Yakima weather in December: Yakima, Washington: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Yakima in December has a normal high of 38°F and a normal low of 23°F, a daily mean of 31°F, falling from 42°F on the 1st to 37°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 10 days in a normal December, 1.44 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 3°C and low of −5°C, 37 mm of precipitation and 20 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationYakima Airport
- Station IDUSW00024243
- Location46.57°N 120.54°W
- Elevation1,064 ft (324 m)
- From the center2 miles
- Population97,390
- Jan 40° 24°
- Feb 47° 26°
- Mar 57° 30°
- Apr 65° 35°
- May 74° 44°
- Jun 81° 50°
- Jul 90° 55°
- Aug 89° 53°
- Sep 79° 45°
- Oct 64° 35°
- Nov 49° 27°
- Dec 38° 23°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Yakima in December?
The normal high is 38°F and the normal low 23°F, for a daily mean of 30.6°F. December is 7.4°F cooler than November and 1.1°F cooler than January. December is the 12th warmest month of the year in Yakima and the wettest, and the snowiest. Across the month the normal high falls 5°F, from 42°F on December 1 to 37°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 3.8°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 27°F and 34°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 34%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 42°F | 24°F | 29% | 12% |
| December 8 | 40°F | 24°F | 31% | 13% |
| December 15 | 38°F | 23°F | 33% | 14% |
| December 22 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 14% |
| December 31 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 15% |
Every day of December: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon December 1, coldest night December 21)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 42°F | 24°F | 29% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 2 | 42°F | 24°F | 29% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 3 | 41°F | 24°F | 30% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 4 | 41°F | 24°F | 30% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 5 | 41°F | 24°F | 30% | 12% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 6 | 40°F | 24°F | 30% | 13% | 8 h 50 min |
| December 7 | 40°F | 24°F | 31% | 13% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 8 | 40°F | 24°F | 31% | 13% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 9 | 39°F | 23°F | 31% | 13% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 10 | 39°F | 23°F | 32% | 13% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 11 | 39°F | 23°F | 32% | 14% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 12 | 38°F | 23°F | 32% | 14% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 13 | 38°F | 23°F | 32% | 14% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 14 | 38°F | 23°F | 32% | 14% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 15 | 38°F | 23°F | 33% | 14% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 16 | 38°F | 23°F | 33% | 14% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 17 | 37°F | 23°F | 33% | 14% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 18 | 37°F | 23°F | 33% | 14% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 19 | 37°F | 23°F | 33% | 14% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 20 | 37°F | 23°F | 33% | 14% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 21 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 14% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 22 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 14% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 23 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 15% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 24 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 15% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 25 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 15% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 26 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 15% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 27 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 15% | 8 h 30 min |
| December 28 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 15% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 29 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 15% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 30 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 15% | 8 h 40 min |
| December 31 | 37°F | 23°F | 34% | 15% | 8 h 40 min |
- Normal high
- 38°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 23°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 1.44 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 100.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 7.7 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 28
- Daylight
- 8 h 50 min to 8 h 40 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 56%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00024243; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Yakima in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 32% on average, highest around December 27 (34%). In all, 1.44 in falls on 10 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Yakima, 28 nights fall to freezing, 8 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 7.7 inches.
Snow falls on 6 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 9 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00024243.
How humid and windy is Yakima in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 35°F with 69% relative humidity and a dew point of 26°F; at 6 a.m. it is 26°F with 85% humidity. The wind averages 3.9 mph, most often from the west in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 26°F | 22°F | 85% | 3.8 mph | 42% |
| 9 a.m. | 28°F | 23°F | 84% | 3.4 mph | 39% |
| noon | 34°F | 26°F | 73% | 3.7 mph | 39% |
| 3 p.m. | 35°F | 26°F | 69% | 4.1 mph | 41% |
| 6 p.m. | 31°F | 25°F | 80% | 4.2 mph | 41% |
| 9 p.m. | 29°F | 24°F | 83% | 4.4 mph | 42% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00024243. 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 Yakima?
The warmest December temperature on Yakima's official record (since 1946) is 72°F, on December 1, 2021; the coldest is −17°F, on December 17, 1964. The wettest December brought 5.59 in (1996); the snowiest, 37.5 inches (1964).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 30.6°F: 2021 32.5°F (+1.9), 2022 23.1°F (−7.5), 2023 38.0°F (+7.4), 2024 34.9°F (+4.3), 2025 39.0°F (+8.4). 4 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 32.5°F | +1.9°F | 0.33 in |
| 2022 | 23.1°F | −7.5°F | 2.17 in |
| 2023 | 38.0°F | +7.4°F | 1.42 in |
| 2024 | 34.9°F | +4.3°F | 2.29 in |
| 2025 | 39.0°F | +8.4°F | 1.56 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record YKMthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00024243. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Yakima compare across Washington?
Across the 96 places PlainClimate covers in Washington, December normal highs run from 29°F in Winthrop to 48°F in Grayland; Yakima's is 38°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.