Sedona weather in December

In December, Sedona sees average daytime highs of 51°F and overnight lows near 29°F, with 1.8 in of precipitation across 5.4 wet days and about 9.7 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 53°F in the first days to 49°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% 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 Sedona's 10th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Sedona's year-round climate.

Daytime high
51°
12th warmest
Overnight low
29°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
1.8 in
5.4 wet days
Daylight
9 h 42 min
7:33 AM – 5:13 PM
Cloud cover
41%
10th clearest
Wind
5 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
3.07 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.8
out of 10

Sedona is city in Yavapai and Coconino counties in Arizona, United States.

Density
209/km²
people per km²
Founded
1902

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 53°F in the first days to 49°F by the end.

A typical December day in Sedona reaches about 51°F in the afternoon and slips back to 29°F overnight — a 22°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 40°F and 60°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and on par with January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15432
25431
35331
45331
55331
65331
75230
85230
95230
105130
115129
125129
135129
145029
155029
165029
175029
184928
194928
204928
214928
224928
234928
244928
254928
264928
274928
284928
294928
304928
314928

How December really feels in Sedona

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.

Sedona weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 12th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan51° / 29°2.05.52.79.92.9
Feb53° / 31°2.46.13.310.73.5
Mar60° / 35°1.85.42.111.75.6
Apr67° / 41°1.13.9112.97.5
May77° / 50°0.52.6013.88.5
Jun87° / 59°0.11014.36.1
Jul90° / 65°1.26.6014.14.4
Aug88° / 64°1.15.8013.35.2
Sep82° / 58°0.94.4012.27.4
Oct72° / 47°1.23.70.111.18.3
Nov60° / 36°1.43.80.910.25.9
Dec51° / 29°1.85.43.19.72.8

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 32%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16931
26832
36832
46832
56832
66733
76733
86733
96733
106832
116832
126832
136832
146832
156931
166832
176832
186733
196832
206733
216733
226832
236733
246733
256733
266733
276733
286733
296832
306832
316832

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Sedona gets around 1.8 in of rain and snow over 5.4 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 17% and peaks near 19% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1156
2156
3156
4157
5157
6167
7167
8168
9168
10168
11179
12179
131810
141810
151811
161911
171911
181912
191912
201912
211912
221912
231912
241912
251912
261912
271811
281811
291811
301810
311710

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 5 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

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 7:22 AM to 7:40 AM, and sunset from 5:12 PM to 5:21 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.87:225:12
29.87:235:12
39.87:245:11
49.87:245:11
59.87:255:11
69.87:265:11
79.77:275:12
89.77:285:12
99.77:285:12
109.77:295:12
119.77:305:12
129.77:315:12
139.77:315:12
149.77:325:13
159.77:325:13
169.77:335:13
179.77:345:14
189.77:345:14
199.77:355:14
209.77:355:15
219.77:365:15
229.77:365:16
239.77:375:16
249.77:375:17
259.77:385:17
269.77:385:18
279.77:385:18
289.77:395:19
299.77:395:20
309.77:395:20
319.77:405:21

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 3.07 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.07 kWh/m² to a high of 8.44 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 3.07 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.2Moderate
23.2Moderate
33.2Moderate
43.1Moderate
53.1Moderate
63.1Moderate
73.1Moderate
83.1Moderate
93.1Moderate
103.1Moderate
113.0Moderate
123.0Moderate
133.0Moderate
143.0Moderate
153.0Moderate
163.0Moderate
173.0Moderate
183.0Moderate
193.0Moderate
203.0Moderate
213.0Moderate
223.0Moderate
233.0Moderate
243.0Moderate
253.1Moderate
263.1Moderate
273.1Moderate
283.1Moderate
293.1Moderate
303.1Moderate
313.1Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Sedona?

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

2.8
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Sedona.

What to pack for Sedona in December

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

In December, Sedona sees daytime highs around 51°F and nights near 29°F. Pack a warm layer. About 5 days see rain.

a warm layer

UV index in Sedona 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 Sedona peaks around June 23 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 12Dec 18UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5High
Mar6High
Apr6High
May9Very high
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep9Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Sedona 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 Sedona is worst in June — around 23 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.0× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodJun 1721 µg/m³Dec 188 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb9Good
Mar9Good
Apr12Good
May11Good
Jun23Moderate
Jul13Moderate
Aug11Good
Sep12Moderate
Oct15Moderate
Nov10Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Sedona?

Sedona sits at 34.9°N, 111.8°W, 0 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Flagstaff, 24 mi away.

Topography around Sedona

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Sedona has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,778 ft around an average of 4,564 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,724 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10,381 ft.

The land around Sedona is covered by trees (47%) and shrubs (29%) within 2 miles, trees (54%) and shrubs (25%) within 10 miles, and trees (44%) and grassland (38%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
1,778 ft
10 miles
3,724 ft
50 miles
10,381 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrain
December weather nearby: Flagstaff 24 mi · Prescott Valley 36 mi · Prescott 46 mi · Payson 50 mi · Anthem 73 mi · Grand Canyon 85 mi · Deer Valley 85 mi · Fountain Hills 87 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 Sedona (34.8697°, -111.761°, elevation 0 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).