December 2023 was overall warmer and a bit wetter than average. The average temperature was 30.2 degrees, 3.2 degrees above average, while the precipitation total was 0.95″, which was about 0.26″ above average. Most areas of the valley recorded about 0.60″ to 0.90″ of precipitation for the month.
The month was mainly above average due the the milder than average lows. The average low temperature for the whole month was 17.9 degrees (5.3 degrees above average), which was the 8th warmest December average low.
The month started cold and snowy on the 1st and 2nd, but then warmed up by the 5th to 7th with highs in the low to mid 50s. A weak cool front brought cooler conditions on the 8th to 10th, with some warming on the 11th to 13th as highs rebounded into the mid to upper 40s.
The main weather event of the month occurred on the 14th with a couple of periods of heavy wet snow mixed with rain at times. About two-thirds of the monthly precipitation fell that day (0.59″), which was a record amount for the date.
After some dense fog on the morning of the 15th, it warmed up and dried out through the third week of the month, with highs back into the 40s. Another period of rain and snow occurred on the 23rd, with colder temperatures prevailing through Christmas week. The last few days of the month were milder with highs in the mid 40s.
The warmest high for the month occurred on the 6th with 54 degrees, while the coldest high was 32 degrees on the 25th. The warmest low was 30 degrees on the 13th, while the coldest low was 8 degrees on the 10th.
Wind speeds overall were a bit above average for the month, with 2 days having gusts of 35 mph or higher. The day with the highest average wind speed was on the 13th, while the highest gust of 45 mph occurred on the 8th.
Here are the actual numbers for the month…
Average Temp . . . . 30.2 degrees, +3.2 degrees above average
Average High . . . . . 42.6 degrees, +1.2 degrees above average
Average Low . . . . . 17.9 degrees, +5.3 degrees above average
Total precip . . . . . . 0.95 inches, +0.26 inches above average
Total snowfall . . . . . 7.0 inches, -0.8 inches above average
DEC 2023 DAILY DATA
| DATE | HIGH | LOW | DAILY DEP. | MON. DEP. | PCPN | SNOW | REMARK |
| 1 | 37 | 22 | -1.4 | -1.4 | 0.12″ | 1.4″ | |
| 2 | 36 | 21 | -2.7 | -2.0 | 0.02″ | 0.3″ | |
| 3 | 43 | 21 | +0.8 | -1.1 | |||
| 4 | 49 | 23 | +5.8 | +0.6 | |||
| 5 | 52 | 18 | +5.7 | +1.6 | |||
| 6 | 54 | 20 | +7.3 | +2.6 | |||
| 7 | 53 | 25 | +10.0 | +3.6 | |||
| 8 | 41 | 17 | +0.2 | +3.2 | T | T | |
| 9 | 34 | 11 | -5.3 | +2.3 | |||
| 10 | 39 | 8 | -4.5 | +1.6 | |||
| 11 | 48 | 13 | +2.2 | +1.6 | |||
| 12 | 46 | 22 | +5.7 | +2.0 | |||
| 13 | 44 | 30 | +10.1 | +2.6 | 0.04″ | 0.6″ | |
| 14 | 36 | 28 | +5.7 | +2.8 | 0.59″ | 4.4″ | |
| 15 | 37 | 17 | +1.5 | +2.7 | T | T | Dense AM fog |
| 16 | 42 | 11 | +0.6 | +2.6 | |||
| 17 | 44 | 13 | +2.4 | +2.6 | |||
| 18 | 48 | 14 | +4.5 | +2.7 | |||
| 19 | 43 | 20 | +5.5 | +2.8 | |||
| 20 | 44 | 25 | +8.0 | +3.1 | |||
| 21 | 44 | 26 | +9.2 | +3.4 | 0.01″ | T | AM Fog |
| 22 | 45 | 20 | +7.0 | +3.5 | T | T | |
| 23 | 41 | 30 | +9.7 | +3.8 | 0.17″ | 0.3″ | |
| 24 | 36 | 23 | +4.7 | +3.9 | |||
| 25 | 32 | 13 | -2.2 | +3.6 | |||
| 26 | 34 | 9 | -3.5 | +3.3 | |||
| 27 | 42 | 12 | +2.5 | +3.3 | |||
| 28 | 41 | 9 | +0.8 | +3.2 | |||
| 29 | 45 | 10 | +3.1 | +3.2 | |||
| 30 | 44 | 10 | +2.3 | +3.2 | |||
| 31 | 45 | 14 | +5.4 | +3.2 | |||
| AVGS/ TOTAL | 42.6 Avg | 17.9 Avg | 30.2 Avg | +3.2 | 0.95″ Total | 7.0″ Total |
DAILY DEP. – Departure from the long term daily average temperature
MON. DEP. – Cumulative departure from the long term monthly average temperature
PCPN – Precipitation
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Taos Weather 