Houston weather in December

December in Houston: nice, rainy, with clean air — a great time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Houston🇺🇸 United States · US South · City77
  1. 70Jan
  2. 80Feb
  3. 90Mar
  4. 85Apr
  5. 68May
  6. 58Jun
  7. 53Jul
  8. 48Aug
  9. 61Sep
  10. 78Oct
  11. 88Nov
  12. 77Dec

#6 of 12 months in Houston · #551 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 77/100 (tier B)

Days
20°C
Nights
10°C
Wet days
7
Sun
6.6 h
Humidity
77%
Daylight
10 h
Houston, United States
Photo: Jeswin Thomas · Pexels

Traveller notes on Houston in December

Other months in Houston

Regulars widely call this the year's best weather month, with humidity noticeably lower than the stifling summer stretch that runs through September, though they're honest this is relative - someone who genuinely dislikes humidity may still find it uncomfortable even by the city's own improved standard. Our row backs that read, 29C over 18.4C nights, with 82.4mm of rain across 6.4 days. Regulars note early-month days can still push into the high 80s or low 90s Fahrenheit before a cold front typically arrives later in the month to cool things down, and that hurricane risk has largely passed by this point, with the more serious storm activity concentrated in August and September instead. The record: humidity 72 percent, 9 hours of sun, a 16.3 kph wind and AQI 45.
BestMonthWeatherWiseAccordingToRegulars · October · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Regulars call February one of this city's two worst-behaved months, alongside January, and describe a real split within it: early in the month lows can sit in the mid-30s to 50s Fahrenheit, while late February can swing to highs in the mid-50s to 70s. Our row averages across that at 20.7C reading as 20C over 10C nights, with 79.3mm of rain across 7.7 days - and a trace of snow, 0.6cm, that most years never lands. Whichever half of the month you land in depends on how far south a Canadian cold front has pushed, which is the honest reason no single number describes it well. Humidity stays real even in the cooler stretch, and Houston's own line for it is warm-feeling sixties and seventies. The record: 6.7 hours of sun, a 20.3 kph wind and AQI 44.
EarlyChillyLateInTheSeventies · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
April is one of the three months regulars name for outdoor plans here, alongside March and November, and their instruction is layers you can shed: a late cold front can still come through and drop the temperature sharply for a day. Our row gives 26.8C reading as 28C over 16.6C nights, with 76.4mm across 5.7 days. The number that separates this from Austin two hundred miles west is humidity - 75 percent here against 68 there, on nearly identical temperatures - and it is why the same 27C feels heavier. Their other rule is negative and firm: do not come in summer. The record: a dew point of 14.7C, 9.2 hours of sun, a 21.4 kph wind and AQI 43.
LayersYouCanShed · April · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
March is the month Houston regulars name without hesitation: outside hurricane season, relatively dry, and sunny enough that mid-70s Fahrenheit days are the expectation, with lows nearer 50F. What they warn about is the swing inside a single day - you can start in jeans and a sweatshirt and be out of the sweatshirt by ten in the morning - so the packing is layers and a lined windbreaker rather than a heavy coat. The one thing March will not give you is the Gulf: the water at Galveston is still too cold to swim in and the beach can be blustery. The other thing to know is that the rodeo and the local school spring break both land mid-month. The record: 24.5C days, 14.2C nights, 4.8 precipitation days carrying 75.3mm and 8.3 hours of sun.
JeansAtNineShirtsleevesAtTen · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Year-round notes are on Houston's overview. Add your own note from Houston's card on the map.

Houston climate normals — December

Daytime high20°C / 68°F😎 nice
Nighttime low10°C / 50°F
Feels like (high)19°C / 66°F
Rainfall99 mm / 3.9 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days7 days
Humidity77%💦 very humid
Dew point9°C / 49°F
Sunshine6.6 h/day
Daylight10.3 h
Wind19 km/h / 11 mph
Snowfall0.3 cm / 0.1 in
Air quality (US AQI)40🍃 good

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

Crowds in Houston 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 Houston'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).

Fair weatherHouston's best weather comes in March, April and November — separate windows, not one continuous season.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Houston in December

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

  • Season

    The first cool fronts

    15 Oct – 10 Dec · usuallyDry season

    From mid-October the fronts start reaching the coast and the humidity finally breaks. Late autumn is the best stretch of the year here and almost nobody books it.

  • Hazard

    Cedar and oak pollen

    15 Dec – 15 Apr · usuallyPollen season

    Mountain cedar blows in from the Hill Country around the turn of the year, oak takes over through February and March, and the city publishes a pollen count daily because enough people plan their week around it. 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 Houston — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Houston?

Loading map…

Houston in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Houston?
December in Houston: nice, rainy, with clean air — a great time to visit. It ranks #6 of 12 months for Houston on SeasonMap's comfort score (77/100).
What is the weather like in Houston in December?
In December, Houston averages a daily high of 20.2°C and a low of 10.2°C, with about 98.8 mm of rain over roughly 6.6 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Houston in December?
Houston has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 40 in December.

Within 300 km: Austin's Trail of Lights around 8–23 Dec.