Gatlinburg weather in December

In December, Gatlinburg sees average daytime highs of 49°F and overnight lows near 32°F, with 4.2 in of precipitation across 11.5 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 52°F in the first days to 47°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% 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 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Gatlinburg's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gatlinburg's year-round climate.

Daytime high
49°
11th warmest
Overnight low
32°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
4.2 in
11.5 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
7:42 AM – 5:18 PM
Cloud cover
62%
11th clearest
Wind
5 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.16 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.9
out of 10

Gatlinburg is resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, United States.

Density
156/km²
people per km²
Founded
1945

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 52°F in the first days to 47°F by the end.

A typical December day in Gatlinburg reaches about 49°F in the afternoon and slips back to 32°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 35°F and 62°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15234
25234
35234
45133
55133
65133
75033
85033
95033
105033
114932
124932
134932
144932
154932
164932
174831
184831
194831
204831
214831
224831
234831
244731
254730
264730
274730
284730
294730
304730
314730

How December really feels in Gatlinburg

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.

Gatlinburg weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan46° / 28°4.512.43.79.91.2
Feb50° / 32°4.112.14.110.62.0
Mar58° / 38°4.813.12.311.74.1
Apr67° / 46°4.612.10.812.95.8
May73° / 54°4.414.3013.96.1
Jun80° / 62°4.115.2014.45.8
Jul82° / 65°4.616014.25.5
Aug82° / 64°3.613.8013.45.9
Sep77° / 58°3.810012.26.9
Oct67° / 47°3.19.10.211.16.5
Nov57° / 37°3.89.90.710.14.2
Dec49° / 32°4.211.52.69.61.9

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% 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 60%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24654
34555
44456
54357
64357
74258
84060
93961
103862
113862
123862
133862
143862
153862
163862
173862
183862
193862
204060
214060
223961
234060
244060
254159
264159
274060
284060
294159
304159
314159

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Gatlinburg gets around 4.2 in of rain and snow over 11.5 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 38% and peaks near 39% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1356
2366
3367
4377
5377
6378
7388
8388
9388
10388
11388
12389
13399
14398
15398
16398
17398
18398
19388
20388
21388
22388
23388
24378
25378
26378
27378
28379
29379
30379
313710

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19991
20991
21991
22991
23991
24982
25982
26982
27982
28982
29982
30982
31982

Wind in December

Winds average 5 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 48 min at the start of December to 9 h 36 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 7:31 AM to 7:49 AM, and sunset from 5:17 PM to 5:26 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.87:315:17
29.77:325:16
39.77:335:16
49.77:345:16
59.77:345:16
69.77:355:16
79.77:365:16
89.77:375:16
99.67:385:16
109.67:385:17
119.67:395:17
129.67:405:17
139.67:405:17
149.67:415:17
159.67:425:18
169.67:425:18
179.67:435:18
189.67:445:19
199.67:445:19
209.67:455:19
219.67:455:20
229.67:465:20
239.67:465:21
249.67:475:21
259.67:475:22
269.67:475:22
279.67:485:23
289.67:485:24
299.67:485:24
309.67:495:25
319.67:495:26

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.16 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.16 kWh/m² to a high of 6.09 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.16 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
112.1Moderate
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
272.2Moderate
282.2Moderate
292.2Moderate
302.2Moderate
312.2Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Gatlinburg?

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

1.9
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Gatlinburg.

What to pack for Gatlinburg in December

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

In December, Gatlinburg sees daytime highs around 49°F and nights near 32°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Gatlinburg 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 Gatlinburg 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
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Gatlinburg 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 Gatlinburg is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1517 µg/m³Dec 226 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar10Good
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Gatlinburg?

Gatlinburg sits at 35.7°N, 83.5°W, 0 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Sevierville, 11 mi away.

Topography around Gatlinburg

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Gatlinburg has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,450 ft around an average of 1,791 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,889 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,981 ft.

The land around Gatlinburg is covered by trees (92%) within 2 miles, trees (92%) within 10 miles, and trees (80%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
1,450 ft
10 miles
5,889 ft
50 miles
5,981 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Sevierville 11 mi · Maryville 26 mi · Knoxville 29 mi · Morristown 37 mi · Farragut 38 mi · Oak Ridge 47 mi · Greeneville 49 mi · Asheville 54 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 Gatlinburg (35.7145°, -83.5119°, elevation 0 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).