Lake Tahoe weather in December

In December, Lake Tahoe sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 23°F, with 5.6 in of precipitation across 10.6 wet days and about 9.3 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 40°F in the first days to 37°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 30 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Lake Tahoe's 11th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lake Tahoe's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
12th warmest
Overnight low
23°
1st coldest
Precipitation
5.6 in
10.6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 18 min
7:18 AM – 4:35 PM
Cloud cover
60%
11th clearest
Wind
4 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
2.4 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Lake Tahoe is city in El Dorado County, California, United States.

Density
505/km²
people per km²
Founded
1965

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 40°F in the first days to 37°F by the end.

A typical December day in Lake Tahoe reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 23°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°F and 46°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 9°F cooler than November and on par with January.

10°20°30°40°50°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14025
24024
34024
44024
54024
63924
73924
83924
93924
103824
113824
123824
133823
143823
153823
163723
173723
183723
193723
203723
213723
223723
233723
243723
253723
263723
273723
283723
293723
303723
313723

How December really feels in Lake Tahoe

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.

Lake Tahoe weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 12th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan38° / 24°5.710.710.29.60.0
Feb40° / 25°5.211.21110.50.0
Mar44° / 27°4.911.110.711.70.7
Apr49° / 29°2.78.97.4132.0
May59° / 36°2.18.43.614.14.8
Jun70° / 44°0.84.30.714.77.9
Jul79° / 51°0.43.1014.48.4
Aug79° / 52°0.53.1013.58.5
Sep72° / 47°0.63.20.312.38.5
Oct61° / 38°1.74.82.1116.0
Nov47° / 28°3.27.96.79.91.6
Dec38° / 23°5.610.610.29.30.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25149
34951
44951
54852
64753
74654
84654
94654
104555
114555
124456
134555
144555
154555
164555
174555
184654
194654
204555
214555
224654
234654
244555
254555
264456
274456
284456
294456
304456
314456

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Lake Tahoe gets around 5.6 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 35% on the wettest days, and about 10 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13229
23230
33330
43331
53431
63432
73532
83532
93533
103533
113533
123533
133534
143434
153434
163434
173434
183434
193334
203334
213333
223333
233333
243333
253333
263333
273333
283332
293332
303432
313432

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in December

Winds average 4 mph in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 4 mph on the calmest days to 4 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 30 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 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 7:06 AM to 7:24 AM, and sunset from 4:34 PM to 4:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.57:064:34
29.57:074:34
39.47:074:33
49.47:084:33
59.47:094:33
69.47:104:33
79.47:114:33
89.47:124:33
99.37:134:33
109.37:134:33
119.37:144:34
129.37:154:34
139.37:164:34
149.37:164:34
159.37:174:34
169.37:184:35
179.37:184:35
189.37:194:35
199.37:194:36
209.37:204:36
219.37:204:36
229.37:214:37
239.37:214:37
249.37:224:38
259.37:224:38
269.37:234:39
279.37:234:40
289.37:234:40
299.37:234:41
309.37:244:42
319.37:244:42

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.4 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.4 kWh/m² to a high of 8.26 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.4 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.5Moderate
22.5Moderate
32.5Moderate
42.4Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.4Moderate
102.4Moderate
112.3Moderate
122.3Moderate
132.3Moderate
142.3Moderate
152.3Moderate
162.3Moderate
172.3Moderate
182.3Moderate
192.3Moderate
202.4Moderate
212.4Moderate
222.4Moderate
232.4Moderate
242.4Moderate
252.4Moderate
262.4Moderate
272.4Moderate
282.4Moderate
292.5Moderate
302.5Moderate
312.5Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Lake Tahoe

In seasonPeak

In December, Lake Tahoe sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Lake Tahoe's rainy season runs November–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Lake Tahoe?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Lake Tahoe.

What to pack for Lake Tahoe in December

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

In December, Lake Tahoe sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 23°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Lake Tahoe 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 Lake Tahoe peaks around June 23 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 12Dec 13UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr8Very high
May10Very high
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep7Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Lake Tahoe 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 Lake Tahoe is worst in August — around 85 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 16.6× the cleanest month (December, 5 µg/m³).

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

0306090JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateUnhealthyModerateGoodAug 1679 µg/m³Dec 165 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar9Good
Apr9Good
May9Good
Jun14Moderate
Jul45Poor
Aug85Unhealthy
Sep34Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov6Good
Dec5Good
Location & terrain

Where is Lake Tahoe?

Lake Tahoe sits at 38.9°N, 120.0°W, 6,237 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Carson City, 20 mi away.

Topography around Lake Tahoe

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Lake Tahoe has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 427 ft around an average of 6,270 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 6,181 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10,850 ft.

The land around Lake Tahoe is covered by trees (50%) and water (29%) within 2 miles, trees (57%) and water (24%) within 10 miles, and trees (60%) and grassland (24%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
427 ft
10 miles
6,181 ft
50 miles
10,850 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Carson City 20 mi · Truckee 29 mi · Reno 42 mi · Sparks 43 mi · Sun Valley 47 mi · Spanish Springs 52 mi · Cameron Park 57 mi · Fernley 61 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 Lake Tahoe (38.9332°, -119.9844°, elevation 6,237 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).