December is one of the cooler months of the year in Tuscaloosa, with average highs near 14°C and lows around 2.7°C (mean 8.4°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 128 mm of rainfall and 83% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Tuscaloosa. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Tuscaloosa was 2021 — when the month averaged 13.6°C — while the coldest was 1989 at 2.7°C. Typical December days reach 14°C with nights near 2.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.6°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Tuscaloosa, averaging 128 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2018 with 271 mm, while the driest was 2025 at 44 mm.
Relative humidity in Tuscaloosa during December averages 83%. The most humid December was 1986 at 88%, and the least humid were 2010 and 2023 at 75%.
December receives about 2.3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Tuscaloosa. The sunniest December was 1985 at 2.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1986 and 1992 at 1.8.
Average wind speed in Tuscaloosa during December is 0.1 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 2011, 2017 and 2025, among others at 0.2 m/s, while the calmest were 2022, 2023 and 2024, among others at 0.1 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 7.2°C | 8.5°C | 7.5°C | 9.3°C | 9.8°C | +2.6°C |
| Avg High | 12.7°C | 14.1°C | 13.4°C | 14.8°C | 15.8°C | +3.1°C |
| Avg Low | 1.8°C | 2.9°C | 1.8°C | 3.8°C | 3.7°C | +1.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 135 mm | 118 mm | 125 mm | 159 mm | 88 mm | -47 mm |
December temperatures in Tuscaloosa have risen by about 2.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -15.2°C (1983) to a record high of 26°C (1998).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 128 mm, with a wettest year of 271 mm.
A quieter season to visit Tuscaloosa
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of May and September tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Tuscaloosa. That said, December — with days averaging 14°C and nights around 2.7°C (mean 8.4°C) and higher rainfall (128 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15.2°C | 8.9°C | 2.5°C | 24.7°C | -7.6°C | 44 mm | 79% | 0.2 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 15.5°C | 9.4°C | 3.2°C | 23.2°C | -4.9°C | 105 mm | 78% | 0.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2023 | 16.0°C | 9.5°C | 3.1°C | 24.8°C | -3.1°C | 79 mm | 75% | 0.1 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2022 | 14.6°C | 9.5°C | 4.5°C | 25.5°C | -11.7°C | 96 mm | 83% | 0.1 m/s | 2 |
| 2021 🔥 | 19.4°C | 13.6°C | 7.7°C | 25.7°C | -2.4°C | 109 mm | 87% | 0.1 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2020 | 14.2°C | 7.7°C | 1.3°C | 20.6°C | -5.6°C | 97 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2019 | 15.8°C | 10.5°C | 5.1°C | 24.0°C | -4.0°C | 140 mm | 86% | 0.1 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2018 🌧️ | 13.8°C | 8.9°C | 4.1°C | 24.3°C | -4.0°C | 271 mm | 87% | 0.1 m/s | 2 |
| 2017 | 13.5°C | 7.8°C | 2.2°C | 24.6°C | -6.8°C | 83 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 2 |
| 2016 | 15.5°C | 9.6°C | 3.8°C | 24.8°C | -5.3°C | 77 mm | 80% | 0.1 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2015 | 18.6°C | 13.5°C | 8.5°C | 25.4°C | -1.8°C | 212 mm | 87% | 0.1 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2014 | 15.6°C | 10.1°C | 4.7°C | 23.9°C | -1.8°C | 195 mm | 86% | 0.1 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2013 | 13.9°C | 8.4°C | 2.8°C | 25.6°C | -6.2°C | 223 mm | 85% | 0.1 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2012 | 16.0°C | 10.1°C | 4.2°C | 22.6°C | -5.5°C | 210 mm | 83% | 0.1 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2011 | 15.1°C | 9.4°C | 3.7°C | 21.8°C | -4.3°C | 134 mm | 84% | 0.2 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2010 | 10.2°C | 4.4°C | -1.5°C | 18.9°C | -6.8°C | 46 mm | 75% | 0.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2009 | 11.4°C | 6.3°C | 1.3°C | 22.6°C | -4.9°C | 202 mm | 86% | 0.1 m/s | 2 |
| 2008 | 14.5°C | 9.0°C | 3.4°C | 23.1°C | -7.3°C | 169 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2007 | 16.9°C | 11.0°C | 5.1°C | 25.6°C | -4.9°C | 78 mm | 79% | 0.1 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2006 | 15.8°C | 9.4°C | 3.1°C | 23.8°C | -7.3°C | 128 mm | 80% | 0.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2005 | 12.1°C | 6.0°C | -0.1°C | 20.5°C | -6.1°C | 91 mm | 80% | 0.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2004 | 12.7°C | 6.9°C | 1.2°C | 21.7°C | -6.7°C | 87 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2003 | 12.5°C | 6.1°C | -0.3°C | 17.8°C | -4.6°C | 66 mm | 81% | 0.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2002 | 13.1°C | 7.6°C | 2.1°C | 21.6°C | -5.4°C | 194 mm | 84% | 0.1 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2001 | 15.2°C | 9.5°C | 3.9°C | 22.8°C | -6.2°C | 129 mm | 84% | 0.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2000 | 9.3°C | 3.6°C | -2.0°C | 23.1°C | -8.2°C | 103 mm | 78% | 0.1 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1999 | 15.0°C | 8.4°C | 1.8°C | 22.5°C | -5.9°C | 88 mm | 79% | 0.1 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1998 | 15.9°C | 10.5°C | 5.0°C | 26.0°C | -3.8°C | 121 mm | 85% | 0.1 m/s | 2 |
| 1997 | 11.3°C | 6.2°C | 1.2°C | 18.2°C | -5.4°C | 114 mm | 87% | 0.2 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1996 | 15.1°C | 9.2°C | 3.3°C | 22.8°C | -6.5°C | 106 mm | 84% | 0.1 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1995 | 12.1°C | 6.5°C | 0.9°C | 21.6°C | -8.0°C | 125 mm | 83% | 0.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1994 | 15.1°C | 9.8°C | 4.5°C | 21.4°C | -4.3°C | 119 mm | 87% | 0.1 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1993 | 12.3°C | 7.1°C | 1.8°C | 20.9°C | -5.4°C | 94 mm | 84% | 0.1 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1992 | 12.6°C | 7.8°C | 3.0°C | 19.6°C | -2.5°C | 148 mm | 88% | 0.1 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1991 | 15.1°C | 9.3°C | 3.5°C | 25.2°C | -4.7°C | 117 mm | 84% | 0.1 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1990 | 16.2°C | 10.3°C | 4.3°C | 24.2°C | -6.5°C | 144 mm | 83% | 0.2 m/s | 2 |
| 1989 ❄️ | 8.2°C | 2.7°C | -2.7°C | 18.4°C | -14.7°C | 135 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1988 | 13.7°C | 7.6°C | 1.5°C | 21.5°C | -5.4°C | 110 mm | 82% | 0.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1987 | 15.8°C | 9.9°C | 4.0°C | 24.5°C | -5.7°C | 91 mm | 80% | 0.1 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1986 | 11.7°C | 6.9°C | 2.1°C | 20.6°C | -3.5°C | 98 mm | 88% | 0.1 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1985 | 10.8°C | 4.8°C | -1.2°C | 22.1°C | -7.2°C | 96 mm | 78% | 0.1 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1984 | 17.9°C | 12.5°C | 7.0°C | 23.9°C | -6.9°C | 73 mm | 87% | 0.1 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1983 | 10.1°C | 4.6°C | -0.9°C | 22.4°C | -15.2°C | 249 mm | 82% | 0.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 15.0°C | 10.3°C | 5.7°C | 23.5°C | -5.8°C | 206 mm | 87% | 0.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 10.9°C | 5.6°C | 0.4°C | 19.6°C | -7.7°C | 160 mm | 78% | 0.1 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 14°C with lows near 2.7°C (mean 8.4°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 128 mm of rainfall in Tuscaloosa, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 271 mm in 2018.
The hottest December reached 26°C in 1998. The coldest dipped to -15.2°C in 1983.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 2.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 12.9°C to 16.1°C and overnight lows from 2.2°C to 4.2°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Tuscaloosa and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 14°C daytime highs and 2.7°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 2nd coolest month in Tuscaloosa, averaging 8.4°C.
For December in Tuscaloosa, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 14°C and lows of 2.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 83% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 0.1 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 0.2 m/s (1988).
The wettest December on record was 2018 with 271 mm. On average, December sees 128 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 Tuscaloosa 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.
