December in Tucson, AZ: 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 | 65°F |
| Avg daily low | 42°F |
| Rainy days | 6 / mo |
| Avg peak wind | 10 mph |
December in Tucson is defined by one variable above all others: the morning cold. With lows dropping to 42°F and highs only recovering to 65°F, you're looking at a 23-degree daily swing that demands you plan your round around the clock. Tee off too early and you're layering up in conditions that feel more like late autumn in the mid-Atlantic. Wait until midday and the temperature is firmly in the comfortable range — 60°F and climbing, with the calmest peak winds of any month at just 10 mph. Precipitation is real, with 6 rainy days on average, but storms tend to be brief and skies clear fast in the desert.
The reward for timing your round right is considerable. No wind penalty to speak of, soft afternoon light, and uncrowded fairways compared to the peak winter influx still building through January. This is peak season by the numbers, and the playing conditions after 10 AM most days justify that designation fully.
Book tee times between 10 AM and 1 PM to let the overnight chill burn off — the gap between a 42°F dawn and a 65°F afternoon is wide enough to make an early morning round feel like a different season entirely. Weekday midday slots fill quickly in December as snowbirds arrive, so secure them at least a week out. See how conditions rate hour by hour on our playability scale.
November is noticeably warmer — highs average 74°F versus December's 65°F, a 9-degree drop that makes morning rounds feel significantly colder, and November sees only 3 precipitation days compared to December's 6. January offers almost no improvement: highs fall another 2 degrees to 63°F, precipitation days stay at 6, and winds tick up slightly to 10.5 mph. In practical terms, December sits in a narrow cold-and-wetter stretch that bookends the winter, making midday timing more important here than in any adjacent month.
Climate normals show the long-term picture, but day-to-day weather varies. Check today's live golf weather score for Tucson, AZ for the current playability rating, hourly wind, temperature, and the recommended tee time window.
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Yes, with caveats around timing. Highs reach 65°F and winds are the calmest of the year at 10 mph, making midday rounds genuinely pleasant. The main drawback is 6 average precipitation days — the same as January — so flexibility in your schedule helps.
Lows average 42°F, so early morning rounds can feel quite cold, especially with any wind. Temperatures typically climb into the low-to-mid 60s by late morning, which sits right at the lower edge of comfortable playing conditions. Planning your tee time after 10 AM sidesteps the worst of the chill.