Redding weather in December

In December, Redding sees average daytime highs of 53°F and overnight lows near 39°F, with 9.9 in of precipitation across 12.9 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 55°F in the first days to 53°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 18 min at the start of December to 9 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Redding's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Redding's year-round climate.

Daytime high
53°
12th warmest
Overnight low
39°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
9.9 in
12.9 wet days
Daylight
9 h 06 min
7:32 AM – 4:39 PM
Cloud cover
63%
11th clearest
Wind
4 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.78 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.9
out of 10

Redding is city in Shasta County, California, United States.

Density
578/km²
people per km²
Founded
1887

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 55°F in the first days to 53°F by the end.

A typical December day in Redding reaches about 53°F in the afternoon and slips back to 39°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 46°F and 62°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°F cooler than November and on par with January.

30°40°50°60°70°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15641
25540
35540
45540
55540
65540
75440
85440
95440
105440
115440
125339
135339
145339
155339
165339
175339
185339
195338
205338
215338
225338
235338
245338
255338
265338
275338
285338
295338
305338
315338

How December really feels in Redding

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.

Redding weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 12th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan54° / 39°9.312.529.43.2
Feb58° / 41°8.511.51.510.44.0
Mar63° / 44°7.512.31.111.75.3
Apr69° / 47°3.79.10.2136.6
May79° / 55°2.36.2014.27.4
Jun89° / 62°1.02.8014.85.1
Jul97° / 69°0.10.4014.62.7
Aug95° / 67°0.20.6013.63.3
Sep89° / 61°0.51.7012.35.6
Oct76° / 52°2.74.6010.98.0
Nov61° / 44°5.68.80.59.75.3
Dec53° / 39°9.912.91.79.22.9

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 60%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14357
24357
34357
44159
54060
64060
74060
83862
93862
103862
113862
123763
133862
143862
153862
163862
173961
184060
194060
204159
214159
224159
234357
244357
254357
264357
274258
284258
294258
304159
314060

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Redding gets around 9.9 in of rain and snow over 12.9 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 41% and peaks near 44% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1373
2384
3394
4404
5414
6414
7424
8434
9434
10444
11445
12445
13445
14445
15445
16445
17436
18426
19426
20416
21416
22407
23407
24397
25397
26397
27387
28387
29388
30388
31398

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.

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 18 min at the start of December to 9 h 06 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 7:20 AM to 7:39 AM, and sunset from 4:39 PM to 4:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:204:39
29.37:214:38
39.37:224:38
49.37:234:38
59.27:244:38
69.27:254:38
79.27:264:38
89.27:264:38
99.27:274:38
109.27:284:38
119.27:294:38
129.17:304:38
139.17:304:38
149.17:314:39
159.17:324:39
169.17:324:39
179.17:334:39
189.17:344:40
199.17:344:40
209.17:354:40
219.17:354:41
229.17:364:41
239.17:364:42
249.17:374:42
259.17:374:43
269.17:374:43
279.17:384:44
289.17:384:45
299.17:384:45
309.17:394:46
319.17:394:47

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.78 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.78 kWh/m² to a high of 8.1 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.78 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.9Dim
21.9Dim
31.9Dim
41.8Dim
51.8Dim
61.8Dim
71.8Dim
81.8Dim
91.8Dim
101.7Dim
111.7Dim
121.7Dim
131.7Dim
141.7Dim
151.7Dim
161.7Dim
171.7Dim
181.7Dim
191.7Dim
201.7Dim
211.8Dim
221.8Dim
231.8Dim
241.8Dim
251.8Dim
261.8Dim
271.8Dim
281.8Dim
291.8Dim
301.8Dim
311.8Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Redding

In seasonPeak

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

Redding's rainy season runs November–March, 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 Redding?

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

2.9
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 Redding.

What to pack for Redding in December

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

In December, Redding sees daytime highs around 53°F and nights near 39°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Redding 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 Redding peaks around July 10 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 10UV 10Dec 15UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May9Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct5Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec2Low

Air quality in Redding 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 Redding is worst in August — around 76 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 11.2× the cleanest month (June, 7 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodUnhealthyModerateGoodAug 1973 µg/m³Dec 227 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr10Good
May8Good
Jun7Good
Jul39Poor
Aug76Unhealthy
Sep60Unhealthy
Oct13Moderate
Nov11Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Redding?

Redding sits at 40.6°N, 122.4°W, 564 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Chico, 66 mi away.

Topography around Redding

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Redding has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 449 ft around an average of 600 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,484 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10,164 ft.

The land around Redding is covered by trees (42%) and artificial surfaces (40%) within 2 miles, trees (63%) and grassland (25%) within 10 miles, and trees (76%) and grassland (21%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
449 ft
10 miles
3,484 ft
50 miles
10,164 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Chico 66 mi · Paradise 70 mi · Oroville 86 mi · Bayside 89 mi · Arcata 91 mi · Susanville 92 mi · McKinleyville 93 mi · Eureka 94 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 Redding (40.5865°, -122.3917°, elevation 564 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).