El Paso, TX weather in December
In December, El Paso sees highs around 58°F and lows around 34°F: cool and mostly dry. Rain or snow falls on about 4 days. Snowfall averages about 1.3 in. It is one of the coolest months in El Paso.
- Normal high
- 58°F
- Normal low
- 34°F
- Wet days
- 4
- 0.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 1.3 in
- snow on the ground 1 day
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 61°F | 57°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 33°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 11% | 12% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:48 am / 5:01 pm | 7:05 am / 5:12 pm |
| Daylight | 10.2 h | 10.1 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am37°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 am43°Fdew point 25°F
- Noon52°Fdew point 25°F
- 3 pm57°Fdew point 25°F
- 6 pm52°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 pm46°Fdew point 25°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from El Paso Intl Airport (8 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 50% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 34%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F7 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 below14 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more1 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 0.6 in; a dry December brings about 0.1 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 1.3 in.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202010: average high 65°F
- Coolest December1997: average high 52°F
- Wettest December1991: 3.3 in
- Driest December1996: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading76°F (December 16, 2016)
- Lowest reading6°F (December 18, 1996)
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 | 58°F | 59°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 34°F | 35°F |
| Wet days | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Comfortable days | 19 | 7 | 8 |
| Daylight | 10.6 h | 10.1 h | 10.3 h |
Highs change by -9°F from November and +1°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Terlingua, TX240 mi · high 68°F · 2 wet days
- Cooler: Albuquerque, NM230 mi · high 47°F · 4 wet days
How El Paso ranks in December
- Normal high136th warmest of 378 cities; 31st of 38 in Texas
- Wet days20th driest of 378
- Comfortable days108th most of 340
What to pack for El Paso in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 34°F, highs near 58°F
Heating and cooling
December has 586 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is El Paso in December?
The normal high is 58°F and the normal low is 34°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 6°F (December 18, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in El Paso in December?
About 4 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.6 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (3.3 in); the driest was in 1996, with no measurable precipitation.
Does it snow in El Paso in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 1.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 1 day.
Is December a good time to visit El Paso?
December ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for El Paso (55 out of 100). It has about 7 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: El Paso Intl Airport (USW00023044), 7.5 mi ENE of the city center, 3,918 ft (205 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: El Paso International Airport (722700-23044), 7.4 mi ENE of the city center, 3,944 ft (231 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.