Alice Springs weather in December

December in Alice Springs: sweltering, a little rain, with clean air — a gamble, with 35°C afternoons.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Alice Springs🇦🇺 Australia · Western Australia & the Outback · City61
  1. 55Jan
  2. 62Feb
  3. 73Mar
  4. 89Apr
  5. 91May
  6. 84Jun
  7. 86Jul
  8. 93Aug
  9. 88Sep
  10. 81Oct
  11. 75Nov
  12. 61Dec

#11 of 12 months in Alice Springs · #953 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 61/100 (tier C)

Days
36°C
Nights
21°C
Wet days
4
Sun
11.3 h
Humidity
31%
Daylight
14 h
Alice Springs, Australia
Photo: Bahnfrend · CC BY-SA 4.0

Traveller notes on Alice Springs in December

Other months in Alice Springs

Forum posters describe February as genuinely hot around Alice Springs, warning that nights in a campervan can be uncomfortable even after the sun goes down, and that heat waves can push highs into the mid-to-high 40sC on the worst days, though typical daily highs run distinctly cooler than that extreme. Posters describe rain reaching the Red Centre as genuinely variable, with some years seeing monsoon moisture push this far south and other years missing it almost entirely - though the full 12-month climate record shows January, not February, is actually Alice Springs' wettest month on average, with February a step drier. Posters warn that hiking trails can be closed by rangers on the hottest days, and that a self-drive out to Uluru in peak summer heat isn't something posters generally recommend attempting. Posters generally rate February as hot, occasionally extreme, and better suited to short outdoor stints between air-conditioned breaks than a Red Centre visit centered on hiking.
Tripadvisor community · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
August is late winter in the Red Centre, and the forum calls it the right time precisely because the desert is unbearable in summer. Days sit near 23°C with clean, crisp air and effectively no rain. The figure that catches people out is the night: an average low of 8°C, and early August can drop to zero or below — campers at Uluru ask about this constantly, and the honest answer is that it is very doable with the right gear rather than that it is mild. One bonus regulars mention: after a wet winter, wildflowers come up right across August to October.
Tripadvisor community · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Alice Springs climate normals — December

Daytime high36°C / 98°F🔥 sweltering
Nighttime low21°C / 69°F
Feels like (high)35°C / 95°F
Rainfall41 mm / 1.6 in🌦 some rain
Rainy days4 days
Humidity31%🌵 dry
Dew point8°C / 46°F
Sunshine11.3 h/day
Daylight13.6 h
Wind22 km/h / 14 mph
Air quality (US AQI)29🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Alice Springs in December

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

Peak crowdsChristmas and Boxing Day, Summer holidays in Australia, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Alice Springs's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Toughest weatherAlice Springs's best weather comes in April, May and August — separate windows, not one continuous season.

December coincides with The heat closes the walking.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Alice Springs in December

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Season

    The heat closes the walking

    1 Dec – 28 FebExtreme heat

    From December the long trails are advised against, guided walks stand down, and the town runs on early mornings and waterholes. It is the emptiest stretch of the year and the cheapest to fly into. Source ↗

  • Holiday

    Christmas and Boxing Day

    24 Dec – 1 JanChristmas & New YearClosuresCrowded

    Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day are public holidays at the start of the long summer break: many shops, cafes and tours close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day sales fill the shopping centres, and much of the country is away on holiday until late January. Source ↗

What's on around the world in December →

Where is Alice Springs?

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Alice Springs in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Alice Springs?
December in Alice Springs: sweltering, a little rain, with clean air — a gamble, with 35°C afternoons. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Alice Springs on SeasonMap's comfort score (61/100).
What is the weather like in Alice Springs in December?
In December, Alice Springs averages a daily high of 36.4°C and a low of 20.8°C, with about 41 mm of rain over roughly 4.2 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Alice Springs in December?
Alice Springs has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 29 in December.