Gainesville weather in December

In December, Gainesville sees average daytime highs of 55°F and overnight lows near 37°F, with 2.7 in of precipitation across 6.1 wet days and about 9.8 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 58°F in the first days to 53°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 54 min at the start of December to 9 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Gainesville's 8th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gainesville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
55°
11th warmest
Overnight low
37°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
2.7 in
6.1 wet days
Daylight
9 h 48 min
7:31 AM – 5:18 PM
Cloud cover
49%
8th clearest
Wind
8 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
2.57 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Gainesville is city in Texas, United States.

Density
330/km²
people per km²

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 58°F in the first days to 53°F by the end.

A typical December day in Gainesville reaches about 55°F in the afternoon and slips back to 37°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 41°F and 69°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 9°F cooler than November and on par with January.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15940
25840
35839
45839
55739
65738
75638
85638
95638
105638
115537
125537
135537
145537
155537
165537
175437
185436
195436
205436
215436
225436
235336
245336
255336
265336
275335
285335
295335
305335
315335

How December really feels in Gainesville

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.

Gainesville weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan54° / 35°2.35.80.8103.6
Feb58° / 39°2.56.80.710.84.7
Mar66° / 46°3.78.30.311.76.4
Apr73° / 54°3.98.1012.87.2
May81° / 63°5.311.4013.76.2
Jun89° / 71°3.78.3014.24.5
Jul93° / 75°2.05.90143.4
Aug93° / 74°2.06.2013.23.5
Sep86° / 67°3.36.8012.25.7
Oct75° / 55°4.07.8011.27.5
Nov64° / 45°2.76.40.210.36.4
Dec55° / 37°2.76.10.59.83.9

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% 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 44%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16040
26040
35941
45941
55842
65842
75743
85743
95644
105644
115644
125644
135545
145545
155545
165545
175644
185545
195644
205644
215545
225545
235545
245545
255545
265545
275644
285644
295644
305644
315743

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Gainesville gets around 2.7 in of rain and snow over 6.1 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 20% and peaks near 22% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1202
2202
3202
4201
5211
6211
7211
8221
9221
10221
11221
12221
13221
14221
15211
16211
17211
18201
19201
20191
21192
22182
23182
24182
25172
26172
27172
28172
29172
30173
31183

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 95% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19082
29172
39172
49172
59262
69262
79352
89352
99352
109442
119541
129631
139631
149721
159721
169721
179721
189721
199721
209721
219721
229721
239721
249631
259631
269631
279541
289541
299541
309442
319541

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.

051015151015202531
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 9 h 54 min at the start of December to 9 h 48 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 7:20 AM to 7:38 AM, and sunset from 5:16 PM to 5:26 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.97:205:16
29.97:215:16
39.97:225:16
49.97:235:16
59.97:245:16
69.97:245:16
79.97:255:16
89.87:265:16
99.87:275:16
109.87:275:17
119.87:285:17
129.87:295:17
139.87:295:17
149.87:305:17
159.87:315:18
169.87:315:18
179.87:325:18
189.87:325:19
199.87:335:19
209.87:345:20
219.87:345:20
229.87:355:20
239.87:355:21
249.87:355:21
259.87:365:22
269.87:365:23
279.87:375:23
289.87:375:24
299.87:375:24
309.87:385:25
319.87:385:26

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.57 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.57 kWh/m² to a high of 6.86 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 2.57 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.7Moderate
22.7Moderate
32.7Moderate
42.7Moderate
52.6Moderate
62.6Moderate
72.6Moderate
82.6Moderate
92.6Moderate
102.6Moderate
112.6Moderate
122.5Moderate
132.5Moderate
142.5Moderate
152.5Moderate
162.5Moderate
172.5Moderate
182.5Moderate
192.5Moderate
202.5Moderate
212.5Moderate
222.5Moderate
232.5Moderate
242.5Moderate
252.5Moderate
262.6Moderate
272.6Moderate
282.6Moderate
292.6Moderate
302.6Moderate
312.6Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Gainesville?

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

3.9
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Gainesville.

What to pack for Gainesville in December

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

In December, Gainesville sees daytime highs around 55°F and nights near 37°F. Worth packing: a warm layer. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layer

UV index in Gainesville in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gainesville peaks around June 23 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 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 highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 10Dec 22UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar6High
Apr9Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Gainesville 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 Gainesville is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.1× the cleanest month (November, 5 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1616 µg/m³Nov 235 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar9Good
Apr9Good
May12Good
Jun14Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep9Good
Oct6Good
Nov5Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Gainesville?

Gainesville sits at 33.6°N, 97.1°W, 751 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Denton, 29 mi away.

Topography around Gainesville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Gainesville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 161 ft around an average of 751 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 384 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 896 ft.

The land around Gainesville is covered by trees (38%) and grassland (38%) within 2 miles, grassland (57%) and trees (30%) within 10 miles, and grassland (53%) and trees (30%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
161 ft
10 miles
384 ft
50 miles
896 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Denton 29 mi · Celina 29 mi · Sherman 30 mi · Corinth 33 mi · Prosper 33 mi · Little Elm 34 mi · Denison 35 mi · The Trails of Frisco 35 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 Gainesville (33.6259°, -97.1333°, elevation 751 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).