Santa Rosa Beach weather in December

In December, Santa Rosa Beach sees average daytime highs of 62°F and overnight lows near 47°F, with 4.4 in of rain across 8.6 wet days and about 10.1 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 65°F in the first days to 61°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 12 min at the start of December to 10 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Santa Rosa Beach's 8th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Santa Rosa Beach's year-round climate.

Daytime high
62°
11th warmest
Overnight low
47°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
4.4 in
8.6 wet days
Daylight
10 hours
6:40 AM – 4:43 PM
Cloud cover
54%
8th clearest
Wind
8 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
2.78 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.7
out of 10

Santa Rosa Beach is unincorporated community in Florida.

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 65°F in the first days to 61°F by the end.

A typical December day in Santa Rosa Beach reaches about 62°F in the afternoon and slips back to 47°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 52°F and 72°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 6°F cooler than November and about 2°F warmer than January.

30°40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16549
26549
36549
46549
56449
66448
76448
86448
96448
106348
116348
126348
136347
146347
156247
166247
176247
186247
196247
206247
216147
226146
236146
246146
256146
266146
276146
286146
296046
306046
316046

How December really feels in Santa Rosa Beach

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.

Santa Rosa Beach weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan60° / 45°4.58.510.35.1
Feb63° / 48°4.37.510.95.9
Mar69° / 54°4.88.511.86.8
Apr75° / 60°3.57.512.77.4
May82° / 68°2.68.813.56.6
Jun86° / 75°4.615.613.94.3
Jul87° / 77°5.421.113.83.4
Aug87° / 76°5.819.913.13.6
Sep85° / 72°4.41212.25.1
Oct78° / 62°3.36.211.37.6
Nov69° / 52°3.16.910.57.1
Dec62° / 47°4.48.610.15.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% 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 50%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15743
25743
35644
45545
55446
65347
75347
85248
95248
105248
115248
125149
135149
145149
155149
165050
175050
185050
195050
204951
214951
224852
234852
244852
254753
264654
274654
284753
294654
304753
314753

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Santa Rosa Beach gets around 4.4 in of rain over 8.6 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 28% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
126
226
326
426
527
627
727
827
927
1028
1128
1228
1328
1428
1528
1628
1728
1828
1928
2028
2128
2228
2328
2428
2528
2628
2728
2828
2928
3027
3127

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 71% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
16714136
26714136
36714136
46615136
56715135
66715135
76814135
86814135
96814135
106814135
117013134
127013134
137113124
147212124
157212124
167212124
177311124
187411114
197411114
207510114
217510114
227610104
237610104
247610104
257610104
267610104
277510114
287510114
297510114
307510114
317410124

Wind in December

Winds average 8 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 12 min at the start of December to 10 h 06 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 6:29 AM to 6:46 AM, and sunset from 4:40 PM to 4:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.26:294:40
210.26:304:40
310.26:314:40
410.16:324:40
510.16:324:40
610.16:334:40
710.16:344:40
810.16:344:40
910.16:354:41
1010.16:364:41
1110.16:374:41
1210.16:374:41
1310.16:384:42
1410.16:384:42
1510.16:394:42
1610.06:404:43
1710.06:404:43
1810.06:414:43
1910.06:414:44
2010.06:424:44
2110.06:424:44
2210.06:434:45
2310.06:434:45
2410.06:444:46
2510.06:444:46
2610.06:454:47
2710.06:454:48
2810.06:454:48
2910.16:464:49
3010.16:464:49
3110.16:464:50

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.78 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.78 kWh/m² to a high of 6.47 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.78 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.0Moderate
23.0Moderate
33.0Moderate
43.0Moderate
52.9Moderate
62.9Moderate
72.9Moderate
82.9Moderate
92.9Moderate
102.8Moderate
112.8Moderate
122.8Moderate
132.8Moderate
142.8Moderate
152.8Moderate
162.8Moderate
172.8Moderate
182.7Moderate
192.7Moderate
202.7Moderate
212.7Moderate
222.7Moderate
232.7Moderate
242.7Moderate
252.7Moderate
262.7Moderate
272.7Moderate
282.7Moderate
292.7Moderate
302.8Moderate
312.8Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Santa Rosa Beach

In seasonPeak

None of Santa Rosa Beach's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Santa Rosa Beach sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Santa Rosa Beach?

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

5.7
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
1.4
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Santa Rosa Beach for sightseeing.

What to pack for Santa Rosa Beach in December

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

In December, Santa Rosa Beach sees daytime highs around 62°F and nights near 47°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Santa Rosa Beach in December

The nearest coast averages about 67°F in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 85°F and coldest in February near 63°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Apr 8 to Dec 11 — about 8.2 months when the water holds above 68°F.

60°70°80°90°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan64Cool
Feb63Cool
Mar65Cool
Apr69Refreshing
May76Warm
Jun82Warm
Jul84Tropical
Aug85Tropical
Sep83Tropical
Oct78Warm
Nov72Refreshing
Dec67Cool

UV index in Santa Rosa Beach in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Santa Rosa Beach peaks around June 18 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 4 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highVery highHighModerateJun 18UV 10Dec 19UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb6High
Mar7High
Apr9Very high
May9Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov5Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Santa Rosa Beach 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 Santa Rosa Beach is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.7× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1519 µg/m³Dec 147 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May12Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Santa Rosa Beach?

Santa Rosa Beach sits at 30.4°N, 86.2°W, 3 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Fort Walton Beach, 23 mi away.

Topography around Santa Rosa Beach

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Santa Rosa Beach has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 66 ft around an average of 13 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 135 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 384 ft.

The land around Santa Rosa Beach is covered by trees (55%) and water (28%) within 2 miles, water (54%) and trees (37%) within 10 miles, and trees (54%) and water (33%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
66 ft
10 miles
135 ft
50 miles
384 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
December weather nearby: Fort Walton Beach 23 mi · Wright 25 mi · Crestview 32 mi · Lynn Haven 36 mi · Panama City 38 mi · Navarre 38 mi · Midway 46 mi · East Pensacola Heights 57 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 Santa Rosa Beach (30.396°, -86.2288°, elevation 3 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).