Taos weather in December
December in Taos: cold, dry, with clean air — a great time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#11 of 12 months in Taos · #663 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 73/100 (tier B)
- Days
- 8°C
- Nights
- -10°C
- Wet days
- 4
- Sun
- 8.3 h
- Humidity
- 56%
- Daylight
- 10 h

Traveller notes on Taos in December
Other months in Taos
Taos-forum threads on a March visit describe a local saying that the month comes in like a lion and often goes out like a lion too, posters naming genuinely unstable conditions swinging between spring and winter. Regulars call Taos Pueblo genuinely closed to visitors from early March through the third week of April, several posters naming this a real closure worth planning around. Posters call the Enchanted Circle a real standard option for non-skiing activities, several regulars naming Red River, Angel Fire and hiking near Ojo as popular picks alongside day trips to Bandelier and Ghost Ranch. Regulars call Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Spa a genuine March highlight, several threads naming crisp cold air against the springs as memorable. Posters recommend early March for anyone still hoping to ski Taos Ski Valley, several regulars calling this the more reliable window before conditions soften. The record: 12.7C days, -4C nights, 29.6mm across over 6 days and 52 percent humidity.
Taos-forum threads on a September visit call this a strong month for art, posters describing the week of the seventeenth through the twenty-fourth as packed with concurrent shows including Aspencade, the Talpa Art and Craft Fair, the Ledoux Street Art Stroll and the Taos Fall Arts Festival. Regulars call the Taos Convention Center home to three concurrent shows during the festival specifically, a real hub for anyone touring the wider September art scene. Posters call hotel prices genuinely their lowest between September and November, a real advantage for budget-conscious visitors timing a trip around the art shows. Regulars recommend Taos Pueblo alongside hiking and local dining as solid September additions beyond the gallery circuit. Posters recommend real layers for cooler evenings despite comfortable daytime warmth, elevation here delivering a genuine temperature swing after dark. The record: 27C days feeling like 28C, 7.5C nights, 32.1mm across over 5 days and 40 percent humidity.
Taos-forum threads on driving conditions in February describe the roads in town as reliably plowed and usually cleared by mid-morning after a storm, posters calling this rarely a real problem except right after fresh snowfall. Regulars call the drive up to Taos Ski Valley a genuinely different story, the road gaining real elevation fast enough that a storm barely touching town can hit the upper switchbacks hard. Posters recommend checking road conditions for that stretch before heading up, conditions capable of shifting within the same afternoon. Regulars describe the town as comfortably walkable regardless of a recent storm, most businesses staying open through typical winter weather. Posters call real winter tires or chains worth having for the mountain road even if the valley floor looks clear. Regulars recommend real layers given how much colder the ski valley runs than town. The record: 7.7C days feeling like 3C, -8.4C nights, 24.4mm across over 5 days and 60 percent humidity.
Taos-forum threads on a January visit describe conditions here as genuinely strong for skiers, the ski valley regularly named among the better regional spots for reliable base depth this deep into winter. Posters call late January and February the real sweet spot locally, coverage typically well established by then. Regulars describe the shuttle bus between town and the ski valley as a real convenience, running several times daily without needing a car for the mountain portion of a trip. Posters recommend booking early in the month for the better discounts, demand climbing noticeably as the month progresses. Regulars call real cold-weather layers essential regardless of how sunny the sky looks, daytime warmth from the sun a real deception against the genuinely cold air. Posters call the adobe old town worth a full day beyond the mountain itself. The record: 5.5C days feeling like 1C, -11.7C nights, a notably high 26.4cm of fresh accumulation and 62 percent humidity.
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Taos climate normals — December
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Taos 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 crowdsTaos Pueblo Christmas, Winter / Christmas break in United States, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Taos'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 weatherTaos's best weather comes in April, May and October — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Taos in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Ski season
26 Nov – 5 Apr · usuallyTaos Ski Valley opens around Thanksgiving and runs to early April, steep enough that it refused snowboarders until 2008. Kachina Peak needs a settled base and a hike, and opens when it opens. Source ↗
- Festival
Taos Pueblo Christmas
24–25 DecChristmas & New YearCrowdedBonfires of stacked cedar light the plaza on Christmas Eve for the procession of the Virgin, and the deer dance follows on Christmas morning. No cameras, no phones, and it is very cold. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Taos — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Taos?
Taos in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Taos?
- December in Taos: cold, dry, with clean air — a great time to visit. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Taos on SeasonMap's comfort score (73/100).
- What is the weather like in Taos in December?
- In December, Taos averages a daily high of 7.7°C and a low of -9.8°C, with about 21.3 mm of rain over roughly 4 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Taos in December?
- Taos has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 39 in December.
- Does it snow in Taos in December?
- Taos sees roughly 17.4 cm of snowfall in December.
Within 300 km: Santa Fe's Canyon Road farolito walk on 24 Dec, and Albuquerque's Christmas luminarias on 20–26 Dec.