US Lake Tahoe · Winter

Visit Lake Tahoe
in December?

Lake Tahoe in December? Not the best window — aim for July.

Open-Meteo · 10 years · 12 months compared · 39.10°N 120.03°W
39°FMax temperature
32%Rainy days
6.7hSunshine / day

Lake Tahoe weather in December

✅ Good
🌡️ Temperature min / max
27°F – 39°F
🌧 Rainy days
32% of days
☀️ Sunshine
6.7h per day on average
🌊 🌊 Season
Winter
⭐ ⭐ Weather score
5.4/10
📅 📅 Best month
July (9.7/10)

Should you visit Lake Tahoe in December?

✅ Good

✅ Yes if: you enjoy winter atmosphere and the lowest prices of the year.

❌ No if: you're looking for sunshine or outdoor activities.

🌧 Rain : ███░░░░░░░ 32%
🌡 Temperature : █░░░░░░░░░ 39°F
☀️ Sunshine : █████░░░░░ 6.7h/d

Our take: Lake Tahoe in December is possible but July offers a score of 9.7/10 vs 5.4.

Lake Tahoe in December by trip type

What to expect in December

Winter in Lake Tahoe is cool (4°F during the day). Days are short (6.7h of sunshine) but the city reveals a different side. Expect rain on 32% of days — a light raincoat in the bag is recommended.

All months for Lake Tahoe

Month-by-month comparison

MonthMin °FMax °FRain %Precip inSun h/dScoreSki score 🎿
🌨️ January28°F39°F32%5.0in7.4h5.4/107.8/10
🌨️ February27°F39°F32%5.1in9.5h5.4/108.3/10
🌦️ March28°F41°F35%4.0in9.7h5.2/108.1/10
🌫️ April34°F50°F22%1.9in11.8h7.0/107.2/10
⛅ May41°F59°F26%1.6in12.5h7.2/105.4/10
🌤️ June50°F72°F8%0.4in13.6h8.9/105.1/10
☀️ July59°F81°F7%0.4in13.3h9.7/104.8/10
☀️ August59°F79°F7%0.4in12.6h9.6/104.8/10
🌤️ September54°F72°F13%1.0in11.7h8.7/104.9/10
⛅ October43°F61°F13%1.9in9.8h7.5/105.1/10
🌫️ November34°F46°F25%2.7in8.6h7.0/107.1/10
🌨️ December27°F39°F32%5.5in6.7h5.4/107.7/10
Ideal Fair Challenging climate ◀ Current month · Source Open-Meteo · 10 years
📊 Data source Data based on 10 years of ERA5 records via Open-Meteo, with ECMWF seasonal adjustment. In December, Lake Tahoe averages 39°F, 32% rainy days and 6.7h of sunshine per day. Overall weather score: 5.4/10. See methodology →

December vs July (best month)

The best month is July (score 9.7/10). Difference:

FAQ — Lake Tahoe in December

Is December a good time to visit Lake Tahoe?
Transition period with a summer score of 5.4/10 and ski score of 7.7/10. Neither the best ski nor summer season.
Can you ski in Lake Tahoe in December?
Yes, December is excellent for skiing (score 7.7/10). With 39°F max and 32% precipitation, snow conditions are good.

Find a place to stay in Lake Tahoe

Find places to stay in Lake Tahoe in December Search on Hotels.com

Activities and tours in Lake Tahoe

Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and local experiences. Browse activities on GetYourGuide

Find a flight to Lake Tahoe

Compare flights from all airlines. Search flights

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📅 Live forecast — next 12 months

Real-time data with ECMWF seasonal corrections · updated daily

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