December in Buffalo, NY: cool / cold season for golf — expect distance loss and stiff muscles. Best tee times: midday when temperatures are warmest.
| Average December Weather | |
|---|---|
| Avg daily high | 39°F |
| Avg daily low | 30°F |
| Rainy days | 19 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 15.9 mph |
December marks the sharpest cold-weather turn in Buffalo's golf calendar. The average high falls to 39°F — down 9°F from November — while 19 precipitation days tie it with January as the wettest stretch of the year. Afternoon rounds starting around noon offer the best shot at reaching that high, but with a daily swing of only 9°F, temperatures stay stubbornly cold from first light to last.
The 15.9 mph peak wind makes club selection a genuine problem on exposed holes, and lake-effect snow can convert a marginal forecast into an unplayable one with little warning. December sits firmly in Buffalo's cool/cold season tier, and the data bear that out: not one of the three benchmarks — temperature, precipitation, or wind — falls anywhere near the comfortable range.
Book the latest available morning slot, around 11 AM or noon, to capture the day's peak temperature near 39°F — early tee times at dawn can be several degrees colder given the narrow daily swing. Midweek slots in December are easier to secure than in peak season, but check the lake-effect forecast the evening before rather than the morning of, since conditions can shift faster than most apps update. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
December drops 9°F from November's 48°F average high, and precipitation days tick up from 17 to 19, making the transition into December a meaningful step down in playability rather than a gradual slide. Wind is nearly unchanged, with peak gusts moving only 0.1 mph above November's 15.8 mph. Heading into January, conditions tighten further — the average high falls another 6°F to 33°F and wind nudges up to 16.2 mph — so December is the last month before Buffalo's coldest, most unforgiving stretch.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Buffalo, NY for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
← November in Buffalo, NY • January in Buffalo, NY →
A handful of public and semi-private courses in the Buffalo area stay open on a weather-permitting basis through early December, but most suspend regular play once consistent snow cover arrives. With 19 precipitation days and an average high of only 39°F, weekend windows are narrow — call ahead, because conditions can change overnight with lake-effect systems.
The average high drops 9°F from November's 48°F down to 39°F in December, and the low falls from 37°F to 30°F, meaning morning rounds can dip below freezing. Wind is essentially unchanged at around 15.9 mph, but that sustained breeze at sub-40°F temperatures pushes the effective feel well below what the thermometer reads.