December in Reno, NV: 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 | 43°F |
| Avg daily low | 29°F |
| Rainy days | 11 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 5.2 mph |
December in Reno puts two opposing forces on the same scorecard: the calmest winds of the year at 5.2 mph and the coldest average high of the year at 43°F, tied with January. That wind figure is genuinely useful — calm air means your yardages are honest, and club selection off the tee becomes straightforward. The cold, however, compresses the golf ball noticeably, and a 43°F afternoon that started at 29°F means the course is playing firm and slow early, then softening slightly by midday.
With 11 precipitation days, December is the second-wettest month of the year in Reno. That doesn't mean wall-to-wall rain — at this elevation it often means brief snow or frost events — but it does mean cart-path-only conditions show up more than any other month except one. Budget extra strokes for plugged lies in softened turf and slower green speeds after overnight moisture.
Book a late-morning tee time — 10 AM or later — so frost has cleared and the temperature has climbed as far toward that 43°F ceiling as possible, which directly affects how far your ball will fly. With only about ten hours of usable daylight and soft fairways from frequent precipitation, pace of play slows; a four-ball group should plan on five-plus hours and leave a buffer before dark. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
November plays noticeably warmer, averaging a 50°F high versus December's 43°F, and it delivers four fewer precipitation days, making it the more forgiving shoulder option. January matches December almost exactly on temperature — the same 43°F high and just one degree colder overnight — but it sheds two precipitation days while adding 0.7 mph of wind. In practical terms, December is the wettest of the three months while sharing the cold of January, without January's marginal wind uptick.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Reno, NV for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
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The temperature ceiling of 43°F makes December genuinely cold, and morning tee times starting near the 29°F average low are borderline unplayable without serious layering. That said, the winds average just 5.2 mph — the calmest of any month — so conditions feel less harsh than the thermometer suggests once midday arrives. If you can tee off around 10–11 AM and dress for it, rounds are doable.
December is Reno's second-wettest month of the year with 11 precipitation days, and at this elevation a meaningful share of those events arrive as snow or frost rather than rain. Cart-path-only rules are common after overnight moisture, and temporary closures for snow-covered greens are a real possibility. Calling the course the morning of your round is worth the two minutes.