Las Vegas, NV weather in December
Expect cool, mostly dry weather in Las Vegas in December, with highs near 57°F and lows near 40°F. Rain falls on about 3 days. It is one of the coolest months in Las Vegas.
- Normal high
- 57°F
- Normal low
- 40°F
- Wet days
- 3
- 0.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 60°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 39°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 8% | 10% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:33 am / 4:26 pm | 6:51 am / 4:35 pm |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.7 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 am41°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 am47°Fdew point 24°F
- Noon54°Fdew point 23°F
- 3 pm56°Fdew point 22°F
- 6 pm51°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 pm47°Fdew point 24°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Las Vegas Mccarran Airport (7 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 47% 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°F4 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 snow3 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in1 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below5 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 0.5 in; a dry December brings about 0.06 in and a wet one about 0.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 0.2 in.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202017: average high 63°F
- Coolest December1992: average high 52°F
- Wettest December2004: 2.1 in
- Driest December1999: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading75°F (December 3, 2017)
- Lowest reading20°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 | 67°F | 57°F | 59°F |
| Normal low | 47°F | 40°F | 41°F |
| Wet days | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Comfortable days | 18 | 4 | 6 |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 9.7 h | 10.0 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and +2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Furnace Creek, CA98 mi · high 66°F · 2 wet days
- Cooler: Grand Canyon Village, AZ166 mi · high 44°F · 6 wet days
How Las Vegas ranks in December
- Normal high148th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 3 in Nevada
- Wet days6th driest of 378
- Comfortable days146th most of 340
What to pack for Las Vegas in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 40°F, highs near 57°F
Frost in December
The first fall frost typically comes around Dec 15; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Nov 28. All frost dates for Las Vegas.
Heating and cooling
December has 519 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 9% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Las Vegas in December?
The normal high is 57°F and the normal low is 40°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 20°F (December 22, 1998).
Does it rain a lot in Las Vegas in December?
About 3 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2004 (2.1 in); the driest was in 1999, with no measurable precipitation.
Does it snow in Las Vegas in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 0.2 in.
Is December a good time to visit Las Vegas?
December ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Las Vegas (51 out of 100). It has about 4 comfortable days. The best month is March.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Las Vegas Mccarran Airport (USW00023169), 7.3 mi SSW of the city center, 2,131 ft (135 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Mccarran International Airport (723860-23169), 7.3 mi SSW of the city center, 2,175 ft (179 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.