Arizona weather in December

December splits Arizona wide open: Phoenix runs 66° afternoons while Grand Canyon sees real snow.

Based on 5 weather stations. Five stations from the desert floor to seven thousand feet — Arizona is really two climates stacked a mile apart, and the rows below keep them separate.

The Desert

Highs near 66°, nights 41–45°, and 0.7–1.0 in of rain in a typical December.

Place	Highs / lows	Wet days	The short version
Phoenix	66° / 45°	2	Mild, bright, and lit up for the holidays.
Tucson	66° / 41°	3	Gentle days, cold evenings, and rain that actually arrives.

Red Rock Country

Highs near 58°, nights around 33°, and 1.5 in of rain in a typical December.

Place	Highs / lows	Wet days	The short version
Sedona	58° / 33°	3	Chilly and quiet, with the odd white morning.

High Country

Highs near 43°, nights 17–18°, and up to 18.5 in of snow in a typical December.

Place	Highs / lows	Wet days	Snow	The short version
Flagstaff	43° / 17°	6	18.5 in	Real winter, real snow, and freight trains through the frost.
Grand Canyon	43° / 18°	4	8.0 in	Snow-dusted red rock and the shortest, sharpest days.

Each place above has its own page for the full story — what the month feels like, what to pack, and whether the timing is right.

Where to go in December, across the whole country ›