December is one of the warmer months of the year in Alice Springs, with average highs near 36.5°C and lows around 21.4°C (mean 29°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 41 mm of rainfall and 31% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Alice Springs. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Alice Springs was 2019 — when the month averaged 32.5°C — while the coldest were 2010 and 2020 at 26.6°C. Typical December days reach 36.5°C with nights near 21.4°C. The long-term December temperature trend is broadly flat.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Alice Springs, averaging 41 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2001 with 177 mm, while the driest were 2018 and 2019 at 0 mm.
Relative humidity in Alice Springs during December averages 31%. The most humid December was 2001 at 51%, and the least humid was 2019 at 17%.
December receives about 7.7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Alice Springs. The sunniest Decembers were 1985 and 2019 at 8.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2016 at 6.2.
Average wind speed in Alice Springs during December is 3.6 m/s. The windiest December was 2000 at 4.4 m/s, while the calmest were 2001 and 2008 at 3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 29.1°C | 28.8°C | 28.5°C | 29.3°C | 29.1°C | 0°C |
| Avg High | 36.8°C | 36.4°C | 35.9°C | 36.7°C | 36.7°C | -0.1°C |
| Avg Low | 21.3°C | 21.1°C | 21.1°C | 21.9°C | 21.5°C | +0.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 43 mm | 36 mm | 50 mm | 39 mm | 37 mm | -6 mm |
December temperatures in Alice Springs have stayed relatively stable across the record.
December has ranged from a record low of 11.3°C (1981) to a record high of 45.8°C (2019).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 41 mm, with a wettest year of 177 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0°C per decade while lows rose 0.2°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Alice Springs
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of April and September tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Alice Springs. That said, December — with days averaging 36.5°C and nights around 21.4°C (mean 29°C) and moderate rainfall (41 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the warmth, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37.2°C | 29.1°C | 20.9°C | 42.6°C | 14.3°C | 4 mm | 25% | 3.9 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 38.6°C | 31.3°C | 24.0°C | 42.6°C | 18.9°C | 34 mm | 30% | 3.5 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2023 | 38.7°C | 30.1°C | 21.5°C | 43.3°C | 13.3°C | 1 mm | 23% | 3.5 m/s | 8.4 |
| 2022 | 34.9°C | 27.9°C | 20.9°C | 41.8°C | 14.4°C | 67 mm | 37% | 3.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2021 | 37.5°C | 29.5°C | 21.6°C | 43.5°C | 16.1°C | 18 mm | 25% | 3.4 m/s | 8.2 |
| 2020 | 33.2°C | 26.6°C | 20.0°C | 42.4°C | 12.9°C | 101 mm | 42% | 4 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2019 🔥 | 41.0°C | 32.5°C | 23.9°C | 45.8°C | 16.3°C | 0 mm | 17% | 3.6 m/s | 8.6 |
| 2018 | 39.6°C | 31.3°C | 23.0°C | 44.2°C | 14.8°C | 0 mm | 20% | 3.8 m/s | 8.4 |
| 2017 | 37.7°C | 30.1°C | 22.6°C | 42.6°C | 14.1°C | 4 mm | 23% | 3.4 m/s | 7.7 |
| 2016 | 34.6°C | 28.5°C | 22.4°C | 41.3°C | 14.5°C | 67 mm | 45% | 3.8 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2015 | 35.7°C | 29.1°C | 22.4°C | 41.5°C | 17.0°C | 34 mm | 38% | 4 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2014 | 36.4°C | 29.2°C | 22.0°C | 42.8°C | 13.2°C | 78 mm | 39% | 3.2 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2013 | 35.6°C | 28.2°C | 20.9°C | 42.5°C | 14.5°C | 47 mm | 31% | 3.4 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2012 | 36.9°C | 29.5°C | 22.0°C | 42.1°C | 18.1°C | 45 mm | 32% | 3.8 m/s | 7.5 |
| 2011 | 35.2°C | 28.0°C | 20.7°C | 40.9°C | 13.8°C | 40 mm | 33% | 3.6 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2010 ❄️ | 34.2°C | 26.6°C | 19.0°C | 39.4°C | 13.2°C | 71 mm | 41% | 3.6 m/s | 7.9 |
| 2009 | 36.2°C | 28.2°C | 20.2°C | 43.2°C | 15.8°C | 18 mm | 28% | 3.9 m/s | 7.8 |
| 2008 | 35.5°C | 28.2°C | 21.0°C | 41.2°C | 13.0°C | 69 mm | 38% | 3 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2007 | 35.9°C | 28.7°C | 21.4°C | 42.6°C | 15.1°C | 21 mm | 30% | 3.7 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2006 | 35.5°C | 28.4°C | 21.2°C | 41.8°C | 12.4°C | 51 mm | 27% | 3.8 m/s | 7.6 |
| 2005 | 36.2°C | 29.1°C | 22.1°C | 43.2°C | 16.1°C | 47 mm | 36% | 3.1 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2004 | 37.3°C | 29.1°C | 20.8°C | 43.0°C | 14.9°C | 5 mm | 21% | 3.8 m/s | 8.1 |
| 2003 | 37.0°C | 30.1°C | 23.1°C | 40.9°C | 19.1°C | 43 mm | 36% | 3.3 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2002 | 37.7°C | 29.3°C | 20.9°C | 43.7°C | 12.2°C | 3 mm | 22% | 3.4 m/s | 8 |
| 2001 🌧️ | 34.0°C | 27.3°C | 20.6°C | 40.1°C | 16.0°C | 177 mm | 51% | 3 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2000 | 33.7°C | 26.9°C | 20.1°C | 38.7°C | 14.9°C | 67 mm | 43% | 4.4 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1999 | 34.7°C | 27.7°C | 20.6°C | 41.2°C | 14.7°C | 82 mm | 38% | 3.5 m/s | 7.4 |
| 1998 | 35.8°C | 28.7°C | 21.6°C | 40.5°C | 17.2°C | 31 mm | 29% | 3.6 m/s | 7.4 |
| 1997 | 36.8°C | 29.8°C | 22.8°C | 41.0°C | 18.8°C | 38 mm | 33% | 3.4 m/s | 7.6 |
| 1996 | 37.5°C | 30.0°C | 22.6°C | 43.9°C | 15.6°C | 34 mm | 26% | 4.1 m/s | 7.4 |
| 1995 | 36.6°C | 28.6°C | 20.6°C | 42.8°C | 13.1°C | 55 mm | 30% | 3.6 m/s | 8.2 |
| 1994 | 36.5°C | 28.8°C | 21.1°C | 41.4°C | 16.4°C | 16 mm | 26% | 3.7 m/s | 8.2 |
| 1993 | 34.7°C | 27.5°C | 20.2°C | 40.3°C | 14.9°C | 44 mm | 35% | 3.7 m/s | 7.7 |
| 1992 | 35.6°C | 27.7°C | 19.8°C | 40.6°C | 12.7°C | 30 mm | 32% | 3.7 m/s | 8.4 |
| 1991 | 37.5°C | 28.9°C | 20.2°C | 42.9°C | 15.2°C | 10 mm | 21% | 3.5 m/s | 8.5 |
| 1990 | 38.4°C | 30.0°C | 21.6°C | 44.3°C | 15.5°C | 24 mm | 22% | 4 m/s | 8.3 |
| 1989 | 36.7°C | 28.9°C | 21.1°C | 41.3°C | 13.9°C | 44 mm | 28% | 3.2 m/s | 8.1 |
| 1988 | 35.0°C | 28.1°C | 21.1°C | 42.7°C | 14.5°C | 99 mm | 38% | 3.7 m/s | 7.6 |
| 1987 | 35.2°C | 27.9°C | 20.6°C | 40.8°C | 13.9°C | 56 mm | 34% | 3.7 m/s | 7.6 |
| 1986 | 36.8°C | 28.6°C | 20.4°C | 42.4°C | 14.7°C | 21 mm | 27% | 3.8 m/s | 8.4 |
| 1985 | 38.5°C | 30.2°C | 21.9°C | 42.7°C | 16.6°C | 4 mm | 22% | 3.7 m/s | 8.6 |
| 1984 | 37.2°C | 29.7°C | 22.2°C | 42.6°C | 17.8°C | 58 mm | 30% | 3.4 m/s | 7.7 |
| 1983 | 37.4°C | 29.2°C | 20.9°C | 41.4°C | 11.5°C | 20 mm | 27% | 3.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 37.2°C | 29.9°C | 22.6°C | 43.2°C | 15.2°C | 33 mm | 27% | 3.3 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 37.5°C | 29.4°C | 21.3°C | 45.1°C | 11.3°C | 54 mm | 28% | 3.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 36.5°C with lows near 21.4°C (mean 29°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 41 mm of rainfall in Alice Springs, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 177 mm in 2001.
The hottest December reached 45.8°C in 2019. The coldest dipped to 11.3°C in 1981.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have fallen by about 0.1°C. Daytime highs moved from 37.6°C to 37.4°C and overnight lows from 21.8°C to 21.8°C over the same span.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Alice Springs and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 36.5°C daytime highs and 21.4°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 11th coolest month in Alice Springs, averaging 29°C.
For December in Alice Springs, pack light, breathable clothing and sun protection, with typical highs of 36.5°C and lows of 21.4°C.
Relative humidity in December averages 31% — relatively dry.
Average wind speed in December is 3.6 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 4.4 m/s (2000).
The wettest December on record was 2001 with 177 mm. On average, December sees 41 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Alice Springs behaves each December, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for December specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
