Modesto weather in December: Modesto, California: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Modesto in December has a normal high of 56°F and a normal low of 39°F, a daily mean of 47°F, falling from 59°F on the 1st to 55°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 9 days in a normal December, 2.21 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 13°C and low of 4°C, 56 mm of precipitation in December.
- NOAA stationModesto City County Airport
- Station IDUSW00023258
- Location37.62°N 120.95°W
- Elevation73 ft (22 m)
- From the center3 miles
- Population220,592
- Jan 56° 39°
- Feb 62° 42°
- Mar 68° 45°
- Apr 74° 48°
- May 82° 54°
- Jun 90° 59°
- Jul 95° 63°
- Aug 94° 62°
- Sep 89° 59°
- Oct 79° 52°
- Nov 66° 43°
- Dec 56° 39°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Modesto in December?
The normal high is 56°F and the normal low 39°F, for a daily mean of 47.4°F. December is 7.1°F cooler than November and 0.1°F cooler than January. December is the 12th warmest month of the year in Modesto and the 3rd wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 4°F, from 59°F on December 1 to 55°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 2.4°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 45°F and 50°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 30%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 59°F | 40°F | 25% | 14% |
| December 8 | 57°F | 39°F | 27% | 16% |
| December 15 | 56°F | 38°F | 29% | 17% |
| December 22 | 55°F | 38°F | 29% | 18% |
| December 31 | 55°F | 38°F | 30% | 18% |
Every day of December: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon December 1, coldest night December 22)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 59°F | 40°F | 25% | 14% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 2 | 59°F | 40°F | 25% | 15% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 3 | 59°F | 40°F | 26% | 15% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 4 | 58°F | 40°F | 26% | 15% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 5 | 58°F | 39°F | 26% | 15% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 6 | 58°F | 39°F | 27% | 16% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 7 | 58°F | 39°F | 27% | 16% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 8 | 57°F | 39°F | 27% | 16% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 9 | 57°F | 39°F | 27% | 16% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 10 | 57°F | 39°F | 28% | 17% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 11 | 57°F | 39°F | 28% | 17% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 12 | 56°F | 39°F | 28% | 17% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 13 | 56°F | 39°F | 28% | 17% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 14 | 56°F | 39°F | 29% | 17% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 15 | 56°F | 38°F | 29% | 17% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 16 | 56°F | 38°F | 29% | 17% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 17 | 56°F | 38°F | 29% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 18 | 56°F | 38°F | 29% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 19 | 55°F | 38°F | 29% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 20 | 55°F | 38°F | 29% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 21 | 55°F | 38°F | 29% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 22 | 55°F | 38°F | 29% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 23 | 55°F | 38°F | 30% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 24 | 55°F | 38°F | 30% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 25 | 55°F | 38°F | 30% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 26 | 55°F | 38°F | 30% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 27 | 55°F | 38°F | 30% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 28 | 55°F | 38°F | 30% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 29 | 55°F | 38°F | 30% | 18% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 30 | 55°F | 38°F | 30% | 18% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 31 | 55°F | 38°F | 30% | 18% | 9 h 40 min |
- Normal high
- 56°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 39°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 2.21 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 90.01 inch or more
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 6
- Daylight
- 9 h 50 min to 9 h 40 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 72%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00023258; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain in Modesto in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 28% on average, highest around December 31 (30%). In all, 2.21 in falls on 9 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Modesto, 6 nights fall to freezing.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00023258.
What are the records for December in Modesto?
The warmest December temperature on this station's record (since 1927) is 75°F, on December 1, 1977; the coldest is 18°F, on December 13, 1932. The wettest December brought 6.94 in (2022).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 47.4°F: 2021 46.9°F (−0.5), 2022 45.4°F (−2.0), 2023 50.7°F (+3.3), 2024 51.0°F (+3.6). 2 of 4 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 46.9°F | −0.5°F | 5.09 in |
| 2022 | 45.4°F | −2.0°F | 6.94 in |
| 2023 | 50.7°F | +3.3°F | 2.79 in |
| 2024 | 51.0°F | +3.6°F | 2.26 in |
Source: records: ACIS, station USW00023258; recent months: ACIS, station USW00023258. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Modesto compare across California?
Across the 219 places PlainClimate covers in California, December normal highs run from 38°F in Tahoma to 71°F in Anaheim; Modesto's is 56°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.