Orcutt weather in December

In December, Orcutt sees average daytime highs of 60°F and overnight lows near 49°F, with 2.6 in of rain across 6 wet days and about 9.7 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 60°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 49% 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 Orcutt's 9th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Orcutt's year-round climate.

Daytime high
60°
10th warmest
Overnight low
49°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
2.6 in
6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 42 min
7:08 AM – 4:48 PM
Cloud cover
43%
9th clearest
Wind
9 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
2.9 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.4
out of 10

Orcutt is census designated place in Santa Barbara County, California, United States.

Density
1,003/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

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 60°F through the month.

A typical December day in Orcutt reaches about 60°F in the afternoon and slips back to 49°F overnight — a 10°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 55°F and 65°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 4°F cooler than November and on par with January.

40°50°60°70°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16151
26151
36151
46151
56050
66050
76050
86050
96050
106050
116050
126050
136050
146049
155949
165949
175949
185949
195949
205949
215949
225949
235949
245949
255949
265949
275949
285949
295949
305949
315949

Orcutt weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan60° / 49°3.579.95.2
Feb59° / 50°3.47.510.75.0
Mar60° / 51°2.66.111.75.4
Apr60° / 51°0.92.912.96.1
May62° / 53°0.41.413.86.8
Jun64° / 55°0.10.314.37.8
Jul67° / 57°0.00.214.18.2
Aug68° / 58°0.00.113.38.5
Sep68° / 58°0.00.312.28.5
Oct67° / 57°0.61.811.18.1
Nov64° / 53°1.23.310.27.0
Dec60° / 49°2.669.75.4

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 49% 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 37%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16832
26733
36733
46535
56535
66535
76436
86436
96436
106337
116337
126337
136238
146238
156238
166337
176337
186337
196337
206337
216337
226238
236238
246238
256139
266040
275941
285941
295842
305842
315842

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Orcutt gets around 2.6 in of rain over 6 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 20% and peaks near 23% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
115
216
316
416
517
617
717
818
918
1018
1119
1219
1319
1419
1520
1620
1720
1820
1920
2021
2121
2221
2321
2421
2522
2622
2722
2822
2923
3023
3123

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 97% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1964
2964
3964
4964
5964
6964
7964
8964
9964
10973
11973
12973
13973
14973
15982
16982
17982
18982
19982
20991
21991
22991
23991
24991
25991
26982
27982
28982
29982
30982
31982

Wind in December

Winds average 9 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

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 6:57 AM to 7:14 AM, and sunset from 4:46 PM to 4:56 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.86:574:46
29.86:574:46
39.86:584:46
49.86:594:46
59.87:004:46
69.87:014:46
79.77:024:46
89.77:024:46
99.77:034:46
109.77:044:47
119.77:054:47
129.77:054:47
139.77:064:47
149.77:074:47
159.77:074:48
169.77:084:48
179.77:084:48
189.77:094:49
199.77:104:49
209.77:104:49
219.77:114:50
229.77:114:50
239.77:124:51
249.77:124:51
259.77:124:52
269.77:134:52
279.77:134:53
289.77:134:54
299.77:144:54
309.77:144:55
319.77:144:56

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.9 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.9 kWh/m² to a high of 8.2 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.9 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.0Moderate
23.0Moderate
33.0Moderate
42.9Moderate
52.9Moderate
62.9Moderate
72.9Moderate
82.9Moderate
92.9Moderate
102.9Moderate
112.8Moderate
122.8Moderate
132.8Moderate
142.8Moderate
152.8Moderate
162.8Moderate
172.8Moderate
182.8Moderate
192.8Moderate
202.8Moderate
212.8Moderate
222.9Moderate
232.9Moderate
242.9Moderate
252.9Moderate
262.9Moderate
272.9Moderate
282.9Moderate
292.9Moderate
302.9Moderate
312.9Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Orcutt?

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

5.4
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.3
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Orcutt for sightseeing.

What to pack for Orcutt in December

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

In December, Orcutt sees daytime highs around 60°F and nights near 49°F. Worth packing: a warm layer. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layer

Sea temperature near Orcutt in December

The nearest coast averages about 57°F in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 11 mi away) is warmest in October at about 60°F and coldest in April near 54°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

52°54°56°58°60°62°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan56Bracing
Feb56Bracing
Mar55Bracing
Apr54Bracing
May54Bracing
Jun56Bracing
Jul58Bracing
Aug59Cool
Sep60Cool
Oct60Cool
Nov59Bracing
Dec57Bracing

UV index in Orcutt 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 Orcutt peaks around June 22 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 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 22UV 11Dec 15UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul10Extreme
Aug10Extreme
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Orcutt 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 Orcutt is worst in September — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 5.4× the cleanest month (June, 4 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1519 µg/m³Jun 134 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan5Good
Feb5Good
Mar6Good
Apr5Good
May5Good
Jun4Good
Jul6Good
Aug9Good
Sep21Moderate
Oct5Good
Nov5Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Orcutt?

Orcutt sits at 34.9°N, 120.4°W, 358 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Santa Maria, 6.2 mi away.

Topography around Orcutt

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Orcutt has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 768 ft around an average of 430 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,644 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 6,788 ft.

The land around Orcutt is covered by artificial surfaces (38%) and grassland (37%) within 2 miles, grassland (49%) and cropland (22%) within 10 miles, and grassland (37%) and water (35%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
768 ft
10 miles
1,644 ft
50 miles
6,788 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Santa Maria 6.2 mi · Nipomo 12 mi · Lompoc 16 mi · Arroyo Grande 19 mi · San Luis Obispo 32 mi · Atascadero 45 mi · Isla Vista 45 mi · Goleta 45 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 Orcutt (34.8653°, -120.436°, elevation 358 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).