Weather · December
Orange County weather in December
Average highs of 70°F, lows of 43°F and 2.2 in of rain, from 30 years of weather records.
December is Orange County’s 10th warmest month, with average highs of 70°F and lows of 43°F. That is 6° cooler than November, and 7° below the yearly average high.
- Average high
- 70°F
- Average low
- 43°F
- Precipitation
- 2.2 in
- Wet days
- 5
- Sunrise · sunset
- 6:48 AM · 4:44 PM
What to wear in December
- Mild days: dress in layers, with a light jacket or sweater for mornings and evenings.
What December weather is good for
What’s on in Orange County in December
Guides for this month: Christmas in Orange County · New Year’s Eve in Orange County.
- Seal Beach Christmas ParadeFriday, December 4 · 7:00 p.m. · Main Street from the pier to Pacific Coast Highway, Seal Beach
- Tustin Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday StrollFriday, December 4 · 6:00-8:30 p.m. (Dreamers Market from 5:00 p.m.) · Old Town Tustin at El Camino Real and 3rd Street, Tustin
- Nutcracker Holiday Village & Tree LightingSunday, December 6 · Tuba Christmas 1 p.m.; Santa photos 3-5 p.m.; tree lighting 6 p.m. · Center Street Promenade and City Hall, Downtown Anaheim
- Community Chanukah Party at the Merage JCCWednesday, December 9 · 5:00-7:00 p.m. · Merage Jewish Community Center, Irvine
- American Ballet Theatre's The NutcrackerDecember 10 – December 24 · Opens Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.; final show Dec. 24 at noon · Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa
- Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade of LightsDecember 11 – December 13 · 6:30 p.m. nightly · Dana Point Harbor, Dana Point
- Huntington Harbour Boat ParadeDecember 12 – December 13 · Huntington Harbour, Huntington Beach
- Newport Beach Christmas Boat ParadeDecember 16 – December 20 · About 6:30 p.m. nightly · Newport Harbor, starting and ending at the tip of Lido Isle, Newport Beach
- Capistrano Lights: Mission in LightsDecember 18 – December 30 · Select days; grounds 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; tree lighting 6:15 p.m. · Mission San Juan Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano
- Huntington Harbour Cruise of LightsDecember 19 – December 23 · Cruises at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. · Huntington Harbour, Huntington Beach (shuttle from Huntington Harbour Mall)
- Noon Year's Eve at Garden Grove Tibor Rubin LibraryThursday, December 31 · 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. · Garden Grove Tibor Rubin Library (OC Public Libraries), Garden Grove
See all upcoming events.
December compared with the months around it
Planning a trip? See the best time to visit Orange County and today’s forecast.
Questions
How hot does it get in Orange County in December?
Average highs are 70°F and average lows 43°F, for a daily mean of 56°F. Individual days run hotter or colder than these 30-year averages.
Does it rain in Orange County in December?
December averages 2.2 in of precipitation over about 5 days with at least 0.01 in. It is the 3rd wettest month of the year.
What time is sunset in Orange County in December?
Around mid-December the sun rises about 6:48 AM and sets about 4:44 PM, for roughly 9.9 hours of daylight.
Is December a good time to visit Orange County?
The mildest months for visiting are May, June, October. December is mild, with Christmas lights and New Year’s Eve events.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Tustin Irvine Rch station (0.4 mi from downtown). Sunrise and sunset are calculated for December 15 at the city’s coordinates.