ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data
Where is it warm in December?
Ranked by historical clear-sky percentage from the ERA5 reanalysis (2018–2025, 55 destinations). December is a difficult month across the board — the best option is only 45% clear. Every percentage below has its sample size beside it.
What you are reading: 8-year historical averages, not a forecast.
A destination that is historically 90% clear in December can still be overcast
this specific December. For this week’s actual forecast, each
destination links to its live page.
| # | Destination | Early December (1st–15th, n) |
Late December (16th–end, n) |
Month avg | Avg high | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naples FL | 53% (n=120) | 38% (n=128) | 45% | 77°F | Naples is mixed in this month: clear 45% of days historically (n=248), avg high 77°F. Check the halves — the split can be wide. |
| 2 | Key West FL | 48% (n=120) | 35% (n=128) | 41% | 75°F | Key West is mixed in this month: clear 41% of days historically (n=248), avg high 75°F. Check the halves — the split can be wide. |
| 3 | Tampa FL | 39% (n=120) | 30% (n=128) | 34% | 72°F | Tampa is mostly overcast this month historically: only 34% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 72°F. |
| 4 | Sarasota FL | 36% (n=120) | 27% (n=128) | 31% | 72°F | Sarasota is mostly overcast this month historically: only 31% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 72°F. |
| 5 | Palm Springs Desert CA | 37% (n=120) | 23% (n=128) | 30% | 69°F | Palm Springs Desert is mostly overcast this month historically: only 30% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 69°F. |
| 6 | Miami FL | 35% (n=120) | 21% (n=128) | 28% | 77°F | Miami is mostly overcast this month historically: only 28% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 77°F. → Try March |
| 7 | Fort Lauderdale FL | 33% (n=120) | 22% (n=128) | 27% | 77°F | Fort Lauderdale is mostly overcast this month historically: only 27% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 77°F. → Try March |
| 8 | Palm Beach FL | 34% (n=120) | 21% (n=128) | 27% | 76°F | Palm Beach is mostly overcast this month historically: only 27% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 76°F. → Try March |
| 9 | Palm Desert CA | 31% (n=120) | 23% (n=128) | 27% | 69°F | Palm Desert is mostly overcast this month historically: only 27% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 69°F. → Try June |
| 10 | Tucson AZ | 25% (n=120) | 28% (n=128) | 27% | 67°F | Tucson is mostly overcast this month historically: only 27% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 67°F. → Try May |
| 11 | Orlando FL | 32% (n=120) | 20% (n=128) | 26% | 72°F | Orlando is mostly overcast this month historically: only 26% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 72°F. → Try March |
| 12 | Scottsdale AZ | 28% (n=120) | 23% (n=128) | 25% | 67°F | Scottsdale is mostly overcast this month historically: only 25% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 67°F. → Try June |
| 13 | Palm Springs CA | 28% (n=120) | 20% (n=128) | 24% | 68°F | Palm Springs is mostly overcast this month historically: only 24% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 68°F. → Try June |
| 14 | Phoenix AZ | 25% (n=120) | 20% (n=128) | 22% | 67°F | Phoenix is mostly overcast this month historically: only 22% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 67°F. → Try May |
| 15 | Los Angeles CA | 27% (n=120) | 15% (n=128) | 21% | 67°F | Los Angeles is mostly overcast this month historically: only 21% of days clear on average across 8 years (n=248), avg high 67°F. → Try July |
| 16 | Santa Barbara CA | 21% (n=120) | 17% (n=128) | 19% | 66°F | Santa Barbara is poor for sun this month: just 19% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try August |
| 17 | Scottsdale Desert Ridge AZ | 22% (n=120) | 15% (n=128) | 18% | 66°F | Scottsdale Desert Ridge is poor for sun this month: just 18% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try June |
| 18 | San Antonio TX | 20% (n=120) | 14% (n=128) | 17% | 68°F | San Antonio is poor for sun this month: just 17% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try October |
| 19 | Jacksonville FL | 16% (n=120) | 16% (n=128) | 16% | 67°F | Jacksonville is poor for sun this month: just 16% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try April |
| 20 | St. Augustine FL | 13% (n=120) | 13% (n=128) | 13% | 67°F | St. Augustine is poor for sun this month: just 13% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try April |
| 21 | Amelia Island FL | 12% (n=120) | 12% (n=128) | 12% | 65°F | Amelia Island is poor for sun this month: just 12% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try April |
| 22 | San Luis Obispo CA | 16% (n=120) | 8% (n=128) | 12% | 64°F | San Luis Obispo is poor for sun this month: just 12% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try August |
| 23 | Austin TX | 13% (n=120) | 9% (n=128) | 11% | 66°F | Austin is poor for sun this month: just 11% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try October |
| 24 | Marfa TX | 10% (n=120) | 12% (n=128) | 11% | 62°F | Marfa is poor for sun this month: just 11% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try April |
| 25 | Dallas TX | 8% (n=120) | 10% (n=128) | 9% | 62°F | Dallas is poor for sun this month: just 9% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try August |
| 26 | Savannah GA | 7% (n=120) | 9% (n=128) | 8% | 63°F | Savannah is poor for sun this month: just 8% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try October |
| 27 | Sea Island GA | 6% (n=120) | 8% (n=128) | 7% | 63°F | Sea Island is poor for sun this month: just 7% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try October |
| 28 | Hilton Head SC | 3% (n=120) | 8% (n=128) | 6% | 62°F | Hilton Head is poor for sun this month: just 6% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try October |
| 29 | Houston TX | 5% (n=120) | 6% (n=128) | 6% | 67°F | Houston is poor for sun this month: just 6% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try October |
| 30 | San Diego CA | 8% (n=120) | 5% (n=128) | 6% | 64°F | San Diego is poor for sun this month: just 6% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try August |
| 31 | Newport Beach CA | 8% (n=120) | 2% (n=128) | 5% | 63°F | Newport Beach is poor for sun this month: just 5% of days clear historically (n=248). The 8-year record says to look elsewhere. → Try August |
| 32 | Big Sur CA | 6% (n=120) | 2% (n=128) | 4% | 60°F | Big Sur is historically very rarely clear this month: only 4% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try August |
| 33 | Destin FL | 2% (n=120) | 5% (n=128) | 4% | 64°F | Destin is historically very rarely clear this month: only 4% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try October |
| 34 | Kiawah Island SC | 2% (n=120) | 5% (n=128) | 4% | 62°F | Kiawah Island is historically very rarely clear this month: only 4% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try October |
| 35 | Panama City Beach FL | 3% (n=120) | 4% (n=128) | 4% | 64°F | Panama City Beach is historically very rarely clear this month: only 4% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try October |
| 36 | Charleston SC | 1% (n=120) | 3% (n=128) | 2% | 61°F | Charleston is historically very rarely clear this month: only 2% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try October |
| 37 | Charlotte NC | 2% (n=120) | 2% (n=128) | 2% | 55°F | Charlotte is historically very rarely clear this month: only 2% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try September |
| 38 | Gulf Shores AL | 2% (n=120) | 2% (n=128) | 2% | 64°F | Gulf Shores is historically very rarely clear this month: only 2% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try October |
| 39 | Carmel-by-the-Sea CA | 2% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 1% | 58°F | Carmel-by-the-Sea is historically very rarely clear this month: only 1% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try October |
| 40 | Albuquerque NM | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 50°F | Albuquerque is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try May |
| 41 | Asheville NC | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 51°F | Asheville is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try September |
| 42 | Aspen CO | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 35°F | Aspen is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try August |
| 43 | Jackson Hole WY | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 31°F | Jackson Hole is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try July |
| 44 | Lake Tahoe CA | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 41°F | Lake Tahoe is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try July |
| 45 | Las Vegas NV | 1% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 59°F | Las Vegas is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try June |
| 46 | Moab UT | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 43°F | Moab is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try July |
| 47 | Napa CA | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 58°F | Napa is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try July |
| 48 | Nashville TN | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 54°F | Nashville is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try September |
| 49 | Outer Banks NC | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 57°F | Outer Banks is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try June |
| 50 | Park City UT | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 34°F | Park City is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try July |
| 51 | Santa Fe NM | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 41°F | Santa Fe is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try June |
| 52 | Sedona AZ | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 54°F | Sedona is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try June |
| 53 | Taos NM | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 41°F | Taos is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try June |
| 54 | Vail CO | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 32°F | Vail is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try August |
| 55 | Wine Country Sonoma CA | 0% (n=120) | 0% (n=128) | 0% | 57°F | Wine Country Sonoma is historically very rarely clear this month: only 0% of days meet the clear bar across 8 years (n=248). Plan for clouds. → Try July |
Honest note on the bottom of this list: Wine Country Sonoma is historically 0% clear in December (n=248 days). That is not a soft number — it means roughly 0 days out of every 100 historically meet our clear bar here in this month. If you want Wine Country Sonoma, try July instead.
Every month
All percentages are historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 8 full years (2018–2025). “Clear” means avg high ≥ 72 °F, precipitation < 1 mm, and a non-precipitation weather code. This is history, not a forecast. The live 7-day outlook for any destination is on its own page and may differ from the long-run average. Data from Open-Meteo.