Tulsa weather in December

In December, Tulsa sees average daytime highs of 49°F and overnight lows near 33°F, with 2.2 in of precipitation across 5.9 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 53°F in the first days to 47°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 42 min at the start of December to 9 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Tulsa's 8th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Tulsa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
49°
11th warmest
Overnight low
33°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
2.2 in
5.9 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
7:34 AM – 5:07 PM
Cloud cover
52%
8th clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
2.29 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.4
out of 10

Tulsa is city in Oklahoma, United States and county seat of Tulsa County.

Density
794/km²
people per km²
Founded
1836

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 47°F by the end.

A typical December day in Tulsa reaches about 49°F in the afternoon and slips back to 33°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 34°F and 64°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 2°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15436
25335
35335
45235
55235
65234
75134
85134
95133
105033
115033
125033
135033
144933
154932
164932
174932
184932
194932
204932
214832
224831
234831
244831
254831
264831
274731
284731
294731
304730
314730

How December really feels in Tulsa

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.

Tulsa weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan47° / 30°1.95.91.49.81.8
Feb52° / 33°2.06.41.310.63.1
Mar62° / 42°3.79.30.911.75.3
Apr70° / 51°4.710.1012.96.5
May78° / 60°5.812.4013.96.4
Jun87° / 70°4.610014.44.8
Jul92° / 74°3.18.1014.23.6
Aug91° / 72°2.96.9013.44.0
Sep83° / 64°4.07.5012.26.3
Oct72° / 52°3.68.3011.17.3
Nov60° / 41°2.56.90.410.15.2
Dec49° / 33°2.25.91.29.62.4

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% 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 46%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15842
25743
35743
45842
55743
65743
75644
85644
95545
105545
115446
125545
135446
145446
155446
165446
175446
185347
195347
205347
215347
225347
235347
245347
255347
265347
275347
285347
295347
305446
315446

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Tulsa gets around 2.2 in of rain and snow over 5.9 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 20% and peaks near 22% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1223
2223
3223
4223
5224
6224
7214
8214
9214
10204
11204
12204
13194
14193
15193
16193
17193
18193
19183
20183
21184
22184
23184
24184
25184
26184
27184
28194
29194
30194
31194

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 98% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1973
2973
3982
4982
5982
6982
7982
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19991
20991
21991
22991
23991
24991
25991
26991
27982
28982
29982
30982
31982

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 9 h 42 min at the start of December to 9 h 36 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 5:05 PM to 5:14 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.77:225:05
29.77:235:05
39.77:245:05
49.77:255:05
59.77:265:05
69.67:265:05
79.67:275:05
89.67:285:05
99.67:295:05
109.67:295:05
119.67:305:06
129.67:315:06
139.67:325:06
149.67:325:06
159.67:335:06
169.67:345:07
179.57:345:07
189.57:355:07
199.57:355:08
209.57:365:08
219.57:365:09
229.57:375:09
239.57:375:10
249.57:385:10
259.57:385:11
269.57:385:11
279.57:395:12
289.67:395:12
299.67:395:13
309.67:405:14
319.67:405:14

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.29 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.29 kWh/m² to a high of 6.75 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 2.29 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.4Moderate
22.4Moderate
32.4Moderate
42.4Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.3Moderate
82.3Moderate
92.3Moderate
102.3Moderate
112.3Moderate
122.3Moderate
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 Tulsa?

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

2.4
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 Tulsa.

What to pack for Tulsa in December

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

In December, Tulsa sees daytime highs around 49°F and nights near 33°F. Pack a warm layer. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layer

UV index in Tulsa 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 Tulsa peaks around July 11 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateVery highHighModerateJul 11UV 10Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr8Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Tulsa 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 Tulsa is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (November, 5 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1716 µg/m³Nov 165 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May12Good
Jun14Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct6Good
Nov5Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Tulsa?

Tulsa sits at 36.2°N, 96.0°W, 722 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Sand Springs, 6.8 mi away.

Topography around Tulsa

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Tulsa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 256 ft around an average of 702 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 545 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 ft.

The land around Tulsa is covered by artificial surfaces (53%) and trees (26%) within 2 miles, trees (50%), grassland (24%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 10 miles, and grassland (49%) and trees (42%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
256 ft
10 miles
545 ft
50 miles
778 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Sand Springs 6.8 mi · Jenks 9.3 mi · Owasso 11 mi · Sapulpa 12 mi · Broken Arrow 13 mi · Bixby 16 mi · Claremore 24 mi · Bartlesville 41 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 Tulsa (36.154°, -95.9928°, elevation 722 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).