December is one of the cooler months of the year in Bakersfield, with average highs near 14.9°C and lows around 3.2°C (mean 9.1°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 36 mm of rainfall and 60% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Bakersfield. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Bakersfield was 2017 — when the month averaged 12.9°C — while the coldest was 1987 at 5.7°C. Typical December days reach 14.9°C with nights near 3.2°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Bakersfield, averaging 36 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2010 with 185 mm, while the driest was 1989 at 0 mm.
Relative humidity in Bakersfield during December averages 60%. The most humid December was 1983 at 78%, and the least humid was 2017 at 27%.
December receives about 2.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Bakersfield. The sunniest Decembers were 1990, 2011 and 2013 at 3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2022 at 2.
Average wind speed in Bakersfield during December is 1.8 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 1984 and 2019 at 2.5 m/s, while the calmest were 2011 and 2024 at 1.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 8.6°C | 8.6°C | 8.8°C | 9.3°C | 10.7°C | +2.1°C |
| Avg High | 14.4°C | 14.6°C | 14.5°C | 15.0°C | 16.6°C | +2.2°C |
| Avg Low | 2.7°C | 2.4°C | 3.1°C | 3.5°C | 4.9°C | +2.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 27 mm | 33 mm | 33 mm | 46 mm | 45 mm | +18 mm |
December temperatures in Bakersfield have risen by about 2.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -6.8°C (1990) to a record high of 29.1°C (2021).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 36 mm, with a wettest year of 185 mm.
A quieter season to visit Bakersfield
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of June and September tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Bakersfield. That said, December — with days averaging 14.9°C and nights around 3.2°C (mean 9.1°C) and moderate rainfall (36 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 | 18.6°C | 12.5°C | 6.3°C | 26.2°C | 0.4°C | 68 mm | 64% | 1.7 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 17.8°C | 11.6°C | 5.5°C | 25.2°C | 1.0°C | 10 mm | 63% | 1.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2023 | 18.0°C | 12.1°C | 6.2°C | 25.6°C | 2.0°C | 29 mm | 60% | 1.7 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2022 | 14.1°C | 8.8°C | 3.5°C | 24.4°C | -1.0°C | 70 mm | 71% | 1.5 m/s | 2 |
| 2021 | 14.2°C | 8.8°C | 3.4°C | 29.1°C | -3.2°C | 82 mm | 65% | 1.8 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2020 | 16.7°C | 10.5°C | 4.2°C | 24.6°C | 0.0°C | 14 mm | 43% | 2 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2019 | 13.8°C | 9.1°C | 4.3°C | 19.6°C | -1.2°C | 52 mm | 68% | 2.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2018 | 14.8°C | 9.1°C | 3.5°C | 22.3°C | -2.0°C | 17 mm | 62% | 2 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2017 🔥 | 20.6°C | 12.9°C | 5.1°C | 26.9°C | -1.2°C | 1 mm | 27% | 1.5 m/s | 2.9 |
| 2016 | 14.4°C | 8.6°C | 2.8°C | 21.0°C | -2.6°C | 67 mm | 66% | 1.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2015 | 12.6°C | 7.3°C | 1.9°C | 22.6°C | -3.3°C | 31 mm | 66% | 1.9 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2014 | 14.6°C | 9.8°C | 5.0°C | 23.4°C | -2.9°C | 65 mm | 72% | 1.7 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2013 | 16.9°C | 9.9°C | 2.8°C | 26.4°C | -4.5°C | 5 mm | 44% | 1.5 m/s | 3 |
| 2012 | 12.7°C | 7.8°C | 2.9°C | 21.3°C | -2.9°C | 37 mm | 70% | 1.6 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2011 | 16.0°C | 8.9°C | 1.8°C | 24.4°C | -1.6°C | 1 mm | 44% | 1.4 m/s | 3 |
| 2010 🌧️ | 13.8°C | 9.2°C | 4.6°C | 24.3°C | -2.9°C | 185 mm | 72% | 1.9 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2009 | 13.4°C | 7.8°C | 2.1°C | 20.2°C | -4.3°C | 49 mm | 60% | 1.8 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2008 | 13.4°C | 7.7°C | 1.9°C | 25.3°C | -4.8°C | 28 mm | 63% | 1.6 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2007 | 12.2°C | 6.8°C | 1.4°C | 23.9°C | -3.9°C | 22 mm | 64% | 1.6 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2006 | 15.2°C | 9.2°C | 3.2°C | 25.4°C | -3.0°C | 25 mm | 54% | 1.8 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2005 | 16.1°C | 10.2°C | 4.4°C | 24.7°C | -2.1°C | 32 mm | 63% | 1.6 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2004 | 16.2°C | 9.8°C | 3.4°C | 25.6°C | -1.8°C | 58 mm | 58% | 2 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2003 | 14.0°C | 8.8°C | 3.6°C | 23.8°C | -2.0°C | 38 mm | 62% | 2 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2002 | 13.6°C | 8.5°C | 3.3°C | 20.0°C | -2.9°C | 42 mm | 70% | 1.6 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2001 | 12.6°C | 7.6°C | 2.7°C | 21.4°C | -1.1°C | 35 mm | 70% | 1.5 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2000 | 18.3°C | 11.7°C | 5.2°C | 24.9°C | 0.6°C | 1 mm | 43% | 1.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1999 | 17.6°C | 10.4°C | 3.1°C | 25.0°C | -2.4°C | 3 mm | 41% | 1.7 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1998 | 14.2°C | 7.7°C | 1.3°C | 25.3°C | -5.8°C | 13 mm | 58% | 1.6 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1997 | 13.6°C | 7.6°C | 1.5°C | 22.8°C | -3.2°C | 44 mm | 58% | 2.2 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1996 | 14.8°C | 9.7°C | 4.5°C | 21.5°C | -0.2°C | 72 mm | 69% | 1.9 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1995 | 15.4°C | 9.9°C | 4.5°C | 23.2°C | -2.5°C | 36 mm | 64% | 2 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1994 | 14.5°C | 8.6°C | 2.6°C | 22.3°C | -3.0°C | 33 mm | 64% | 1.7 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1993 | 14.7°C | 8.4°C | 2.1°C | 20.6°C | -2.3°C | 22 mm | 53% | 2.1 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1992 | 12.5°C | 6.7°C | 0.9°C | 21.7°C | -4.4°C | 62 mm | 65% | 1.9 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1991 | 16.0°C | 9.9°C | 3.7°C | 22.8°C | -2.4°C | 38 mm | 50% | 2.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1990 | 12.9°C | 6.6°C | 0.2°C | 23.4°C | -6.8°C | 7 mm | 47% | 2 m/s | 3 |
| 1989 | 19.2°C | 11.7°C | 4.3°C | 24.1°C | 0.1°C | 0 mm | 31% | 1.7 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1988 | 13.6°C | 7.8°C | 1.9°C | 24.9°C | -5.1°C | 47 mm | 60% | 2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1987 ❄️ | 10.9°C | 5.7°C | 0.5°C | 19.0°C | -5.6°C | 38 mm | 67% | 1.9 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1986 | 16.6°C | 10.1°C | 3.5°C | 23.6°C | 0.3°C | 16 mm | 53% | 1.5 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1985 | 16.6°C | 10.2°C | 3.7°C | 24.5°C | -3.9°C | 13 mm | 59% | 1.6 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1984 | 12.0°C | 6.7°C | 1.5°C | 17.4°C | -4.9°C | 45 mm | 67% | 2.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1983 | 11.6°C | 7.2°C | 2.9°C | 18.4°C | -4.2°C | 48 mm | 78% | 1.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 13.8°C | 8.1°C | 2.3°C | 20.2°C | -3.4°C | 21 mm | 63% | 1.8 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 15.2°C | 9.6°C | 4.0°C | 23.2°C | -1.5°C | 13 mm | 68% | 1.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 14.9°C with lows near 3.2°C (mean 9.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 36 mm of rainfall in Bakersfield, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 185 mm in 2010.
The hottest December reached 29.1°C in 2021. The coldest dipped to -6.8°C in 1990.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 2.4°C. Daytime highs moved from 13.8°C to 16.5°C and overnight lows from 2.9°C to 5°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Bakersfield and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 14.9°C daytime highs and 3.2°C at night.
Yes — December is the coldest month of the year in Bakersfield, averaging 9.1°C.
For December in Bakersfield, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 14.9°C and lows of 3.2°C.
Relative humidity in December averages 60% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in December is 1.8 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 2.5 m/s (1984).
The wettest December on record was 2010 with 185 mm. On average, December sees 36 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 Bakersfield 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.
