Athens weather in December

In December, Athens sees average daytime highs of 52°F and overnight lows near 38°F, with 5.3 in of precipitation across 10.7 wet days and about 9.7 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 55°F in the first days to 50°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 48 min at the start of December to 9 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Athens's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Athens's year-round climate.

Daytime high
52°
11th warmest
Overnight low
38°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
5.3 in
10.7 wet days
Daylight
9 h 42 min
6:54 AM – 4:34 PM
Cloud cover
62%
11th clearest
Wind
7 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.17 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.8
out of 10

Athens is county seat of Limestone County, Alabama, United States.

Density
240/km²
people per km²
Founded
1818

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 55°F in the first days to 50°F by the end.

A typical December day in Athens reaches about 52°F in the afternoon and slips back to 38°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 40°F and 64°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°30°40°50°60°70°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15640
25540
35540
45540
55440
65439
75439
85339
95339
105339
115339
125338
135238
145238
155238
165238
175238
185238
195138
205138
215137
225137
235137
245137
255137
265137
275037
285037
295037
305037
315037

How December really feels in Athens

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 11 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
11
wind chill below the day's low

The story in December is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Athens weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan50° / 35°5.09.90.69.92.2
Feb54° / 38°4.810.60.910.73.1
Mar62° / 45°5.511.40.311.75.1
Apr71° / 53°4.99.9012.86.5
May78° / 62°4.010.9013.86.6
Jun85° / 70°3.812014.35.0
Jul87° / 73°4.012.1014.14.4
Aug87° / 72°3.010.8013.34.7
Sep82° / 66°3.37.2012.26.6
Oct71° / 54°3.47.3011.17.3
Nov60° / 44°4.08.6010.25.2
Dec52° / 38°5.310.70.49.72.8

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14555
24456
34357
44357
54357
64258
74258
84159
94258
104258
114258
124159
134159
144159
154159
164258
174258
184258
194258
204357
214357
224357
234258
244159
254159
264159
274159
284060
294060
304060
314060

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Athens gets around 5.3 in of rain and snow over 10.7 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 35% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1331
2331
3331
4341
5341
6341
7341
8351
9351
10351
11361
12361
13361
14371
15371
16371
17371
18371
19371
20371
21371
22371
23361
24361
25351
26351
27351
28341
29341
30332
31332

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 94% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19253
29253
39253
49352
59262
69262
79352
89352
99352
109451
119451
129451
139451
149451
159541
169541
179541
189541
199631
209532
219532
229532
239532
249532
259532
269532
279532
289442
299442
309442
319442

Wind in December

Winds average 7 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 48 min at the start of December to 9 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:43 AM to 7:00 AM, and sunset from 4:33 PM to 4:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.86:434:33
29.86:434:33
39.86:444:33
49.86:454:32
59.86:464:32
69.86:474:33
79.86:484:33
89.76:484:33
99.76:494:33
109.76:504:33
119.76:504:33
129.76:514:33
139.76:524:33
149.76:534:34
159.76:534:34
169.76:544:34
179.76:544:35
189.76:554:35
199.76:554:35
209.76:564:36
219.76:574:36
229.76:574:37
239.76:574:37
249.76:584:38
259.76:584:38
269.76:594:39
279.76:594:39
289.76:594:40
299.77:004:41
309.77:004:41
319.77:004:42

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.17 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.17 kWh/m² to a high of 6.23 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.17 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.4Moderate
22.3Moderate
32.3Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.3Moderate
62.2Moderate
72.2Moderate
82.2Moderate
92.2Moderate
102.2Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.1Moderate
132.1Moderate
142.1Moderate
152.1Moderate
162.1Moderate
172.1Moderate
182.1Moderate
192.1Moderate
202.1Moderate
212.1Moderate
222.1Moderate
232.1Moderate
242.1Moderate
252.1Moderate
262.1Moderate
272.1Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.1Moderate
302.2Moderate
312.2Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Athens?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

2.8
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Athens.

What to pack for Athens in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Athens sees daytime highs around 52°F and nights near 38°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Athens in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Athens peaks around July 12 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highVery highHighModerateJul 12UV 10Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Athens in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Athens is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.3× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1719 µg/m³Jan 116 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar10Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Athens?

Athens sits at 34.8°N, 87.0°W, 722 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Decatur, 14 mi away.

Topography around Athens

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Athens.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Athens has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 157 ft around an average of 715 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 371 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,493 ft.

The land around Athens is covered by trees (41%) and grassland (31%) within 2 miles, trees (38%), cropland (30%) and grassland (26%) within 10 miles, and trees (61%) and grassland (24%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
157 ft
10 miles
371 ft
50 miles
1,493 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Decatur 14 mi · Madison 14 mi · Huntsville 22 mi · East Florence 39 mi · Florence 40 mi · Cullman 44 mi · Shelbyville 55 mi · Columbia 57 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Athens (34.8024°, -86.9722°, elevation 722 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).