Season guide · Houston · United States
Houston in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Hequals2henry, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Mild with occasional cold fronts and rare freezes; good value and comfortable for sightseeing. Expect highs up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F), with about 29 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 6°C (43°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 29
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17°C (63°F) | 6°C (43°F) | 10 | 10.4 h | 2/5 |
| February | 19°C (66°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 9 | 11.1 h | 3/5 |
| December | 18°C (64°F) | 7°C (45°F) | 10 | 10.2 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 18°C (64°F) against a yearly 26°C (79°F), and 29 of the year's roughly 116 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Houston Marathon (usually mid-January)
- January: Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown (January or February)
- February: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo begins at NRG Park (usually late February)
- December: Zoo Lights continues (through December)
Good choices for winter
Museum · Clear Lake
Space Center Houston
Head straight for the tram tours when you arrive; queues build quickly from late morning.
- Time needed
- Half a day to a full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Museum District
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
One of the largest art museums in the country spreads across three gallery buildings, including a Mies van der Rohe wing and the 2020 Kinder Building for modern and contemporary art.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Iconic
Museum · Museum District
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Book butterfly centre and planetarium add-ons with your main ticket to avoid queuing twice.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Museum · Montrose
Menil Collection
Dominique and John de Menil's collection of Surrealist, modern, ancient and Byzantine art is shown free in a calm, naturally lit Renzo Piano building set among grey bungalows and lawns.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Museum District
Children's Museum Houston
Go on a weekday morning; weekends and school holidays bring long queues for the popular exhibits.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Day trips in winter
- Brenham and Washington-on-the-Brazos (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car) — Brenham is the home of Blue Bell ice cream, with a visitor centre and parlour, and the surrounding hills are famous for bluebonnets in spring.
- Huntsville State Park (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — Pine forest around Lake Raven with hiking and biking trails, canoe rentals and swimming.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Houston?
It is a trade-off: Mild with occasional cold fronts and rare freezes; good value and comfortable for sightseeing. The best months overall are March–April and October–November.
+What is the weather like in Houston in winter?
Highs of up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F), with about 29 rainy days over the season.