Houston, TX weather in December
Houston is mild in December, with some rain: highs average 66°F and nights drop to about 48°F. Expect about 10 wet days. It is one of the coolest months in Houston.
- Normal high
- 66°F
- Normal low
- 48°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 4.3 in total
- Muggy days
- 2
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 69°F | 64°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 46°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 29% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:59 am / 5:21 pm | 7:16 am / 5:32 pm |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 10.3 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 am49°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 am53°Fdew point 47°F
- Noon61°Fdew point 46°F
- 3 pm63°Fdew point 46°F
- 6 pm57°Fdew point 47°F
- 9 pm54°Fdew point 47°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Houston Intercont Airport (15 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 28% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 59%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F11 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more2 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 4.3 in; a dry December brings about 2.7 in and a wet one about 6.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.1 in.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202012: average high 71°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 58°F
- Wettest December1994: 8.7 in
- Driest December2019: 0.8 in
- Highest reading84°F (December 9, 2019)
- Lowest reading25°F (December 19, 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 | 73°F | 66°F | 64°F |
| Normal low | 54°F | 48°F | 46°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 15 | 11 | 11 |
| Daylight | 10.7 h | 10.3 h | 10.5 h |
Highs change by -7°F from November and -2°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Drier: Grand Prairie, TX228 mi · high 58°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Waco, TX163 mi · high 60°F · 7 wet days
How Houston ranks in December
- Normal high68th warmest of 378 cities; 9th of 38 in Texas
- Wet days190th driest of 378
- Comfortable days56th most of 340
What to pack for Houston in December
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Frost in December
The first fall frost typically comes around Dec 28; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Nov 27. All frost dates for Houston.
Heating and cooling
December has 286 heating degree days and 33 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Houston in December?
The normal high is 66°F and the normal low is 48°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 25°F (December 19, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Houston in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.3 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 1994 (8.7 in); the driest was in 2019 (0.8 in).
Does it snow in Houston in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 0.1 in.
Is December a good time to visit Houston?
December ranks 6th of 12 months on our comfort score for Houston (58 out of 100). It has about 11 comfortable days. The best month is March.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Houston Hobby Airport (USW00012918), 9.9 mi SSE of the city center, 44 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Houston Intercont Airport (USW00012960), 15 mi N of the city center, 95 ft (59 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: G Bush Intercontinental Airport/Houston Airport (722430-12960), 15 mi N of the city center, 90 ft (54 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.