Clearwater weather in December

December in Clearwater: nice, a little rain, with clean air — a great time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Clearwater🇺🇸 United States · Florida · Beach73
  1. 70Jan
  2. 81Feb
  3. 89Mar
  4. 91Apr
  5. 90May
  6. 79Jun
  7. 72Jul
  8. 74Aug
  9. 80Sep
  10. 86Oct
  11. 83Nov
  12. 73Dec

#10 of 12 months in Clearwater · #641 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 73/100 (tier B)

Days
23°C
Nights
15°C
Wet days
5
Sun
8.2 h
Humidity
80%
Daylight
10 h
Clearwater, United States
Photo: Lalada . · Pexels

Traveller notes on Clearwater in December

Other months in Clearwater

Regulars are specific this remains genuinely within hurricane season, a real tropical storm risk still capable of disrupting travel plans even this late in the year. Our row backs that hot, genuinely wet read, 29.4C reading as a scorching 32C, over 22.3C nights feeling 23C, with a substantial 96.6mm of rain across 6.3 days and humidity at 77 percent. Regulars are consistent daytime temperatures commonly land in the mid-to-upper 80s Fahrenheit, humidity noticeably lower than the peak of summer, the water itself cooled from its 85F high but still genuinely pleasant for swimming. The sea sits at a warm, swimmable 25.7C. The record: 9.7 hours of sun, a 25.7 kph wind and AQI 41.
StillHurricaneSeasonRealRiskRemains · October · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
One regular reports the gulf at 77F for the first week of May; our column gives 27.2C, which is 81F, so as usual the monthly figure describes the back half rather than the front. Either way it is swimming water. Air is 30.1C reading as 34C at 75 percent humidity over 22.1C nights, with a 24.4 kph sea breeze that is most of the reason the beach is bearable at midday. Rain has not yet turned on, 64.9mm across 4 days, with 11.8 hours of sun. The standing advice on this board has nothing to do with weather: check the red tide report before you travel, because a bloom brings sore throats and itchy eyes and moves week to week. The record: AQI 53.
SeventySevenInTheFirstWeek · May · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
April is the month Clearwater-forum regulars name as their favourite: warmed up but not yet the summer mugginess, highs in the low 80s F, lows in the mid 60s, and not usually a wet month. The water is the split decision - averaging about 73F, which visitors from further north find fine and locals still call chilly. The cost is company: snowbirds and spring families overlap, prices run high and hotels book early. Red tide is the wildcard nobody can promise on; it varies year to year, and when it is around the wave action puts toxins into the air, which matters most if you have a chronic respiratory condition. The record: 27.5C days feeling like 30C, 19.1C nights, 4.2 precipitation days, 11.1 hours of sun, a 25.4C Gulf and a 26.5 kph breeze.
SnowbirdSeasonEnd · April · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters describe September as genuinely pleasant compared to the peak heat of June-August, with a typical day starting sunny, clouding over for an hour or two of afternoon rain, then clearing back up - a fully rained-out day is called rare. Warm, clear water is a consistent draw this time of year, conditions permitting. On hurricane season: posters are unbothered, saying the odds of a storm actually disrupting a given visit are firmly in the visitor's favor, though September/October is flagged as the stretch where a tropical storm (short of a full hurricane) is most plausible. Overall it's described as a genuinely favorable, popular time to visit despite technically being hurricane season.
Tripadvisor community · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

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Clearwater climate normals — December

Daytime high23°C / 73°F😎 nice
Nighttime low15°C / 58°F
Feels like (high)23°C / 73°F
Sea temperature19°C / 66°F🧊 bracing
Rainfall73 mm / 2.9 in🌦 some rain
Rainy days5 days
Humidity80%💦 very humid
Dew point15°C / 58°F
Sunshine8.2 h/day
Daylight10.4 h
Wind24 km/h / 15 mph
Air quality (US AQI)38🍃 good

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

Crowds in Clearwater 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 New Year, Winter / Christmas break in United States, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Clearwater'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 weatherClearwater's weather peaks March–May, best around April.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Clearwater in December

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

  • Hazard

    Red tide

    1 Aug – 28 Feb · usually

    Blooms drift in most often from late summer into winter, killing fish and putting an irritant in the air that makes the beach unpleasant within minutes. It is patchy and moves with the wind, so the county posts beach-by-beach status daily. Source ↗

  • Holiday

    Christmas and New Year

    24 Dec – 1 JanChristmas & New YearClosuresCrowded

    Christmas Day and New Year's Day are federal holidays: on 25 December most shops, museums and many restaurants close, and airports stay busy through the week between as families travel. New Year's Eve fills bars and restaurants, many at set-menu prices. Source ↗

What's on around the world in December →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Clearwater — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Clearwater?

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Clearwater in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Clearwater?
December in Clearwater: nice, a little rain, with clean air — a great time to visit. It ranks #10 of 12 months for Clearwater on SeasonMap's comfort score (73/100).
What is the weather like in Clearwater in December?
In December, Clearwater averages a daily high of 22.6°C and a low of 14.7°C, with about 72.6 mm of rain over roughly 5 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Clearwater in December?
Clearwater has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 38 in December.

Within 300 km: St. Augustine's Nights of Lights around 21 Nov – 31 Jan, and Naples, Florida's Stone crab season on 15 Oct – 1 May.