Atlanta, GA weather in December
Atlanta is cool in December, with frequent rain: highs average 56°F and nights drop to about 38°F. Rain falls on about 11 days. It is one of the coolest months in Atlanta.
- Normal high
- 56°F
- Normal low
- 38°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.6 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 59°F | 54°F |
| Normal low | 41°F | 36°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:24 am / 5:28 pm | 7:42 am / 5:38 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 am42°Fdew point 35°F
- 9 am43°Fdew point 36°F
- Noon50°Fdew point 37°F
- 3 pm54°Fdew point 36°F
- 6 pm50°Fdew point 36°F
- 9 pm47°Fdew point 36°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Atlanta Hartsfield Intl Airport (9 mi away); average wind 9 mph.
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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below9 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 4.6 in; a dry December brings about 2.6 in and a wet one about 5.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.4 in.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 66°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 45°F
- Wettest December2015: 12.5 in
- Driest December1994: 1.6 in
- Highest reading79°F (December 1, 1991)
- Lowest reading13°F (December 20, 2000)
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 | 64°F | 56°F | 54°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 38°F | 36°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 12 | 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: Macon, GA76 mi · high 61°F · 9 wet days
- Cooler: Gatlinburg, TN145 mi · high 50°F · 15 wet days
How Atlanta ranks in December
- Normal high155th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 8 in Georgia
- Wet days255th driest of 378
- Comfortable days119th most of 340
What to pack for Atlanta in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 38°F, highs near 56°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Heating and cooling
December has 551 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 Atlanta in December?
The normal high is 56°F and the normal low is 38°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 13°F (most recently on December 20, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Atlanta in December?
About 11 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.6 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (12.5 in); the driest was in 1994 (1.6 in).
Does it snow in Atlanta in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 0.4 in.
Is December a good time to visit Atlanta?
December ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Atlanta (48 out of 100). It has about 6 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Atlanta Hartsfield Intl Airport (USW00013874), 8.8 mi SSW of the city center, 1,010 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Intl Airport (722190-13874), 8.8 mi SSW of the city center, 1,011 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).