Pelham weather in December

In December, Pelham sees average daytime highs of 56°F and overnight lows near 39°F, with 5.0 in of precipitation across 10.1 wet days and about 9.8 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 59°F in the first days to 55°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 hours at the start of December to 9 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Pelham's 10th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Pelham's year-round climate.

Daytime high
56°
11th warmest
Overnight low
39°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
5.0 in
10.1 wet days
Daylight
9 h 48 min
6:49 AM – 4:38 PM
Cloud cover
59%
10th clearest
Wind
7 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.35 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Pelham is city in Alabama.

Density
225/km²
people per km²
Founded
1964

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 59°F in the first days to 55°F by the end.

A typical December day in Pelham reaches about 56°F in the afternoon and slips back to 39°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 44°F and 68°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°F cooler than November and about 2°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16040
26040
35940
45940
55940
65840
75840
85839
95839
105739
115739
125739
135739
145639
155638
165638
175638
185638
195638
205638
215638
225538
235538
245538
255538
265538
275538
285538
295538
305538
315537

How December really feels in Pelham

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

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Pelham 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
Jan54° / 36°4.89.80.5103.4
Feb59° / 39°5.110.30.310.84.4
Mar66° / 46°5.5110.211.76.0
Apr74° / 53°4.39.2012.87.0
May81° / 62°3.89.8013.76.4
Jun87° / 69°4.112.9014.24.4
Jul89° / 72°4.414.40143.7
Aug89° / 71°3.812.6013.24.0
Sep84° / 65°3.37.7012.25.8
Oct75° / 54°3.37011.27.5
Nov64° / 44°3.97.8010.36.2
Dec56° / 39°5.010.10.19.83.9

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% 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 56%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24753
34654
44555
54555
64555
74555
84456
94456
104357
114357
124357
134357
144456
154456
164555
174555
184555
194456
204456
214456
224456
234456
244357
254357
264357
274357
284357
294357
304357
314258

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Pelham gets around 5.0 in of rain and snow over 10.1 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 33% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
129
229
330
431
531
632
732
832
933
1033
1134
1234
1334
1434
1535
1635
1735
1835
1935
2035
2135
2234
2334
2434
2534
2633
2733
2833
2933
3032
3132

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 88% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1841051
285951
386941
486941
586941
686941
786941
886941
986941
1086941
1187940
1287940
1387940
1487940
1588930
1689830
1789830
1888831
1988831
2088831
2189731
2289731
2389731
2489731
2589731
2689731
2788741
2888741
2988741
3088741
3188741

Wind in December

Winds average 7 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 hours 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 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:38 AM to 6:56 AM, and sunset from 4:36 PM to 4:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.06:384:36
29.96:394:36
39.96:404:36
49.96:414:36
59.96:424:36
69.96:424:36
79.96:434:36
89.96:444:36
99.96:454:36
109.86:454:36
119.86:464:36
129.86:474:37
139.86:474:37
149.86:484:37
159.86:494:37
169.86:494:38
179.86:504:38
189.86:504:38
199.86:514:39
209.86:514:39
219.86:524:40
229.86:524:40
239.86:534:41
249.86:534:41
259.86:544:42
269.86:544:42
279.86:544:43
289.86:554:43
299.86:554:44
309.86:554:45
319.86:564:45

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.35 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.35 kWh/m² to a high of 6.18 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.35 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.6Moderate
22.5Moderate
32.5Moderate
42.5Moderate
52.5Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.4Moderate
102.4Moderate
112.4Moderate
122.4Moderate
132.3Moderate
142.3Moderate
152.3Moderate
162.3Moderate
172.3Moderate
182.3Moderate
192.3Moderate
202.3Moderate
212.3Moderate
222.3Moderate
232.3Moderate
242.3Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.3Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.3Moderate
312.3Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Pelham?

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

3.9
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.1
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Pelham.

What to pack for Pelham in December

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

In December, Pelham sees daytime highs around 56°F and nights near 39°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Pelham 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 Pelham peaks around July 14 at about 10 (extreme) — 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 highVery highHighModerateJul 14UV 10Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5High
Mar6High
Apr8Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Pelham 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 Pelham is worst in July — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.4× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1820 µg/m³Jan 116 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Pelham?

Pelham sits at 33.3°N, 86.8°W, 502 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Helena, 1.9 mi away.

Topography around Pelham

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Pelham has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 728 ft around an average of 525 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,050 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,814 ft.

The land around Pelham is covered by trees (64%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 2 miles, trees (79%) within 10 miles, and trees (87%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
728 ft
10 miles
1,050 ft
50 miles
1,814 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Helena 1.9 mi · Alabaster 3.1 mi · Hoover 8.1 mi · Vestavia Hills 11 mi · Bessemer 12 mi · Homewood 13 mi · Mountain Brook 16 mi · Hueytown 16 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 Pelham (33.2857°, -86.81°, elevation 502 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).