Bradenton weather in December

In December, Bradenton sees average daytime highs of 73°F and overnight lows near 56°F, with 1.8 in of rain across 5.3 wet days and about 10.3 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 75°F in the first days to 72°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 24 min at the start of December to 10 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Bradenton's 6th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bradenton's year-round climate.

Daytime high
73°
10th warmest
Overnight low
56°
3rd coldest
Rainfall
1.8 in
5.3 wet days
Daylight
10 h 18 min
7:18 AM – 5:35 PM
Cloud cover
48%
6th clearest
Wind
8 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
3.3 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.8
out of 10

Bradenton is county seat of Manatee County, Florida, United States.

Density
1,236/km²
people per km²
Founded
1842

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 75°F in the first days to 72°F by the end.

A typical December day in Bradenton reaches about 73°F in the afternoon and slips back to 56°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 63°F and 81°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 5°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17558
27558
37558
47558
57558
67558
77458
87458
97457
107457
117457
127457
137457
147357
157357
167356
177356
187356
197356
207356
217256
227256
237256
247256
257255
267255
277255
287255
297255
307255
317255

How December really feels in Bradenton

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

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Bradenton weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan71° / 53°2.35.810.57.4
Feb73° / 56°1.65.7117.7
Mar77° / 59°2.1611.87.8
Apr82° / 65°1.95.512.67.0
May87° / 70°2.58.413.35.1
Jun89° / 75°6.319.313.73.4
Jul89° / 77°5.92313.62.9
Aug89° / 77°6.223.7132.8
Sep88° / 75°5.717.812.23.6
Oct84° / 69°2.4811.35.9
Nov78° / 61°1.64.110.67.9
Dec73° / 56°1.85.310.37.8

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 40%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16832
26832
36832
46832
56832
66733
76634
86535
96535
106436
116436
126337
136238
146238
156139
166040
175941
185941
195842
205743
215644
225644
235545
245545
255545
265446
275446
285446
295347
305446
315446

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Bradenton gets around 1.8 in of rain over 5.3 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 17% and peaks near 19% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
114
214
314
414
514
615
715
815
916
1016
1116
1217
1317
1417
1518
1618
1718
1819
1919
2019
2119
2219
2319
2419
2519
2619
2719
2819
2918
3018
3118

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 43% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 18% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1381924173
2381924173
3381824173
4391824173
5391824173
6391724173
7391724173
8391724173
9391724173
10401724173
11401624173
12411624163
13411623163
14421623163
15431623163
16441622163
17441622153
18451622153
19461621143
20461621142
21471621142
22471721132
23471721132
24471721132
25461821142
26451821142
27451821142
28441921152
29441921152
30441921152
31431921152

Wind in December

Winds average 8 mph in December.

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 10 h 24 min at the start of December to 10 h 18 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 7:08 AM to 7:25 AM, and sunset from 5:32 PM to 5:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.47:085:32
210.47:095:32
310.47:105:32
410.47:115:32
510.37:115:32
610.37:125:32
710.37:135:32
810.37:135:32
910.37:145:33
1010.37:155:33
1110.37:155:33
1210.37:165:33
1310.37:175:34
1410.37:175:34
1510.37:185:34
1610.37:185:35
1710.37:195:35
1810.37:195:35
1910.37:205:36
2010.37:205:36
2110.37:215:37
2210.37:215:37
2310.37:225:38
2410.37:225:38
2510.37:235:39
2610.37:235:39
2710.37:245:40
2810.37:245:40
2910.37:245:41
3010.37:255:41
3110.37:255:42

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.3 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.3 kWh/m² to a high of 6.67 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 3.3 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.5Moderate
23.5Moderate
33.5Moderate
43.5Moderate
53.4Moderate
63.4Moderate
73.4Moderate
83.4Moderate
93.4Moderate
103.3Moderate
113.3Moderate
123.3Moderate
133.3Moderate
143.3Moderate
153.3Moderate
163.3Moderate
173.3Moderate
183.3Moderate
193.3Moderate
203.3Moderate
213.2Moderate
223.2Moderate
233.2Moderate
243.2Moderate
253.2Moderate
263.2Moderate
273.3Moderate
283.3Moderate
293.3Moderate
303.3Moderate
313.3Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Bradenton

In seasonPeak

None of Bradenton's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Bradenton sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Bradenton's rainy season runs June–September, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Bradenton?

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

7.8
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
6.0
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

December is one of the better times to visit Bradenton for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Bradenton in December

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

In December, Bradenton sees daytime highs around 73°F and nights near 56°F. Worth packing: light clothes. About 5 days see rain.

light clothes

Sea temperature near Bradenton in December

The nearest coast averages about 69°F in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 9 mi away) is warmest in August at about 86°F and coldest in February near 65°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Mar 13 to Dec 26 — about 9.5 months when the water holds above 68°F.

60°70°80°90°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan65Cool
Feb65Cool
Mar68Refreshing
Apr73Refreshing
May78Warm
Jun83Tropical
Jul85Tropical
Aug86Tropical
Sep85Tropical
Oct81Warm
Nov74Refreshing
Dec69Refreshing

UV index in Bradenton in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bradenton peaks around July 12 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 4 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJul 12UV 11Dec 19UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan5Moderate
Feb7High
Mar9Very high
Apr9Very high
May10Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct7Very high
Nov6High
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Bradenton 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 Bradenton is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (November, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 2019 µg/m³Nov 2310 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb11Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May12Good
Jun16Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Bradenton?

Bradenton sits at 27.5°N, 82.6°W, 3 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is South Bradenton, 2.5 mi away.

Topography around Bradenton

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Bradenton has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 59 ft around an average of 16 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 131 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 407 ft.

The land around Bradenton is covered by artificial surfaces (39%), trees (27%) and water (26%) within 2 miles, water (42%) and trees (24%) within 10 miles, and water (41%) and trees (31%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
59 ft
10 miles
131 ft
50 miles
407 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: South Bradenton 2.5 mi · Bayshore Gardens 5.0 mi · Sarasota 12 mi · Ruskin 17 mi · St. Petersburg 20 mi · Sun City Center 21 mi · Lealman 23 mi · West and East Lealman 23 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 Bradenton (27.4989°, -82.5748°, elevation 3 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).