Dalton weather in December

In December, Dalton sees average daytime highs of 53°F and overnight lows near 37°F, with 5.1 in of precipitation across 10.6 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 56°F in the first days to 51°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% 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 Dalton's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dalton's year-round climate.

Daytime high
53°
11th warmest
Overnight low
37°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
5.1 in
10.6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 42 min
7:46 AM – 5:26 PM
Cloud cover
62%
11th clearest
Wind
6 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.17 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.9
out of 10

Dalton is city in Whitfield County, Georgia, United States.

Density
644/km²
people per km²
Founded
1847

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 56°F in the first days to 51°F by the end.

A typical December day in Dalton reaches about 53°F in the afternoon and slips back to 37°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 40°F and 65°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°F cooler than November and about 2°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15638
25638
35638
45538
55538
65538
75437
85437
95437
105437
115337
125337
135337
145336
155336
165236
175236
185236
195236
205236
215236
225236
235136
245136
255136
265135
275135
285135
295135
305135
315135

How December really feels in Dalton

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 23 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
23
wind chill below the day's low

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

Dalton 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
Jan51° / 34°4.810.60.89.92.4
Feb55° / 37°4.710.40.810.73.4
Mar63° / 43°5.311.50.111.75.3
Apr72° / 51°4.610.4012.86.6
May79° / 60°4.011013.86.5
Jun85° / 67°3.712.9014.34.8
Jul88° / 71°4.113014.14.1
Aug87° / 70°3.511.8013.34.4
Sep82° / 63°4.08.3012.26.3
Oct72° / 52°3.36.8011.17.3
Nov61° / 42°4.38.6010.25.4
Dec53° / 37°5.110.60.49.72.9

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24654
34555
44555
54357
64357
74357
84258
94159
104159
114159
124159
134159
144159
154258
164258
174258
184159
194159
204258
214258
224258
234258
244159
254060
264060
274060
284060
294060
303961
313961

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Dalton gets around 5.1 in of rain and snow over 10.6 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 36% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1331
2331
3341
4341
5341
6341
7341
8341
9341
10341
11341
12351
13351
14351
15351
16361
17361
18361
19362
20362
21362
22362
23351
24351
25351
26351
27341
28341
29342
30342
31342

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 93% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19262
29262
39262
49262
59361
69361
79361
89361
99361
109361
119361
129361
139361
149361
159361
169361
179451
189451
199451
209451
219541
229541
239541
249541
259442
269442
279442
289442
299442
309442
319442

Wind in December

Winds average 6 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
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 7:35 AM to 7:52 AM, and sunset from 5:25 PM to 5:34 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.87:355:25
29.87:355:25
39.87:365:25
49.87:375:25
59.87:385:25
69.87:395:25
79.87:395:25
89.77:405:25
99.77:415:25
109.77:425:25
119.77:425:25
129.77:435:25
139.77:445:26
149.77:445:26
159.77:455:26
169.77:465:26
179.77:465:27
189.77:475:27
199.77:475:27
209.77:485:28
219.77:485:28
229.77:495:29
239.77:495:29
249.77:505:30
259.77:505:30
269.77:515:31
279.77:515:31
289.77:515:32
299.77:525:33
309.77:525:33
319.77:525:34

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 6.05 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
22.4Moderate
32.3Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.3Moderate
62.3Moderate
72.2Moderate
82.2Moderate
92.2Moderate
102.2Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.2Moderate
132.2Moderate
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
302.1Moderate
312.2Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Dalton?

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

2.9
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 Dalton.

What to pack for Dalton in December

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

In December, Dalton sees daytime highs around 53°F and nights near 37°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Dalton 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 Dalton peaks around July 11 at about 10 (very high) — 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 highHighModerateJul 11UV 10Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Dalton 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 Dalton is worst in July — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.9× the cleanest month (January, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1620 µg/m³Jan 117 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr12Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul20Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Dalton?

Dalton sits at 34.8°N, 85.0°W, 761 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Calhoun, 19 mi away.

Topography around Dalton

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Dalton has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 354 ft around an average of 784 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,224 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,661 ft.

The land around Dalton is covered by trees (54%) and artificial surfaces (30%) within 2 miles, trees (72%) and grassland (22%) within 10 miles, and trees (81%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
354 ft
10 miles
1,224 ft
50 miles
3,661 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Calhoun 19 mi · East Brainerd 19 mi · East Ridge 23 mi · East Chattanooga 26 mi · Chattanooga 27 mi · Cleveland 27 mi · Rome 37 mi · Cartersville 43 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 Dalton (34.7698°, -84.9702°, elevation 761 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).