Knoxville weather in December

In December, Knoxville sees average daytime highs of 50°F and overnight lows near 35°F, with 4.6 in of precipitation across 10.6 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 53°F in the first days to 48°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 42 min at the start of December to 9 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Knoxville's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Knoxville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
50°
11th warmest
Overnight low
35°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
4.6 in
10.6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
7:45 AM – 5:19 PM
Cloud cover
64%
11th clearest
Wind
5 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.07 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.3
out of 10

Knoxville is city and county seat of Knox County, State of Tennessee, United States.

Density
707/km²
people per km²
Founded
1786

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 53°F in the first days to 48°F by the end.

A typical December day in Knoxville reaches about 50°F in the afternoon and slips back to 35°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 38°F and 62°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 9°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15437
25336
35336
45336
55236
65236
75236
85135
95135
105135
115135
125135
135035
145035
155034
165034
175034
184934
194934
204934
214934
224934
234933
244933
254933
264933
274933
284833
294833
304833
314833

How December really feels in Knoxville

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 30 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
30
wind chill below the day's low

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

Knoxville weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan47° / 31°4.410.71.89.81.6
Feb52° / 34°4.310.91.710.62.6
Mar60° / 41°4.912.20.711.74.6
Apr69° / 49°4.310.9012.96.2
May77° / 58°3.711.7013.96.5
Jun84° / 66°3.713.2014.45.2
Jul86° / 70°4.714.8014.24.4
Aug86° / 68°3.411.4013.44.9
Sep81° / 62°3.58.3012.26.7
Oct70° / 50°2.97.8011.17.0
Nov59° / 40°3.88.90.210.14.7
Dec50° / 35°4.610.619.62.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 28% 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 61%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24654
34456
44456
54258
64159
74159
83961
93961
103862
113763
123763
133763
143763
153763
163763
173763
183763
193763
203862
213862
223862
233862
243763
253763
263862
273862
283961
293862
303862
313862

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Knoxville gets around 4.6 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 34% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1342
2342
3352
4352
5353
6363
7363
8363
9363
10363
11363
12353
13353
14353
15353
16353
17353
18353
19343
20343
21344
22344
23334
24334
25334
26334
27334
28334
29334
30334
31335

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 96% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19541
29541
39541
49541
59541
69541
79541
89541
99541
109640
119730
129730
139730
149730
159730
169730
179820
189721
199721
209721
219721
229721
239721
249721
259721
269721
279721
289721
299721
309631
319631

Wind in December

Winds average 5 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 6 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
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 42 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 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:33 AM to 7:51 AM, and sunset from 5:18 PM to 5:27 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.77:335:18
29.77:345:17
39.77:355:17
49.77:365:17
59.77:375:17
69.77:385:17
79.67:385:17
89.67:395:17
99.67:405:17
109.67:415:18
119.67:415:18
129.67:425:18
139.67:435:18
149.67:435:18
159.67:445:19
169.67:455:19
179.67:455:19
189.67:465:20
199.67:465:20
209.67:475:20
219.67:485:21
229.67:485:21
239.67:485:22
249.67:495:22
259.67:495:23
269.67:505:23
279.67:505:24
289.67:505:25
299.67:515:25
309.67:515:26
319.67:515:27

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.07 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.07 kWh/m² to a high of 6.07 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.07 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.3Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.2Moderate
42.2Moderate
52.2Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.1Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.0Moderate
132.0Moderate
142.0Moderate
152.0Moderate
162.0Moderate
172.0Moderate
182.0Moderate
192.0Moderate
202.0Moderate
212.0Moderate
222.0Moderate
232.0Moderate
242.1Moderate
252.1Moderate
262.1Moderate
272.1Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.1Moderate
302.1Moderate
312.1Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Knoxville?

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

2.3
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 Knoxville.

What to pack for Knoxville in December

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

In December, Knoxville sees daytime highs around 50°F and nights near 35°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Knoxville 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 Knoxville peaks around July 12 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 12UV 10Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Knoxville 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 Knoxville is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1518 µg/m³Dec 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Knoxville?

Knoxville sits at 36.0°N, 83.9°W, 906 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Farragut, 14 mi away.

Topography around Knoxville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Knoxville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 390 ft around an average of 919 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 879 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,974 ft.

The land around Knoxville is covered by artificial surfaces (45%) and trees (39%) within 2 miles, trees (65%) and grassland (21%) within 10 miles, and trees (79%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
390 ft
10 miles
879 ft
50 miles
5,974 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Farragut 14 mi · Maryville 14 mi · Oak Ridge 20 mi · Sevierville 21 mi · Gatlinburg 29 mi · Morristown 39 mi · Greeneville 63 mi · Cleveland 77 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 Knoxville (35.9606°, -83.9207°, elevation 906 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).