Tuscaloosa weather in December

In December, Tuscaloosa sees average daytime highs of 57°F and overnight lows near 39°F, with 5.1 in of precipitation across 10.1 wet days and about 9.8 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 60°F in the first days to 55°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% 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 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Tuscaloosa's 10th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Tuscaloosa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
57°
11th warmest
Overnight low
39°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
5.1 in
10.1 wet days
Daylight
9 h 48 min
6:52 AM – 4:41 PM
Cloud cover
59%
10th clearest
Wind
7 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.35 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.1
out of 10

Tuscaloosa is city in and seat of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States.

Density
600/km²
people per km²
Founded
1819

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 60°F in the first days to 55°F by the end.

A typical December day in Tuscaloosa reaches about 57°F in the afternoon and slips back to 39°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 44°F and 69°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)
16041
26041
36040
46040
55940
65940
75940
85840
95840
105840
115839
125739
135739
145739
155739
165739
175639
185639
195638
205638
215638
225638
235638
245638
255638
265538
275538
285538
295538
305538
315538

How December really feels in Tuscaloosa

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.

Tuscaloosa weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan55° / 37°4.89.810.13.6
Feb59° / 40°5.110.210.84.5
Mar67° / 46°5.611.111.76.1
Apr74° / 54°4.99.512.86.9
May82° / 62°4.110.113.76.2
Jun87° / 70°4.212.914.24.3
Jul90° / 73°4.114.4143.5
Aug90° / 72°3.611.813.23.8
Sep86° / 66°3.17.912.25.5
Oct76° / 55°3.67.311.27.4
Nov65° / 44°3.97.910.36.3
Dec57° / 39°5.110.19.84.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% 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 (%)
14852
24753
34753
44555
54555
64555
74456
84357
94357
104258
114357
124357
134357
144357
154357
164357
174456
184357
194357
204357
214555
224456
234456
244456
254456
264357
274357
284357
294456
304456
314456

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Tuscaloosa gets around 5.1 in of rain and snow over 10.1 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 (%)
130
230
330
431
531
631
732
832
932
1033
1133
1233
1333
1434
1534
1634
1734
1835
1935
2035
2135
2235
2335
2435
2535
2634
2734
2834
2934
3034
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 87% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
185951
285951
385951
486941
586941
686941
786941
886941
9851041
10851041
11861031
12871030
13871030
1488930
1588930
1687931
1787931
1888831
1988831
2088831
2188831
2289731
2389731
2489731
2588741
2688741
2788741
2888741
2988741
3088741
3188741

Wind in December

Winds average 7 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
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
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 48 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 6:41 AM to 6:58 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)
110.06:414:39
29.96:424:39
39.96:434:39
49.96:444:39
59.96:444:39
69.96:454:39
79.96:464:39
89.96:474:39
99.96:474:39
109.96:484:39
119.86:494:40
129.86:494:40
139.86:504:40
149.86:514:40
159.86:514:41
169.86:524:41
179.86:534:41
189.86:534:42
199.86:544:42
209.86:544:42
219.86:554:43
229.86:554:43
239.86:564:44
249.86:564:44
259.86:574:45
269.86:574:45
279.86:574:46
289.86:584:47
299.86:584:47
309.86:584:48
319.86:584:48

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.35 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.35 kWh/m² to a high of 6.16 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.35 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.5Moderate
22.5Moderate
32.5Moderate
42.5Moderate
52.5Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.4Moderate
102.4Moderate
112.4Moderate
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 Tuscaloosa?

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

4.1
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.1
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Tuscaloosa for sightseeing.

What to pack for Tuscaloosa in December

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

In December, Tuscaloosa sees daytime highs around 57°F and nights near 39°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa 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
Mar6High
Apr8Very high
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa is worst in July — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.6× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1721 µg/m³Jan 136 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar10Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Tuscaloosa?

Tuscaloosa sits at 33.2°N, 87.6°W, 223 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Northport, 1.2 mi away.

Topography around Tuscaloosa

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Tuscaloosa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 197 ft around an average of 190 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 518 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,198 ft.

The land around Tuscaloosa is covered by trees (42%) and artificial surfaces (38%) within 2 miles, trees (75%) within 10 miles, and trees (87%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
197 ft
10 miles
518 ft
50 miles
1,198 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Northport 1.2 mi · Hueytown 37 mi · Bessemer 38 mi · Helena 42 mi · Alabaster 43 mi · Pelham 44 mi · Hoover 46 mi · Homewood 48 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 Tuscaloosa (33.2098°, -87.5692°, elevation 223 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).