Selma weather in December

In December, Selma sees average daytime highs of 59°F and overnight lows near 40°F, with 4.8 in of precipitation across 10.2 wet days and about 9.9 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 62°F in the first days to 57°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% 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 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Selma's 10th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Selma's year-round climate.

Daytime high
59°
11th warmest
Overnight low
40°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
4.8 in
10.2 wet days
Daylight
9 h 54 min
6:48 AM – 4:41 PM
Cloud cover
59%
10th clearest
Wind
6 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.45 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.6
out of 10

Selma is city in and county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States.

Density
523/km²
people per km²
Founded
1815

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 62°F in the first days to 57°F by the end.

A typical December day in Selma reaches about 59°F in the afternoon and slips back to 40°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 46°F and 71°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)
16242
26241
36241
46241
56141
66141
76141
86041
96041
106040
116040
126040
135940
145940
155940
165940
175940
185840
195840
205840
215839
225839
235839
245839
255739
265739
275739
285739
295739
305739
315739

How December really feels in Selma

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.

Selma weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan57° / 38°4.51010.14.1
Feb61° / 41°4.59.810.85.1
Mar69° / 47°4.910.111.86.4
Apr76° / 54°4.28.612.87.1
May83° / 63°3.59.113.66.0
Jun89° / 70°3.912.314.14.0
Jul91° / 73°4.214.813.93.2
Aug91° / 72°3.612.313.23.5
Sep87° / 67°2.87.812.25.1
Oct77° / 56°3.06.411.27.5
Nov67° / 45°3.97.610.36.7
Dec59° / 40°4.810.29.94.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% 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
24852
34753
44753
54654
64654
74456
84456
94456
104357
114357
124357
134357
144357
154357
164456
174456
184456
194555
204456
214456
224456
234456
244357
254456
264456
274456
284357
294357
304357
314357

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Selma gets around 4.8 in of rain and snow over 10.2 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
1133
1234
1334
1434
1534
1635
1735
1835
1935
2035
2135
2234
2334
2434
2534
2634
2734
2834
2934
3033
3133

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 84% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
1811261
2811261
3821161
4821161
5821161
6821161
7821161
8821161
9821161
10831061
11831061
12831061
13831061
14831061
1584961
1684961
1784961
1885861
1985861
2085861
2186761
2286761
2386761
2486761
2586761
2686761
2786761
2886761
2986761
3086761
3186761

Wind in December

Winds average 6 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
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 54 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 6:37 AM to 6:54 AM, and sunset from 4:39 PM to 4:48 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.06:374:39
210.06:384:39
310.06:394:39
410.06:394:39
510.06:404:39
610.06:414:39
710.06:424:39
89.96:424:39
99.96:434:39
109.96:444:39
119.96:454:39
129.96:454:40
139.96:464:40
149.96:474:40
159.96:474:40
169.96:484:41
179.96:484:41
189.96:494:41
199.96:494:42
209.96:504:42
219.96:504:43
229.96:514:43
239.96:514:44
249.96:524:44
259.96:524:45
269.96:534:45
279.96:534:46
289.96:534:46
299.96:544:47
309.96:544:48
319.96:544:48

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.45 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.45 kWh/m² to a high of 6.25 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.45 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.7Moderate
22.7Moderate
32.6Moderate
42.6Moderate
52.6Moderate
62.6Moderate
72.5Moderate
82.5Moderate
92.5Moderate
102.5Moderate
112.5Moderate
122.5Moderate
132.4Moderate
142.4Moderate
152.4Moderate
162.4Moderate
172.4Moderate
182.4Moderate
192.4Moderate
202.4Moderate
212.4Moderate
222.4Moderate
232.4Moderate
242.4Moderate
252.4Moderate
262.4Moderate
272.4Moderate
282.4Moderate
292.4Moderate
302.4Moderate
312.4Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Selma?

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

4.6
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
0.3
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Selma for sightseeing.

What to pack for Selma in December

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

In December, Selma sees daytime highs around 59°F and nights near 40°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Selma 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 Selma peaks around July 15 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 15UV 10Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5High
Mar7High
Apr8Very high
May9Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Selma 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 Selma is worst in July — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1820 µg/m³Jan 117 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb9Good
Mar11Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul20Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep14Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Selma?

Selma sits at 32.4°N, 87.0°W, 125 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Prattville, 33 mi away.

Topography around Selma

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Selma has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 108 ft around an average of 135 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 390 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 817 ft.

The land around Selma is covered by trees (63%) within 2 miles, trees (74%) within 10 miles, and trees (82%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
108 ft
10 miles
390 ft
50 miles
817 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Prattville 33 mi · Millbrook 39 mi · Montgomery 42 mi · Alabaster 59 mi · Pelham 62 mi · Helena 62 mi · Tuscaloosa 64 mi · Northport 65 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 Selma (32.4074°, -87.0211°, elevation 125 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).