Clayton weather in December: Clayton, New Mexico: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Clayton in December has a normal high of 49°F and a normal low of 22°F, a daily mean of 35°F, falling from 52°F on the 1st to 48°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 4 days in a normal December, 0.42 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 9°C and low of −6°C, 11 mm of precipitation and 17 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationClayton Municipal Air Park
- Station IDUSW00023051
- Location36.45°N 103.15°W
- Elevation4,960 ft (1,512 m)
- Population2,559
- Jan 50° 21°
- Feb 52° 23°
- Mar 60° 30°
- Apr 67° 37°
- May 76° 47°
- Jun 86° 56°
- Jul 90° 61°
- Aug 87° 60°
- Sep 80° 53°
- Oct 69° 40°
- Nov 58° 30°
- Dec 49° 22°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Clayton in December?
The normal high is 49°F and the normal low 22°F, for a daily mean of 35.3°F. December is 8.4°F cooler than November and 0.2°F cooler than January. December is the 12th warmest month of the year in Clayton and the 10th wettest, and the snowiest. Across the month the normal high falls 4°F, from 52°F on December 1 to 48°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 2.6°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 33°F and 38°F.
Bars above: each day's normal high to low. Columns below: the chance of 0.01 inch or more of precipitation that day, on a scale of 0 to 100% (highest 12%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 52°F | 25°F | 11% | 3% |
| December 8 | 49°F | 23°F | 12% | 3% |
| December 15 | 48°F | 22°F | 12% | 3% |
| December 22 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 4% |
| December 31 | 48°F | 21°F | 11% | 3% |
Every day of December: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon December 1, coldest night December 27)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 52°F | 25°F | 11% | 3% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 2 | 51°F | 24°F | 11% | 3% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 3 | 51°F | 24°F | 11% | 3% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 4 | 51°F | 24°F | 11% | 3% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 5 | 50°F | 24°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 6 | 50°F | 23°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 7 | 50°F | 23°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 8 | 49°F | 23°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 9 | 49°F | 23°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 10 | 49°F | 22°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 11 | 49°F | 22°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 12 | 49°F | 22°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 13 | 48°F | 22°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 14 | 48°F | 22°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 15 | 48°F | 22°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 16 | 48°F | 22°F | 12% | 4% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 17 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 4% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 18 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 4% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 19 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 4% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 20 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 4% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 21 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 4% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 22 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 4% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 23 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 4% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 24 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 4% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 25 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 4% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 26 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 4% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 27 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 4% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 28 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 29 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 30 | 48°F | 21°F | 12% | 3% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 31 | 48°F | 21°F | 11% | 3% | 9 h 40 min |
- Normal high
- 49°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 22°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 0.42 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 40.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 6.8 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 27
- Daylight
- 9 h 50 min to 9 h 40 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Days at 70°F or more
- 1
- Sunshine
- 80%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00023051; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Clayton in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 12% on average, highest around December 18 (12%). In all, 0.42 in falls on 4 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Clayton, 27 nights fall to freezing, 4 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 6.8 inches.
Snow falls on 3 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 4 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00023051.
How humid and windy is Clayton in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 44°F with 34% relative humidity and a dew point of 18°F; at 6 a.m. it is 28°F with 59% humidity. The wind averages 11.9 mph, most often from the southwest in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 28°F | 15°F | 59% | 11.3 mph | – |
| 9 a.m. | 35°F | 17°F | 48% | 11.9 mph | – |
| noon | 43°F | 17°F | 35% | 14.2 mph | – |
| 3 p.m. | 44°F | 18°F | 34% | 13.9 mph | – |
| 6 p.m. | 34°F | 18°F | 52% | 10.4 mph | – |
| 9 p.m. | 30°F | 17°F | 58% | 11.1 mph | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00023051. Hourly normals exist only for NOAA's first-order stations; a dash where NOAA publishes no value for that hour (the sky at some hours).
What are the records for December in Clayton?
The warmest December temperature on Clayton's official record (since 1896) is 83°F, on December 23, 1955; the coldest is −14°F, on December 21, 1983. The wettest December brought 2.54 in (2006); the snowiest, 34.4 inches (2006).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 35.3°F: 2021 43.1°F (+7.8), 2022 35.2°F (−0.1), 2023 39.8°F (+4.5), 2024 42.2°F (+6.9), 2025 45.4°F (+10.1). 4 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 43.1°F | +7.8°F | 0.00 in |
| 2022 | 35.2°F | −0.1°F | 0.05 in |
| 2023 | 39.8°F | +4.5°F | 0.99 in |
| 2024 | 42.2°F | +6.9°F | 0.00 in |
| 2025 | 45.4°F | +10.1°F | 0.14 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record CAOthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00023051. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Clayton compare across New Mexico?
Across the 98 places PlainClimate covers in New Mexico, December normal highs run from 35°F in Red River to 60°F in Jal; Clayton's is 49°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.