December is one of the cooler months of the year in Little Rock, with average highs near 11.4°C and lows around 0.8°C (mean 6.1°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 129 mm of rainfall and 84% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Little Rock. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Little Rock was 2021 — when the month averaged 12.7°C — while the coldest was 1983 at -1.7°C. Typical December days reach 11.4°C with nights near 0.8°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.7°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Little Rock, averaging 129 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1987 with 309 mm, while the driest was 2005 at 17 mm.
Relative humidity in Little Rock during December averages 84%. The most humid December was 1984 at 92%, and the least humid was 1989 at 68%.
December receives about 2.2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Little Rock. The sunniest December was 2004 at 2.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1992 at 1.6.
Average wind speed in Little Rock during December is 0.4 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 2015, 2018 and 2019, among others at 0.5 m/s, while the calmest were 2023, 2024 and 2025, among others at 0.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 4.7°C | 6.2°C | 5.3°C | 6.7°C | 8.2°C | +3.5°C |
| Avg High | 9.8°C | 11.3°C | 10.8°C | 12.0°C | 13.9°C | +4.1°C |
| Avg Low | -0.4°C | 1.0°C | -0.1°C | 1.4°C | 2.6°C | +3°C |
| Avg Rain | 148 mm | 123 mm | 136 mm | 124 mm | 110 mm | -39 mm |
December temperatures in Little Rock have risen by about 3.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -22.7°C (1983) to a record high of 25.5°C (1998).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 129 mm, with a wettest year of 309 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.8°C per decade while lows rose 0.6°C per decade, widening the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Little Rock
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of May and September tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Little Rock. That said, December — with days averaging 11.4°C and nights around 0.8°C (mean 6.1°C) and higher rainfall (129 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 | 13.1°C | 7.4°C | 1.6°C | 25.0°C | -7.0°C | 20 mm | 81% | 0.4 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 13.6°C | 8.4°C | 3.2°C | 19.9°C | -5.5°C | 174 mm | 83% | 0.4 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2023 | 13.8°C | 7.8°C | 1.9°C | 20.8°C | -4.1°C | 46 mm | 82% | 0.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2022 | 12.1°C | 7.0°C | 1.9°C | 24.3°C | -12.8°C | 136 mm | 84% | 0.4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2021 🔥 | 18.8°C | 12.7°C | 6.5°C | 25.4°C | -3.7°C | 102 mm | 84% | 0.4 m/s | 2 |
| 2020 | 11.7°C | 5.9°C | 0.2°C | 19.4°C | -5.9°C | 180 mm | 87% | 0.4 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2019 | 13.2°C | 8.0°C | 2.8°C | 20.3°C | -3.5°C | 39 mm | 84% | 0.5 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2018 | 10.5°C | 6.3°C | 2.0°C | 19.8°C | -5.9°C | 186 mm | 88% | 0.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2017 | 12.3°C | 6.5°C | 0.7°C | 24.9°C | -6.9°C | 160 mm | 71% | 0.4 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2016 | 11.5°C | 6.0°C | 0.6°C | 24.6°C | -7.8°C | 85 mm | 78% | 0.4 m/s | 2 |
| 2015 | 15.7°C | 10.1°C | 4.5°C | 23.5°C | -2.7°C | 171 mm | 87% | 0.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2014 | 11.6°C | 6.6°C | 1.6°C | 21.5°C | -4.2°C | 58 mm | 86% | 0.4 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2013 | 9.9°C | 4.6°C | -0.7°C | 21.6°C | -10.4°C | 173 mm | 87% | 0.4 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2012 | 13.7°C | 8.3°C | 2.9°C | 24.1°C | -8.1°C | 124 mm | 83% | 0.5 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2011 | 11.5°C | 6.3°C | 1.2°C | 18.4°C | -3.8°C | 207 mm | 88% | 0.4 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2010 | 10.2°C | 4.4°C | -1.4°C | 20.9°C | -6.5°C | 42 mm | 78% | 0.4 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2009 | 8.0°C | 3.5°C | -1.0°C | 17.2°C | -5.9°C | 263 mm | 87% | 0.4 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2008 | 11.4°C | 5.4°C | -0.6°C | 22.1°C | -8.4°C | 117 mm | 80% | 0.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2007 | 13.8°C | 7.9°C | 2.0°C | 23.8°C | -5.1°C | 149 mm | 84% | 0.4 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2006 | 12.4°C | 7.1°C | 1.9°C | 22.5°C | -7.4°C | 146 mm | 84% | 0.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2005 | 11.7°C | 5.5°C | -0.8°C | 22.0°C | -7.6°C | 17 mm | 73% | 0.4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2004 | 11.2°C | 5.5°C | -0.3°C | 20.0°C | -13.1°C | 73 mm | 86% | 0.4 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2003 | 11.9°C | 5.8°C | -0.3°C | 18.9°C | -5.2°C | 76 mm | 80% | 0.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2002 | 10.2°C | 5.5°C | 0.8°C | 20.9°C | -7.6°C | 224 mm | 89% | 0.5 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2001 | 12.7°C | 7.5°C | 2.2°C | 22.5°C | -5.3°C | 209 mm | 86% | 0.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2000 | 4.4°C | -0.4°C | -5.2°C | 15.7°C | -11.6°C | 86 mm | 84% | 0.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1999 | 12.6°C | 6.6°C | 0.6°C | 23.5°C | -5.3°C | 119 mm | 80% | 0.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1998 | 11.4°C | 6.6°C | 1.8°C | 25.5°C | -6.6°C | 126 mm | 84% | 0.4 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1997 | 9.3°C | 4.5°C | -0.4°C | 17.6°C | -5.7°C | 97 mm | 86% | 0.4 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1996 | 11.8°C | 6.7°C | 1.6°C | 22.7°C | -10.2°C | 90 mm | 88% | 0.4 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1995 | 10.9°C | 5.7°C | 0.4°C | 24.9°C | -10.0°C | 123 mm | 79% | 0.4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1994 | 12.3°C | 7.2°C | 2.2°C | 20.9°C | -6.1°C | 104 mm | 87% | 0.4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1993 | 11.3°C | 5.9°C | 0.4°C | 17.7°C | -6.3°C | 138 mm | 86% | 0.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1992 | 11.0°C | 6.1°C | 1.2°C | 22.2°C | -4.1°C | 98 mm | 86% | 0.4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1991 | 11.8°C | 7.2°C | 2.6°C | 20.0°C | -4.4°C | 140 mm | 88% | 0.4 m/s | 2 |
| 1990 | 10.9°C | 5.3°C | -0.3°C | 20.3°C | -11.4°C | 190 mm | 86% | 0.4 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1989 | 7.5°C | 1.5°C | -4.4°C | 20.3°C | -17.4°C | 55 mm | 68% | 0.4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1988 | 11.1°C | 5.5°C | -0.1°C | 21.2°C | -7.1°C | 98 mm | 84% | 0.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1987 🌧️ | 11.4°C | 6.5°C | 1.5°C | 20.3°C | -5.3°C | 309 mm | 88% | 0.5 m/s | 2 |
| 1986 | 9.5°C | 5.0°C | 0.4°C | 16.1°C | -3.9°C | 113 mm | 85% | 0.4 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1985 | 8.4°C | 2.8°C | -2.8°C | 19.0°C | -8.4°C | 96 mm | 80% | 0.4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1984 | 14.8°C | 10.3°C | 5.8°C | 23.1°C | -8.4°C | 118 mm | 92% | 0.4 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1983 ❄️ | 3.0°C | -1.7°C | -6.4°C | 18.2°C | -22.7°C | 224 mm | 91% | 0.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 12.1°C | 7.7°C | 3.2°C | 23.9°C | -7.0°C | 302 mm | 89% | 0.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 10.5°C | 4.7°C | -1.1°C | 22.3°C | -8.5°C | 21 mm | 75% | 0.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 11.4°C with lows near 0.8°C (mean 6.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 129 mm of rainfall in Little Rock, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 309 mm in 1987.
The hottest December reached 25.5°C in 1998. The coldest dipped to -22.7°C in 1983.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 3.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 9.8°C to 14.3°C and overnight lows from -0.3°C to 3°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Little Rock and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 11.4°C daytime highs and 0.8°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 2nd coolest month in Little Rock, averaging 6.1°C.
For December in Little Rock, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 11.4°C and lows of 0.8°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 84% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 0.4 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 0.5 m/s (1982).
The wettest December on record was 1987 with 309 mm. On average, December sees 129 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 Little Rock 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.
