 50°F · 15 wet days
How Athens ranks in December
- Normal high149th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 8 in Georgia
- Wet days238th driest of 378
- Comfortable days118th most of 340
What to pack for Athens in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 36°F, highs near 57°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Heating and cooling
December has 573 heating degree days and 2 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Athens in December?
The normal high is 57°F and the normal low is 36°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 14°F (December 14, 2010).
Does it rain a lot in Athens in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.4 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (12.4 in); the driest was in 2001 (1.5 in).
Does it snow in Athens in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 0.1 in.
Is December a good time to visit Athens?
December ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Athens (49 out of 100). It has about 6 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Athens Ben Epps Airport (USW00013873), 2.4 mi E of the city center, 785 ft (169 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: Winterville (USC00099486), 4.6 mi ENE of the city center, 890 ft (274 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Danielsville (USC00092517), 12 mi NNE of the city center, 780 ft (164 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Athens/Ben Epps Airport (723110-13873), 2.4 mi E of the city center, 784 ft (168 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.