United States in December

December is one of United States's weaker months (rank 11 of 12): its 173 destinations average 63/100, led by Alta at 91 — -2°C and 13 rainy days — while Kona is warmer at 31°C and scores 88.

#11 of 12 months for United States · 173 destinations · updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

🇺🇸 United States, month by month

63/100 in December

Where in United States in December

#	Place	Type	Feels-like high	Rain	Comfort	At its best
1	Alta	Ski resort	-2°C	102 mm · 13 days	91 tier S	Yes
2	Big Bend National Park	National park	14°C	16 mm · 2 days	90 tier S	—
3	Orlando	City	24°C	64 mm · 4 days	89 tier A	Yes
4	Vail	Ski resort	-5°C	58 mm · 12 days	89 tier A	Yes
5	Jackson	Ski resort	-6°C	49 mm · 9 days	88 tier A	Yes
6	Kona	Beach	31°C	90 mm · 15 days	88 tier A	—
7	Sun Valley	Ski resort	-3°C	63 mm · 9 days	88 tier A	Yes
8	Aspen	Ski resort	-2°C	55 mm · 9 days	87 tier A	Yes
9	Big Sky	Ski resort	-6°C	49 mm · 12 days	87 tier A	Yes
10	Tampa	City	24°C	59 mm · 4 days	87 tier A	Yes
11	Breckenridge	Ski resort	-4°C	47 mm · 10 days	86 tier A	Yes
12	Kauai	Island	23°C	77 mm · 14 days	86 tier A	—
13	Lahaina	Beach	28°C	78 mm · 8 days	86 tier A	—
14	Steamboat Springs	Ski resort	-3°C	71 mm · 13 days	86 tier A	Yes
15	Honolulu	Beach	29°C	100 mm · 10 days	85 tier A	—
16	Joshua Tree National Park	National park	14°C	14 mm · 2 days	85 tier A	—
17	Lake Placid	Ski resort	-6°C	72 mm · 12 days	85 tier A	Yes
18	Park City	Ski resort	-1°C	104 mm · 11 days	85 tier A	Yes
19	Palm Springs	City	19°C	18 mm · 2 days	84 tier A	—
20	Fort Lauderdale	Beach	26°C	79 mm · 7 days	83 tier A	—
21	Key West	Beach	26°C	65 mm · 5 days	83 tier A	—
22	Killington	Ski resort	-10°C	100 mm · 12 days	83 tier A	Yes
23	Miami	Beach	26°C	68 mm · 5 days	83 tier A	—
24	Saguaro National Park	National park	12°C	31 mm · 4 days	83 tier A	—
25	St. Augustine	City	20°C	56 mm · 6 days	83 tier A	—
26	Stowe	Ski resort	-3°C	103 mm · 15 days	83 tier A	Yes
27	Mammoth Lakes	Ski resort	2°C	96 mm · 8 days	82 tier A	—
28	Naples, Florida	Beach	26°C	46 mm · 3 days	82 tier A	—
29	Haleakala National Park	National park	12°C	113 mm · 20 days	81 tier A	—
30	Los Angeles	City	19°C	77 mm · 5 days	81 tier A	—
31	Maui	Island	15°C	113 mm · 20 days	81 tier A	—
32	Phoenix	City	18°C	19 mm · 3 days	81 tier A	—
33	Carlsbad Caverns National Park	National park	9°C	8 mm · 1 day	80 tier A	—
34	Hawaii Volcanoes National Park	National park	19°C	170 mm · 16 days	80 tier A	—
35	Jacksonville	City	20°C	95 mm · 6 days	80 tier A	—
36	San Antonio	City	20°C	48 mm · 5 days	80 tier A	—
37	Scottsdale	City	18°C	24 mm · 3 days	80 tier A	—
38	Tucson	City	17°C	25 mm · 4 days	80 tier A	—
39	White Sands National Park	National park	12°C	11 mm · 2 days	80 tier A	—
40	Whitefish	Ski resort	-3°C	53 mm · 12 days	80 tier A	Yes
41	Channel Islands National Park	National park	13°C	66 mm · 6 days	79 tier B	—
42	Death Valley National Park	National park	8°C	15 mm · 3 days	79 tier B	—
43	Guadalupe Mountains National Park	National park	4°C	8 mm · 2 days	79 tier B	—
44	Everglades National Park	National park	27°C	47 mm · 4 days	78 tier B	—
45	Grand Canyon National Park	National park	10°C	17 mm · 3 days	78 tier B	—
46	Pinnacles National Park	National park	14°C	68 mm · 7 days	78 tier B	—
47	Sarasota	Beach	24°C	59 mm · 3 days	78 tier B	—
48	Sedona	Trekking hub	10°C	32 mm · 4 days	78 tier B	—
49	Telluride	Ski resort	-1°C	28 mm · 5 days	78 tier B	—
50	Houston	City	19°C	99 mm · 7 days	77 tier B	—
51	Austin	City	18°C	74 mm · 6 days	76 tier B	—
52	Congaree National Park	National park	15°C	109 mm · 10 days	76 tier B	—
53	Biscayne National Park	National park	27°C	62 mm · 7 days	75 tier B	—
54	Dry Tortugas National Park	National park	25°C	40 mm · 6 days	75 tier B	—
55	New Orleans	City	18°C	124 mm · 7 days	75 tier B	—
56	Petrified Forest National Park	National park	6°C	13 mm · 2 days	75 tier B	—
57	Dallas	City	14°C	71 mm · 5 days	74 tier B	—
58	Hot Springs National Park	National park	11°C	120 mm · 7 days	74 tier B	—
59	Clearwater	Beach	23°C	73 mm · 5 days	73 tier B	—
60	Las Vegas	City	12°C	10 mm · 1 day	73 tier B	—
61	Taos	Trekking hub	3°C	21 mm · 4 days	73 tier B	—
62	Charleston	City	14°C	104 mm · 7 days	72 tier B	—
63	Moab	Trekking hub	4°C	16 mm · 3 days	72 tier B	—
64	Savannah	City	16°C	102 mm · 8 days	72 tier B	—
65	Zion National Park	National park	3°C	41 mm · 4 days	72 tier B	—
66	Canyonlands National Park	National park	2°C	16 mm · 3 days	71 tier B	—
67	Gateway Arch National Park	National park	5°C	58 mm · 7 days	71 tier B	—
68	Great Sand Dunes National Park	National park	0°C	13 mm · 2 days	71 tier B	—
69	Laguna Beach	Beach	16°C	43 mm · 4 days	71 tier B	—
70	Mesa Verde National Park	National park	2°C	35 mm · 5 days	71 tier B	—
71	San Diego	Beach	18°C	46 mm · 4 days	71 tier B	—
72	Albuquerque	City	8°C	12 mm · 2 days	70 tier B	—
73	Arches National Park	National park	0°C	17 mm · 4 days	70 tier B	—
74	Mammoth Cave National Park	National park	9°C	124 mm · 9 days	70 tier B	—
75	Capitol Reef National Park	National park	-1°C	9 mm · 2 days	69 tier C	—
76	Sacramento	City	13°C	90 mm · 8 days	68 tier C	—
77	Wind Cave National Park	National park	0°C	19 mm · 3 days	68 tier C	—
78	Boulder	City	7°C	16 mm · 2 days	67 tier C	—
79	Denver	City	7°C	12 mm · 2 days	67 tier C	—
80	San Francisco	City	13°C	121 mm · 9 days	67 tier C	—
81	Santa Barbara	Beach	16°C	100 mm · 5 days	67 tier C	—
82	Shenandoah National Park	National park	2°C	79 mm · 9 days	67 tier C	—
83	Atlanta	City	11°C	119 mm · 8 days	66 tier C	—
84	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	National park	6°C	176 mm · 10 days	66 tier C	—
85	Hilo	City	29°C	280 mm · 20 days	66 tier C	—
86	New River Gorge National Park	National park	4°C	98 mm · 12 days	66 tier C	—
87	Badlands National Park	National park	-1°C	18 mm · 2 days	65 tier C	—
88	Bryce Canyon National Park	National park	-2°C	19 mm · 3 days	65 tier C	—
89	Raleigh	City	11°C	95 mm · 8 days	65 tier C	—
90	Charlotte	City	11°C	107 mm · 8 days	64 tier C	—
91	Asheville	City	9°C	85 mm · 8 days	63 tier C	—
92	Bozeman	Trekking hub	-1°C	29 mm · 7 days	63 tier C	—
93	Destin	Beach	19°C	142 mm · 9 days	63 tier C	—
94	Indiana Dunes National Park	National park	-1°C	56 mm · 8 days	63 tier C	—
95	Monterey	Beach	14°C	76 mm · 7 days	63 tier C	—
96	Napa	City	13°C	136 mm · 10 days	63 tier C	—
97	Santa Fe	City	3°C	18 mm · 3 days	63 tier C	—
98	Cuyahoga Valley National Park	National park	0°C	69 mm · 11 days	62 tier C	—
99	Memphis	City	11°C	154 mm · 9 days	62 tier C	—
100	South Lake Tahoe	Trekking hub	2°C	104 mm · 7 days	62 tier C	—
101	Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park	National park	-2°C	38 mm · 7 days	61 tier C	—
102	Flagstaff	City	4°C	40 mm · 5 days	61 tier C	—
103	Kansas City	City	4°C	26 mm · 3 days	61 tier C	—
104	Pensacola	Beach	19°C	165 mm · 9 days	61 tier C	—
105	Reno	City	5°C	50 mm · 5 days	61 tier C	—
106	Richmond	City	8°C	97 mm · 8 days	61 tier C	—
107	Big Sur	Beach	16°C	117 mm · 9 days	59 tier D	—
108	Hilton Head Island	Beach	16°C	108 mm · 8 days	59 tier D	—
109	Redwood National Park	National park	9°C	253 mm · 14 days	59 tier D	—
110	St. Louis	City	5°C	53 mm · 7 days	59 tier D	—
111	Baltimore	City	5°C	102 mm · 8 days	58 tier D	—
112	Louisville	City	6°C	95 mm · 7 days	58 tier D	—
113	Myrtle Beach	Beach	14°C	107 mm · 8 days	58 tier D	—
114	Nashville	City	8°C	118 mm · 9 days	58 tier D	—
115	Washington	City	6°C	106 mm · 8 days	58 tier D	—
116	Gatlinburg	City	8°C	122 mm · 11 days	57 tier D	—
117	Sequoia National Park	National park	-2°C	110 mm · 7 days	57 tier D	—
118	Great Basin National Park	National park	-4°C	64 mm · 9 days	56 tier D	—
119	Philadelphia	City	4°C	109 mm · 10 days	56 tier D	—
120	Santa Cruz, California	Beach	16°C	176 mm · 9 days	56 tier D	—
121	Virginia Beach	Beach	10°C	88 mm · 8 days	55 tier D	—
122	New York	City	3°C	118 mm · 10 days	54 tier D	—
123	Cincinnati	City	4°C	89 mm · 10 days	53 tier D	—
124	Kings Canyon National Park	National park	-4°C	94 mm · 7 days	53 tier D	—
125	Outer Banks	Beach	10°C	112 mm · 8 days	53 tier D	—
126	Salt Lake City	City	1°C	31 mm · 5 days	53 tier D	—
127	Cleveland	City	2°C	48 mm · 8 days	51 tier D	—
128	Theodore Roosevelt National Park	National park	-5°C	19 mm · 4 days	51 tier D	—
129	Yosemite National Park	National park	-2°C	183 mm · 10 days	51 tier D	—
130	Half Moon Bay	Beach	14°C	186 mm · 13 days	50 tier D	—
131	Lassen Volcanic National Park	National park	-2°C	189 mm · 12 days	50 tier D	—
132	Acadia National Park	National park	-2°C	137 mm · 11 days	49 tier F	—
133	Columbus	City	2°C	76 mm · 10 days	49 tier F	—
134	Indianapolis	City	2°C	65 mm · 8 days	49 tier F	—
135	Pittsburgh	City	2°C	79 mm · 10 days	49 tier F	—
136	Seattle	City	5°C	103 mm · 14 days	49 tier F	—
137	Boise	City	0°C	41 mm · 9 days	47 tier F	—
138	Rocky Mountain National Park	National park	-7°C	75 mm · 13 days	47 tier F	—
139	Bend	City	0°C	54 mm · 9 days	46 tier F	—
140	Boston	City	1°C	109 mm · 9 days	46 tier F	—
141	Chicago	City	0°C	48 mm · 6 days	46 tier F	—
142	Detroit	City	0°C	69 mm · 10 days	46 tier F	—
143	Milwaukee	City	-1°C	44 mm · 6 days	45 tier F	—
144	Portland	City	6°C	184 mm · 18 days	45 tier F	—
145	Isle Royale National Park	National park	-8°C	67 mm · 12 days	43 tier F	—
146	Grand Teton National Park	National park	-7°C	81 mm · 14 days	42 tier F	—
147	Yellowstone National Park	National park	-9°C	60 mm · 12 days	42 tier F	—
148	Crater Lake National Park	National park	-2°C	291 mm · 17 days	41 tier F	—
149	Madison	City	-3°C	46 mm · 7 days	41 tier F	—
150	Newport	Beach	2°C	97 mm · 8 days	41 tier F	—
151	Traverse City	City	-2°C	41 mm · 7 days	41 tier F	—
152	Burlington	City	-2°C	68 mm · 11 days	40 tier F	—
153	Voyageurs National Park	National park	-10°C	46 mm · 9 days	40 tier F	—
154	Nantucket	Island	2°C	85 mm · 7 days	39 tier F	—
155	Hyannis	Beach	3°C	118 mm · 11 days	38 tier F	—
156	Bar Harbor	City	-2°C	137 mm · 11 days	37 tier F	—
157	Minneapolis	City	-6°C	40 mm · 6 days	37 tier F	—
158	Glacier National Park	National park	-8°C	167 mm · 19 days	35 tier F	—
159	Olympic National Park	National park	-1°C	502 mm · 21 days	35 tier F	—
160	Katmai National Park	National park	-7°C	188 mm · 19 days	31 tier F	—
161	Mackinac Island	Island	-5°C	60 mm · 12 days	30 tier F	—
162	Anchorage	City	-8°C	47 mm · 7 days	27 tier F	—
163	Denali National Park	National park	-18°C	34 mm · 8 days	27 tier F	—
164	Gates of the Arctic National Park	National park	-28°C	26 mm · 8 days	27 tier F	—
165	Mount Rainier National Park	National park	-10°C	281 mm · 20 days	27 tier F	—
166	Glacier Bay National Park	National park	-6°C	555 mm · 22 days	26 tier F	—
167	North Cascades National Park	National park	-11°C	304 mm · 20 days	26 tier F	—
168	Kobuk Valley National Park	National park	-22°C	48 mm · 9 days	25 tier F	—
169	Lake Clark National Park	National park	-15°C	150 mm · 16 days	25 tier F	—
170	Wrangell-St Elias National Park	National park	-17°C	126 mm · 16 days	25 tier F	—
171	Fairbanks	City	-22°C	29 mm · 6 days	24 tier F	—
172	Juneau	City	-4°C	254 mm · 19 days	23 tier F	—
173	Kenai Fjords National Park	National park	-10°C	380 mm · 20 days	21 tier F	—

Comfort is SeasonMap's 0–100 score; each place is judged through the lens that suits it — beaches on beach weather, ski resorts on snow. "At its best" means December is one of that place's own top three months. Feels-like highs fold in humidity, wind and sun.

What's on in United States in December

Christmas and New Year · Orlando and 50 more places · 20 Dec – 2 Jan
Elk on the National Elk Refuge · Jackson and 1 more place · 15 Dec – 5 Apr (usually)
Christmas to New Year ski peak · Jackson and 9 more places · 20 Dec – 3 Jan (usually)
Christmas and New Year peak · Aspen and 2 more places · 18 Dec – 4 Jan
Humpback whale season · Kauai and 5 more places · 15 Dec – 15 May
Triple Crown of Surfing · Honolulu · 12 Nov – 20 Dec (usually)
Honolulu Marathon · Honolulu · 13 Dec
Winterfest Boat Parade · Fort Lauderdale · 8–16 Dec (usually)

Seasons in force

Peak crowds at 77 of United States's 106 well-known places this month.

Better months for United States

April · 78/100 May · 78/100 October · 76/100 Weakest: January · 62/100

← United States in November United States in January →Best time to visit United States, month by month Compare: Alta vs Big Bend National Park in December