Cathedral City Weather in December (1981–2025)

📍 33.81°N, 116.47°W •
📊

December at a Glance in Cathedral City

(1981–2025)
Avg High
🔥
14.9°C
Avg Low
❄️
2.9°C
Avg Temp
🌡️
8.9°C
Avg Rain
🌧️
21 mm
Avg Humidity
💧
48%
Avg Wind
🌬️
2 m/s
Avg Solar
☀️
3
kWh/m²/day
vs Annual
📈
-9.5°C
temp difference
❄️Cool afternoons❄️Cold mornings☁️Cloudier skies🌦️Some rain🍃Light winds🏜️Low humidity

Cathedral City December Weather Overview

December is one of the cooler months of the year in Cathedral City, with average highs near 14.9°C and lows around 2.9°C (mean 8.9°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 21 mm of rainfall and 48% relative humidity across the period.

Cathedral City December Temperature History (1981–2025)

Range

December is one of the cooler months of the year in Cathedral City. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Cathedral City was 2025 — when the month averaged 14°C — while the coldest was 1990 at 5.6°C. Typical December days reach 14.9°C with nights near 2.9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.6°C per decade.

1981–1985 vs 2021–2025

Avg Temp8.7°C→11.6°C+2.9°C
Max Temp14.8°C→17.7°C+2.9°C
Min Temp2.7°C→5.6°C+2.9°C

Trend (per decade)

Avg Temp+0.6°C/decade ↗
Max Temp+0.6°C/decade ↗
Min Temp+0.7°C/decade ↗

Distribution of Avg Temp

5.0°C–7.3°C7 yr (16%)
7.3°C–9.5°C25 yr (56%)
9.5°C–11.8°C10 yr (22%)
11.8°C–14.0°C3 yr (7%)

Cathedral City December Rainfall History (1981–2025)

Range

December is about average for rainfall in Cathedral City, averaging 21 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2010 with 95 mm, while the driest were 2000, 2017 and 2024 at 0 mm.

Cathedral City December Humidity History (1981–2025)

Range

Relative humidity in Cathedral City during December averages 48%. The most humid December was 1984 at 65%, and the least humid was 2017 at 21%.

Cathedral City December Solar History (1981–2025)

Range

December receives about 3 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Cathedral City. The sunniest December was 2006 at 3.4 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2010, 2014 and 2019, among others at 2.7.

Cathedral City December Wind History (1981–2025)

Range

Average wind speed in Cathedral City during December is 2 m/s. The windiest December was 1998 at 2.7 m/s, while the calmest was 2023 at 1.5 m/s.

What December Feels Like in Cathedral City

🌅
Cold
Morning
🌞
Cool
Afternoon
🌆
Cold
Evening
Rain chanceLow
Outdoor comfort★★★★☆

How December Ranks in Cathedral City

🥶2nd coolest month of the year
🌧️3rd wettest month of the year
☀️12th sunniest month of the year

Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.

Explore Cathedral City Weather by Month

Cathedral City December Averages by Decade

Metric1980s1990s2000s2010s2020sChange
Avg Temp8.3°C8.0°C8.6°C9.2°C11.3°C+3°C
Avg High14.4°C14.1°C14.6°C15.1°C17.3°C+2.9°C
Avg Low2.3°C1.9°C2.5°C3.4°C5.2°C+2.9°C
Avg Rain27 mm18 mm19 mm25 mm15 mm-12 mm

Extreme December Records in Cathedral City

🔥Warmest December26.5°C2025
🧊Coldest December-7.9°C1990
🌧️Wettest December95 mm2010
🏜️Driest December0 mm2000
🌬️Windiest December2.7 m/s1998

Key Insights for December

✅

December temperatures in Cathedral City have risen by about 2.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.

✅

December has ranged from a record low of -7.9°C (1990) to a record high of 26.5°C (2025).

✅

Rainfall in December is about average for rainfall, averaging 21 mm, with a wettest year of 95 mm.

Is December a Good Time to Visit Cathedral City?

A quieter season to visit Cathedral City

If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of May and October tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Cathedral City. That said, December — with days averaging 14.9°C and nights around 2.9°C (mean 8.9°C) and low rainfall (21 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.

See Cathedral City's complete weather history All 12 months side by side, 1981–2025 records, annual trends and long-term averages in one place. View full history →

Cathedral City Weather in December — In Depth

☀️ December climate overview

December is one of the cooler months of the year in Cathedral City, with average highs near 14.9°C and lows around 2.9°C (mean 8.9°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 21 mm of rainfall and 48% relative humidity across the period.

🌧️ Rain, humidity & wind in December

December averages 21 mm of rainfall in Cathedral City, about average for rainfall compared with the rest of the year. The wettest December on record saw 95 mm (2010), and the driest just 0 mm (2000). Humidity sits around 48% and average wind speed is 2 m/s, with solar radiation averaging 3 kWh/m²/day.

📈 How December has changed

Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 2.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 14.8°C to 17.7°C and overnight lows from 2.7°C to 5.6°C over the same span.
December Weather in Cathedral City, Year by Year
🔥 warmest❄️ coldest🌧️ wettest
YearAvg HighAvg TempAvg LowHottest DayColdest DayRainfallHumidityWindSolar
2025 🔥19.9°C14.0°C8.1°C26.5°C2.1°C29 mm46%1.8 m/s—
202420.2°C13.5°C6.8°C24.1°C1.6°C0 mm32%1.6 m/s3.1
202317.5°C11.5°C5.6°C23.6°C2.3°C13 mm46%1.5 m/s3
202215.3°C9.3°C3.2°C22.3°C-2.1°C8 mm56%1.6 m/s2.8
202115.4°C9.7°C4.1°C25.6°C-2.6°C34 mm54%2 m/s2.8
202015.8°C9.7°C3.5°C21.9°C-0.3°C4 mm34%2.1 m/s3.2
201912.8°C8.0°C3.3°C22.7°C-2.7°C43 mm60%1.7 m/s2.7
201814.7°C9.2°C3.8°C21.3°C-2.5°C15 mm50%1.8 m/s3
201718.6°C12.0°C5.4°C24.7°C-0.6°C0 mm21%2.2 m/s3.3
201615.2°C9.2°C3.2°C23.6°C-3.9°C52 mm53%2.1 m/s2.9
201514.4°C8.2°C2.1°C25.9°C-3.6°C4 mm43%2.2 m/s3.3
201414.8°C9.7°C4.6°C22.5°C-3.4°C21 mm60%1.8 m/s2.7
201315.4°C8.8°C2.3°C23.3°C-4.5°C3 mm40%2.1 m/s3.2
201214.6°C8.7°C2.9°C25.8°C-3.2°C12 mm55%1.9 m/s3
201113.8°C7.8°C1.8°C23.7°C-3.1°C5 mm40%2.1 m/s3.2
2010 🌧️16.4°C10.7°C5.0°C24.1°C-3.9°C95 mm58%1.9 m/s2.7
200913.0°C7.3°C1.5°C20.4°C-4.4°C30 mm52%2.1 m/s2.9
200813.1°C7.3°C1.5°C24.6°C-5.0°C46 mm58%1.9 m/s2.9
200712.5°C6.7°C0.9°C24.6°C-2.9°C16 mm55%2.2 m/s3.3
200615.4°C8.9°C2.3°C23.8°C-2.8°C4 mm37%2.3 m/s3.4
200516.7°C10.3°C4.0°C24.1°C-1.9°C1 mm46%1.9 m/s3
200414.7°C8.8°C3.0°C22.2°C-2.6°C52 mm56%2.1 m/s3.1
200314.7°C8.7°C2.8°C21.3°C-3.2°C14 mm49%1.9 m/s2.9
200214.2°C8.3°C2.5°C19.4°C-2.3°C14 mm55%1.8 m/s3.1
200114.1°C8.0°C1.9°C18.1°C-2.8°C8 mm49%2 m/s3.1
200017.9°C11.3°C4.8°C22.0°C1.4°C0 mm36%1.7 m/s3.2
199915.6°C9.0°C2.5°C21.4°C-1.0°C7 mm37%2.5 m/s3.3
199815.3°C8.8°C2.4°C22.9°C-3.8°C7 mm39%2.7 m/s3.2
199712.4°C7.0°C1.6°C18.5°C-3.7°C25 mm48%2.6 m/s3.3
199615.8°C9.4°C3.0°C21.5°C-3.8°C14 mm54%2.2 m/s3
199517.1°C10.6°C4.0°C25.2°C-2.8°C6 mm46%1.9 m/s3
199413.8°C8.1°C2.4°C20.8°C-3.6°C28 mm53%1.7 m/s2.9
199314.4°C7.8°C1.2°C21.4°C-3.3°C8 mm43%2 m/s3.2
199211.7°C5.9°C0.1°C17.9°C-4.3°C56 mm59%2.1 m/s2.8
199113.2°C7.8°C2.4°C19.3°C-2.7°C28 mm54%1.9 m/s2.9
1990 ❄️11.8°C5.6°C-0.5°C18.9°C-7.9°C3 mm37%2.3 m/s3.1
198916.3°C9.5°C2.7°C25.9°C-3.6°C5 mm31%2 m/s3.1
198813.6°C7.2°C0.9°C21.7°C-5.5°C18 mm47%2.3 m/s2.9
198711.2°C5.8°C0.4°C25.3°C-5.3°C28 mm57%2.2 m/s2.8
198614.7°C8.6°C2.6°C23.2°C-2.6°C15 mm48%1.7 m/s2.9
198514.9°C8.7°C2.6°C20.4°C-4.5°C12 mm53%1.9 m/s3
198412.0°C6.5°C0.9°C16.1°C-3.4°C73 mm65%2.1 m/s2.7
198315.4°C9.2°C3.1°C21.9°C-2.9°C44 mm60%2.3 m/s—
198213.4°C7.7°C2.1°C20.6°C-4.1°C47 mm55%2.6 m/s—
198118.1°C11.5°C5.0°C24.2°C-2.7°C3 mm44%2 m/s—

Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.

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Cathedral City December Weather — FAQ

What is the average temperature in Cathedral City in December?▼

The average high in December is around 14.9°C with lows near 2.9°C (mean 8.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.

Does it rain a lot in Cathedral City in December?▼

December averages 21 mm of rainfall in Cathedral City, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 95 mm in 2010.

What was the hottest December on record in Cathedral City?▼

The hottest December reached 26.5°C in 2025. The coldest dipped to -7.9°C in 1990.

Has December in Cathedral City gotten warmer over time?▼

Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 2.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 14.8°C to 17.7°C and overnight lows from 2.7°C to 5.6°C over the same span.

Is December a good time to visit Cathedral City?▼

December is one of the cooler months of the year in Cathedral City and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 14.9°C daytime highs and 2.9°C at night.

Is December the coldest month in Cathedral City?▼

Not quite — December is the 2nd coolest month in Cathedral City, averaging 8.9°C.

What should I pack for Cathedral City in December?▼

For December in Cathedral City, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 14.9°C and lows of 2.9°C.

Is Cathedral City humid in December?▼

Relative humidity in December averages 48% — relatively dry.

How windy is Cathedral City in December?▼

Average wind speed in December is 2 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 2.7 m/s (1998).

Which December had the most rainfall in Cathedral City?▼

The wettest December on record was 2010 with 95 mm. On average, December sees 21 mm.

Where does this December weather data come from?▼

All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.

Other California cities

Explore how the weather in Cathedral City 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.