December in Palm Desert, CA: peak season for golf — great conditions and a wide playing window. Best tee times: mid-morning through early afternoon.
| Average December Weather | |
|---|---|
| Avg daily high | 68°F |
| Avg daily low | 53°F |
| Rainy days | 3 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 6.3 mph |
December's numbers in Palm Desert set up a scorecard that rewards patience more than power. The 68°F average high keeps the air dense enough that your driver carries a touch shorter than in summer — expect to club up by half a club on longer par-4s — while the 53°F morning low means the first few holes play firmer and slower until the turf warms. The 15°F daily swing is the headline: dress in removable layers, because what feels cold at the 7 AM tee sheet becomes genuinely comfortable by the back nine.
The real scoring gift is the wind. At 6.3 mph peak, December is the calmest month of the year in Palm Desert, which means approach shots hold their line, bump-and-runs behave predictably, and you can actually chase difficult pin positions you'd normally play away from. Three precipitation days adds a small asterisk — a brief winter storm can soften greens and slow play — but on most December rounds the ball-striking data matters far more than the rain data.
Because morning lows sit at 53°F, booking a tee time between 9 and 10 AM lets the desert sun clear the chill before you reach the longer par-4s where club selection is most critical. December is peak season here, so securing times more than a week out — especially for weekend rounds at resort courses — is advisable given high visitor volume. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
November plays noticeably warmer at a 76°F high, eight degrees above December, and sees only one precipitation day versus December's three, making it the more forgiving scoring month. January is nearly identical in temperature — just one degree cooler at 67°F — but adds a fourth precipitation day and nudges wind up to 7.1 mph, so December edges it on both counts. In practical terms, December sits in a narrow sweet spot: slightly wetter than November but calmer and more settled than what January typically brings.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Palm Desert, CA for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
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Yes — December earns a Peak season rating primarily because of its 6.3 mph peak wind, the calmest of any month of the year in Palm Desert. The 68°F average high is on the cooler end for the desert, but that actually makes walking 18 holes comfortable rather than draining. The main caveat is three precipitation days, so check forecasts before early-morning tee times.
Morning lows average 53°F, which is cool enough to warrant a mid-layer for the first few holes but not so cold that it affects grip or swing mechanics for most players. The high reaches 68°F by afternoon, creating a 15°F swing across a typical round. Rounds starting before 8 AM will feel the coldest, while temperatures typically climb well above 60°F by midday given the 68°F average high.