Bend weather in December

In December, Bend sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 26°F, with 3.8 in of precipitation across 13 wet days and about 8.8 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 38°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 54 min at the start of December to 8 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Bend's 11th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bend's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
12th warmest
Overnight low
26°
1st coldest
Precipitation
3.8 in
13 wet days
Daylight
8 h 42 min
7:40 AM – 4:23 PM
Cloud cover
70%
11th clearest
Wind
8 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
1.55 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Bend is city in and county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States.

Density
1,010/km²
people per km²
Founded
1905

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 38°F through the month.

A typical December day in Bend reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 26°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°F and 46°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°F cooler than November and on par with January.

10°20°30°40°50°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14027
24027
33926
43926
53926
63926
73926
83826
93826
103826
113826
123826
133826
143826
153826
163825
173825
183825
193825
203825
213725
223725
233725
243725
253725
263725
273725
283725
293725
303725
313825

How December really feels in Bend

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 31 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
31
wind chill below the day's low

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

Bend weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 12th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan39° / 26°2.812.28.89.10.0
Feb42° / 27°2.210.98.210.20.3
Mar48° / 30°2.212.17.711.61.7
Apr55° / 33°1.811.54.313.23.3
May64° / 40°1.89.7114.55.7
Jun72° / 45°1.06.70.115.27.4
Jul82° / 52°0.63.70157.3
Aug82° / 51°0.53.9013.87.6
Sep73° / 45°0.63.40.112.38.2
Oct60° / 37°1.46.8110.85.3
Nov46° / 30°2.711.66.29.41.2
Dec38° / 26°3.81310.78.80.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 68%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13466
23466
33565
43466
53466
63466
73367
83367
93268
103268
113268
123169
133070
143169
153169
163169
173169
183169
193268
203268
213268
223169
233268
243268
253268
263169
273169
283169
292971
302971
312872

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Bend gets around 3.8 in of rain and snow over 13 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 42% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days, and about 11 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14331
24332
34332
44333
54333
64334
74334
84334
94335
104335
114335
124335
134335
144335
154234
164234
174234
184234
194134
204134
214134
224134
234134
244034
254034
264034
274034
284134
294133
304133
314133

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in December

Winds average 8 mph in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 54 min at the start of December to 8 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:27 AM to 7:46 AM, and sunset from 4:23 PM to 4:31 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.97:274:23
28.97:284:23
38.97:294:23
48.97:304:23
58.97:314:22
68.87:324:22
78.87:334:22
88.87:344:22
98.87:354:22
108.87:354:22
118.87:364:22
128.87:374:22
138.77:384:22
148.77:394:22
158.77:394:23
168.77:404:23
178.77:414:23
188.77:414:23
198.77:424:24
208.77:424:24
218.77:434:25
228.77:434:25
238.77:444:25
248.77:444:26
258.77:454:27
268.77:454:27
278.77:454:28
288.77:464:28
298.77:464:29
308.77:464:30
318.77:464:31

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.55 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.55 kWh/m² to a high of 7.85 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.55 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.7Dim
21.6Dim
31.6Dim
41.6Dim
51.6Dim
61.6Dim
71.6Dim
81.6Dim
91.5Dim
101.5Dim
111.5Dim
121.5Dim
131.5Dim
141.5Dim
151.5Dim
161.5Dim
171.5Dim
181.5Dim
191.5Dim
201.5Dim
211.5Dim
221.5Dim
231.5Dim
241.5Dim
251.6Dim
261.6Dim
271.6Dim
281.6Dim
291.6Dim
301.6Dim
311.6Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Bend

In seasonPeak

In December, Bend sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Bend's rainy season runs November–May, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Bend?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Bend.

What to pack for Bend in December

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

In December, Bend sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 26°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Bend in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bend peaks around July 15 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 15UV 9Dec 15UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May9Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep5High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Bend 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 Bend is worst in September — around 81 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 23.9× the cleanest month (January, 3 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodUnhealthyGoodSep 1475 µg/m³Jan 174 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan3Good
Feb5Good
Mar6Good
Apr11Good
May9Good
Jun8Good
Jul8Good
Aug46Poor
Sep81Unhealthy
Oct12Good
Nov6Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Bend?

Bend sits at 44.1°N, 121.3°W, 3,629 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Redmond, 16 mi away.

Topography around Bend

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Bend has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 722 ft around an average of 3,717 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,628 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 9,180 ft.

The land around Bend is covered by artificial surfaces (47%) and trees (40%) within 2 miles, grassland (48%) and trees (43%) within 10 miles, and trees (57%) and grassland (38%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
722 ft
10 miles
2,628 ft
50 miles
9,180 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Redmond 16 mi · Springfield 85 mi · Lebanon 85 mi · Eugene 88 mi · Albany 97 mi · Four Corners 102 mi · Corvallis 103 mi · Hayesville 104 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 Bend (44.0582°, -121.3153°, elevation 3,629 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).