Chattanooga, TN weather in December
December in Chattanooga: chilly, with frequent rain. Highs 53°F, lows 35°F, about 11 days with rain. This is the depth of winter in Chattanooga.
- Normal high
- 53°F
- Normal low
- 35°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 5.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 57°F | 51°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 33°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:31 am / 5:29 pm | 7:49 am / 5:39 pm |
| Daylight | 10.0 h | 9.8 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 am39°Fdew point 34°F
- 9 am40°Fdew point 34°F
- Noon47°Fdew point 35°F
- 3 pm51°Fdew point 35°F
- 6 pm48°Fdew point 35°F
- 9 pm44°Fdew point 36°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Chattanooga Lovell Airport (6 mi away); average wind 5 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F3 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 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below15 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 5.3 in; a dry December brings about 3.6 in and a wet one about 6.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.3 in.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 63°F
- Coolest December2010: average high 44°F
- Wettest December2015: 10.4 in
- Driest December2010: 1.4 in
- Highest reading77°F (December 11, 2007)
- Lowest reading11°F (December 10, 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 | 62°F | 53°F | 51°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 35°F | 32°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 11 | 3 | 3 |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 9.8 h | 10.1 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and -2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Columbus, GA180 mi · high 61°F · 10 wet days
- Cooler: Lexington, KY213 mi · high 46°F · 13 wet days
How Chattanooga ranks in December
- Normal high175th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 7 in Tennessee
- Wet days279th driest of 378
- Comfortable days153rd most of 340
What to pack for Chattanooga in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 35°F, highs near 53°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Heating and cooling
December has 644 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 Chattanooga in December?
The normal high is 53°F and the normal low is 35°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 11°F (December 10, 1995).
Does it rain a lot in Chattanooga in December?
About 11 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.3 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (10.4 in); the driest was in 2010 (1.4 in).
Does it snow in Chattanooga in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 0.3 in.
Is December a good time to visit Chattanooga?
December ranks 10th of 12 months on our comfort score for Chattanooga (43 out of 100). It has about 3 comfortable days. The best months are April and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Chattanooga Lovell Airport (USW00013882), 6.2 mi E of the city center, 671 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Lovell Field Airport (723240-13882), 6.3 mi E of the city center, 669 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).