Tulsa, OK weather in December
December in Tulsa: chilly, with some rain. Highs 51°F, lows 31°F, about 7 days with rain or snow and about 1.7 in of snow. This is the depth of winter in Tulsa.
- Normal high
- 51°F
- Normal low
- 31°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 2.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 1.7 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 55°F | 48°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 29°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 22% | 21% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:16 am / 5:09 pm | 7:34 am / 5:19 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 (Central Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am35°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 am38°Fdew point 30°F
- Noon45°Fdew point 31°F
- 3 pm49°Fdew point 30°F
- 6 pm44°Fdew point 30°F
- 9 pm41°Fdew point 30°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Tulsa Intl Airport (7 mi away); average wind 9 mph.
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 snow7 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in4 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below18 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more2 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 2.4 in; a dry December brings about 1.3 in and a wet one about 3.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 1.7 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 58°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 36°F
- Wettest December2015: 8.6 in
- Driest December1996: 0.1 in
- Highest reading78°F (December 4, 2017)
- Lowest reading0°F (December 9, 2005)
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 | 61°F | 51°F | 49°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 31°F | 28°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| Comfortable days | 11 | 4 | 4 |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 9.8 h | 10.0 h |
Highs change by -10°F from November and -2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: McKinney, TX207 mi · high 57°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Wichita, KS130 mi · high 46°F · 5 wet days
How Tulsa ranks in December
- Normal high187th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 2 in Oklahoma
- Wet days101st driest of 378
- Comfortable days143rd most of 340
What to pack for Tulsa in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 31°F, highs near 51°F
- A hat and gloves – about 18 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 744 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 13% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Tulsa in December?
The normal high is 51°F and the normal low is 31°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 0°F (December 9, 2005).
Does it rain a lot in Tulsa in December?
About 7 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.4 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (8.6 in); the driest was in 1996 (0.1 in).
Does it snow in Tulsa in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 1.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is December a good time to visit Tulsa?
December ranks 9th of 12 months on our comfort score for Tulsa (45 out of 100). It has about 4 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: Tulsa Intl Airport (USW00013968), 6.7 mi ENE of the city center, 650 ft (72 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Tulsa International Airport (723560-13968), 7.1 mi ENE of the city center, 639 ft (83 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).