December in Tampa, FL: 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 | 72°F |
| Avg daily low | 56°F |
| Rainy days | 8 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 11.7 mph |
From November into December, the three-month arc is straightforward: rain days drop from 10 to 8, peak wind eases from 12.8 mph to 11.7 mph, and the high cools from 77°F to 72°F. Highs drop 5°F from November's 77°F to land at December's 72°F, but you also lose two rain days and shed some wind — a trade most golfers take without hesitation. Then heading into January, the trend reverses on precipitation and wind: three more rain days and 1.5 mph more wind, on top of another 2°F drop in the high.
The tradeoff is the temperature range. Lows hit 56°F, creating a 16°F daily swing that means early tee times can feel genuinely cool. Afternoon rounds are more comfortable, with highs sitting right at the lower end of the ideal 60–80°F band. December earns the peak-season label through the combination of being Tampa's driest month and delivering moderate, manageable highs — not warmth alone.
With only 8 rain days — the fewest of any month — last-minute bookings carry less weather risk in December than any other time of year, but snowbird demand peaks now, so courses fill fast; book at least two weeks out for weekend rounds. Mid-morning tee times around 9–10 AM let the 56°F overnight low warm off before you reach the first tee. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
December is measurably drier and calmer than November, shedding 2 precip days and 1.1 mph of peak wind while cooling 5°F at the high. Compared to January, December holds a slight edge: January adds 3 more precip days and 1.5 mph of wind on top of a further 2°F drop in the average high. In short, December is the calmest and driest of the three months, even if it's not the warmest.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Tampa, FL for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
← November in Tampa, FL • January in Tampa, FL →
December is peak season in Tampa, and the data backs that up: it averages just 8 precipitation days, the fewest of any month in the year. Highs reach 72°F, winds average 11.7 mph, and the overall conditions are more consistently playable than either November or January.
Overnight lows average 56°F in December, which means early morning tee times — before 8 AM — can feel noticeably cool for Florida. The 16°F daily swing from low to high is a meaningful range within a single round, so a light layer in the bag is worth the space.