Amarillo, TX weather in December
Expect chilly, mostly dry weather with some snow in Amarillo in December, with highs near 52°F and lows near 26°F. Rain or snow falls on about 4 days. Snowfall averages about 3.8 in. It is one of the coldest months in Amarillo.
- Normal high
- 52°F
- Normal low
- 26°F
- Wet days
- 4
- 0.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 3.8 in
- snow on the ground 3 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 55°F | 51°F |
| Normal low | 28°F | 25°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 13% | 14% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:37 am / 5:35 pm | 7:55 am / 5:44 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 (Central Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am30°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 am32°Fdew point 22°F
- Noon44°Fdew point 23°F
- 3 pm49°Fdew point 22°F
- 6 pm42°Fdew point 22°F
- 9 pm36°Fdew point 22°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Amarillo (7 mi away); average wind 12 mph; clear or few clouds in 70% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 25%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F5 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 snow4 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below26 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more3 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 0.7 in; a dry December brings about 0.2 in and a wet one about 1.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 3.8 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202012: average high 56°F
- Coolest December1997: average high 43°F
- Wettest December2006: 2.5 in
- Driest December2017: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading80°F (December 9, 1996)
- Lowest reading-3°F (December 18, 2016)
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 | 52°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 26°F | 25°F |
| Wet days | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Comfortable days | 12 | 5 | 5 |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 9.8 h | 10.1 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and 0°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Midland, TX223 mi · high 59°F · 4 wet days
- Cooler: Taos, NM225 mi · high 38°F · 5 wet days
How Amarillo ranks in December
- Normal high183rd warmest of 378 cities; 38th of 38 in Texas
- Wet days30th driest of 378
- Comfortable days123rd most of 340
What to pack for Amarillo in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 26°F, highs near 52°F
- Layers – afternoons near 52°F but nights near 26°F
- Waterproof boots – about 3.8 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 26 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 812 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Amarillo in December?
The normal high is 52°F and the normal low is 26°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -3°F (most recently on December 18, 2016).
Does it rain a lot in Amarillo in December?
About 4 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.7 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2006 (2.5 in); the driest was in 2017, with no measurable precipitation.
Does it snow in Amarillo in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 3.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 3 days.
Is December a good time to visit Amarillo?
December ranks 10th of 12 months on our comfort score for Amarillo (48 out of 100). It has about 5 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Amarillo (USW00023047), 7.0 mi E of the city center, 3,587 ft (83 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Amarillo Rick Husband Intl Airport (723630-23047), 6.5 mi E of the city center, 3,607 ft (63 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.