December Weather in Palm Springs, California - 2024

Palm Springs, California is situated on the western edge of the Coachella Valley. It is located within the extension of what is known as the Colorado Desert. It is primarily famous for the iconic palm trees which are a major feature of the diverse landscape of the region. It was in the early 1900s that Palm Springs began to establish itself as the world-class destination it is today. Many of its first residents came here because the dry, hot climate was beneficial to their health. Later it became a hotspot for movie stars and snowbirds. It is located approximately 110 Miles (177 km) Southeast of Los Angeles. This desert city has lots to offer its visitors who plan to stay here for the winter. Aside from the huge palm trees, natural oasis, sensational scenery, and the favorable climate; it is very popular for its architecture, arts, cultural scene, markets, golf resorts, and recreational activities.

December weather in Palm Springs California

To get a good overview of the type of weather you can expect in December in Palm Springs, we will look at the day and night temperature, minimum and maximum water temperature, and if December is comfortable or humid

Generally, December in Palm Springs will be slightly on the colder side. Historical data shows that you can expect an average temperature of around 68°F / 20°C. But due to the very dry air, it can feel somewhat uncomfortable for some people. During the night, it will cool down to around 48°F / 9°C.

Palm Springs has some rainy days in December. You can expect around 4 rainy days, with on average 1.3 inches / 33 mm of rain during the whole month.

December weather in Palm Springs California in more detail

To get a better feeling for the type of weather, you can expect in December in Palm Springs, we will look at the temperature, rain, wind, humidity, water temperature, and sun and clouds

- What will the temperature be in Palm Springs in December

Generally, you can expect in December an average temperature of 68°F / 20°C during the day and an average of 48°F / 9°C during the night. In December, during the warmest part of the afternoon, the temperature can often get as high as 78°F / 26°C, and at the end of the night, it can get as low as 35°F / 2°C.

When looking at the whole year, December is the coldest month, with an average temperature of around 68°F / 20°C. July and August are the hottest months, with an average temperature of around 102°F / 39°C. When comparing December with the temperature in the month before and after, this is slightly lower than November, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 75°F / 24°C. And almost equal to January, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 69°F / 21°C.

But average temperatures only tell half of the story. It is also good to check the maximum and minimum temperatures. When looking at the whole year, July is the hottest month, with a temperature of around 111°F / 44°C. December is the coldest month, with a temperature of around 78°F / 26°C. When comparing December with the temperature in the month before and after, this is slightly lower than November, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 87°F / 31°C. And almost equal to January, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 80°F / 27°C.

In the following graph, you can see how many cold and hot days you can expect in Palm Springs each month:

- Can you expect rain in December in Palm Springs?

Generally, you can expect about 4 rain days in December, with on average 1.3 inches / 33 mm of rain.

When looking at the whole year, June is the dryest month, with an average rainfall of around 0 inches / 1 mmmm. February is the wettest month, with an average rainfall of around 1.8 inches / 46 mmmm. When comparing December with the month before and after, this is a lot more than November, which sees around 0.5 inches / 12 mm of rain. And less than January, which sees around 1.6 inches / 40 mm of rain

If we look at the number of days with rain, June is the month with the least amount of rain days with an average of between 0 and 1 days. February is the month with the most rain days with an average of between 5 and 6 days. When comparing December with the month before and after, this is almost equal to November, which sees an average of between 2 and 3 days of rain. And almost equal to January, which sees an average of between 4 and 5 days of rain

- What will the water temperature be in Palm Springs for December

You can expect in December, the water temperature for Palm Springs to be between 60°F / 16°C and 59°F / 15°C.

To compare the water temperature we will use the maximum water temperature. You can expect this temperature on a more sunny day, close to the shore, when the wind does not mix the relatively warmer and colder water.

July has the highest water temperature, with around 69°F / 21°C. February has the lowest water temperature, with around 60°F / 16°C. When comparing the water temperature from December with the month before and after, December has a water temperature almost equal to November, with a water temperature of around 64°F / 18°C. And almost equal to the water temperature from January, that is around 60°F / 16°C.

- Can you expect in December a lot of sunny days in Palm Springs

Generally, you can expect around 17 sunny days in December and around 11 partly sunny days. The remaining days will be cloudy.

When looking at the whole year, June is the month with the highest number of sunny days, with an average of between 26 and 27 sunny days. February is the month with the lowest number of sunny days, with around 11 sunny days. When comparing December with the number of sunny days in the month before and after, it is slightly lower than November, with an average of between 19 and 20 sunny days. And almost equal to January, with an average of between 15 and 16 sunny days

We have looked at the sunny days in Palm Springs. Let's also look at the cloudy or overcast days. February is the month with the highest number of cloudy days, with an average of between 4 and 5 cloudy days. June and August And are the months with the lowest number of cloudy days, with around 0 cloudy days. When comparing December with the number of cloudy days in the month before and after, it is almost equal to November, with an average of between 1 and 2 cloudy days. And almost equal to January, with an average of between 3 and 4 cloudy days

- Will it be comfortable in December in Palm Springs?

Generally, December in Palm Springs will have very dry air, and can feel somewhat uncomfortable for some people. But will be fine for most..

We use the humidity and temperature in Palm Springs to calculate the Wintersun Expert Comfort level for each month. The lower the Wintersun Expert Comfort level, the more comfortable it will be. Only for certain people, extremely dry air can feel slightly uncomfortable.

When looking at the whole year, November has the lowest humidity, with a Wintersun Expert comfort level of "comfortable" (very dry air). June has the highest humidity, with a Wintersun Expert comfort level of "very comfortable" (low humidty). When comparing December with the month before and after, this is more than November, which has a Wintersun Comfort level of "comfortable" (very dry air). And slightly more than January, which has a Wintersun Comfort level of "comfortable" (very dry air)

What to do in Palm Springs California in December

There are many things to see in Palm Springs:

• Indian Canyons are located just minutes from downtown Palm Springs. Here you will discover waterfalls, pools, spring-fed streams, and the world's largest fan palm oasis, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the largest rotating aerial tramway in the world. It was opened in September 1963 as a way of getting from the floor of the Coachella Valley to near the top of San Jacinto Mountain.
• The Living Desert Zoo and Botanical Gardens is an extraordinary experience to explore replicas natural habitats from around the world and observe the wildlife at the zoo up-close.
• Palm Springs Art Museum was founded in 1938 and is a regional art, natural science, and performing arts institution for Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, in Riverside County, California, United States
• Palm Springs Air Museum: The Museum's mission is to exhibit, educate and eternalize the role of the World War II combat aircraft and the role the pilots and American citizens had in winning the war
• The Agua Caliente Casino is a gambling facility, run by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, in Rancho Mirage, California. The facility has over 45,000 square feet of gambling floor.
• Palm Springs Golf Courses: Palm Springs is considered the capital of golf and boasts more golf courses than any other region in California.

Is it humid in Palm Springs California in December?

A lot of people ask interested in the humidity or relative humidity for Palm Springs California in December. But the real question they want to ask is not about humidity but the amount of moisture in the air. Or better, about comfort. Will it be comfortable in December in Palm Springs, or will high humidity make it uncomfortable.

To answer this question, we have to look at the dew point. Relative humidity can change a lot in Palm Springs during the day and night, as it changes when the amount of moisture changes and, but also when the temperature changes. It is a lot less reliable for comfort. Where the dew point only varies with the amount of moisture in the air.

Looking at the dew point, we can see that for the month of December, you can expect that Palm Springs will have very dry air, and can feel somewhat uncomfortable for some people. But will be fine for most..

November is the month with the most comfort. It will have very dry air, and can feel somewhat uncomfortable for some people. But will be fine for most.. June is the most uncomfortable month. It will have a low humidty, and will feel very comfortable. In the graph, you can see that there is a significant difference between the most comfortable and most uncomfortable months

Is December a good time to go to Palm Springs California?

Trying to answer the question of whether December is a good time to go to Palm Springs is not as easy as it first seems. Some people like colder weather, and others prefer a warmer climate. Some are fine with some humidity, and others are not. If your location has air conditioning, the night temperature is less important.

These are some examples. I will try to answer the question with a more generic person in mind. The more detailed information in this article should be enough to check further if this applies to you as well.

If we look at the average temperature for Palm Springs in December, we can see that it will be on slightly less than what most people like, but still ok for most. In December, you can expect it to be slightly on the colder side, with an average temperature of around 68°F / 20°C. But due to the very dry air, it can feel somewhat uncomfortable for some people. During the night, it will be around 48°F / 9°C.

As the number of overcast days is not high, you can enjoy the sun with around 17 sunny days and 11 partly sunny days.

The last aspect we will look at is rain. You can expect around 4 rainy days, with on average 1.3 inches / 33 mm of rain during December. If it were more than five days, the location would be slightly less attractive for a shorter stay.

We have looked at the average day temperature, the night temperature, humidity, the number of overcast days, and the rain. We think that December in Palm Springs California is not the most optimal destination. But that doesn't mean it is not a good time for you to go. As said before, each visitor has their own preferences when it comes to the weather.

Does it rain all day in Palm Springs California in December?

In Palm Springs, it does not rain all day in December. You can expect around 4 rainy days, with on average 1.3 inches / 33 mm of rain during the month.

Another way of looking at the rain is the number of sunny days. For Palm Springs California, there are, on average 17 sunny days and 11 partly sunny days in December. That clearly shows that it is not raining all the time.

Is December the rainiest month in Palm Springs California?

December is not the month with the most rainy days, and not the month with the most rain.

To answer what the rainiest month is in Palm Springs, we will both look at the month with the most rain, and the month with the highest number of rainy days.

February is the month with the the highest number of rainiest days. On average, you can expect 6 days with rain. June is the month with the lowest number of rainy days, with aproximately 1 day.

February is the month with the most rain. This is not equal as the one with the most rainy days. On average, you can expect 1.8 inches / 46 mm of rain. June is the month with the least amount of rain. This is not the same month as the one with the lowest number of rainy days. You can expect approximately 0 inches / 1 mm of rain.

Is December the most sunniest month in Palm Springs California?

December is not the month with the most sunny days, not the month with the most partly sunny days, and it is not the month with the lowest number of overcast days.

To answer what the sunniest month is in Palm Springs, we will of course look at the month with the most sunniest days, but also look at the month with the biggest number of days that are sunny or partly sunny.

June is the month with the highest number of sunny days. On average, you can expect 17 sunny days, and 11 partly suny days. February is the month with the lowest number of sunny days.

August is the month with the highest number of sunny days and partly sunny days combined. While February is the month with the lowest number of sunny days and partly sunny days combined.

The last thing we will look at is the number of overcast days. June and August are the months with the lowest number of overcast days. While February is the month with the highest number of overcast days.

More information about Palm Springs California

Weather in Palm Springs California in other months

• Weather in Palm Springs California for January
• Weather in Palm Springs California for February
• Weather in Palm Springs California for March
• Weather in Palm Springs California for April
• Weather in Palm Springs California for May
• Weather in Palm Springs California for June
• Weather in Palm Springs California for July
• Weather in Palm Springs California for August
• Weather in Palm Springs California for September
• Weather in Palm Springs California for October
• Weather in Palm Springs California for November

What to do in Palm Springs California for each month

• What to do in January in Palm Springs California
• What to do in February in Palm Springs California
• What to do in March in Palm Springs California
• What to do in April in Palm Springs California
• What to do in May in Palm Springs California
• What to do in June in Palm Springs California
• What to do in July in Palm Springs California
• What to do in August in Palm Springs California
• What to do in September in Palm Springs California
• What to do in October in Palm Springs California
• What to do in November in Palm Springs California
• What to do in December in Palm Springs California