December in Coeur d'Alene, ID: 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 | 37°F |
| Avg daily low | 28°F |
| Rainy days | 20 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 7.2 mph |
December sits at the bottom of the temperature curve for golf in Coeur d'Alene — tied with January at a 37°F average high, making it the coldest stretch of the year. The daily swing is just 9°F (high 37°F, low 28°F), so if it's cold at dawn it stays cold all day. At 20 precipitation days, it's the wettest month of the year, meaning more than two out of every three days see some form of moisture, whether rain, sleet, or snow.
The one genuine upside is the wind. December's peak wind of 7.2 mph is the calmest of any month, which at least removes one discomfort from the equation. If a dry window opens mid-afternoon when temperatures nudge toward the mid-30s, conditions are still playable for golfers who dress appropriately — but those windows are short and uncommon. This is firmly a cold-season month with real limitations.
With 20 precipitation days spread across the month, booking a morning tee time based on a multi-day forecast rather than same-day optimism is the only reliable approach — conditions can change fast and dry spells rarely last more than a day. If a high-pressure window appears mid-week, take it; weekend availability is less of a concern in December since demand is low, but a soggy fairway is a soggy fairway regardless of when you tee off. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
Coming out of November, temperatures drop a notable 6°F on the average high (43°F down to 37°F) while precipitation days tick up by one to reach their yearly peak of 20 — so December is meaningfully colder and wetter than the month before it. Moving into January, the average high holds flat at 37°F and precipitation days actually ease by one, while peak wind increases only slightly by 0.3 mph. In practical terms, December and January feel nearly identical on the course, with December edging out January only because overnight lows are 3°F warmer (28°F vs. 25°F).
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Coeur d'Alene, ID for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
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A handful of courses stay open weather-permitting through December, but with an average high of just 37°F and 20 precipitation days — the wettest month of the year — closures and cart restrictions are common. Call ahead on the day you plan to play, as conditions can shift quickly and some courses suspend operations after heavy rain or snow accumulation.
Yes, snow is a realistic possibility given that overnight lows average 28°F and daytime highs only reach 37°F on average. Precipitation falls on roughly 20 days in December, and a portion of those days will bring snow or freezing rain rather than rain alone. Courses that remain open typically do so only during dry, above-freezing windows, which are limited this time of year.