Chicago, IL weather in December
Chicago is cold in December, with frequent rain and some snow: highs average 38°F and nights drop to about 25°F. Expect about 11 wet days. Snowfall averages about 7.9 in.
- Normal high
- 38°F
- Normal low
- 25°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 2.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 7.9 in
- snow on the ground 9 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 43°F | 34°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 22°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:58 am / 4:20 pm | 7:18 am / 4:29 pm |
| Daylight | 9.4 h | 9.2 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am29°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 am30°Fdew point 23°F
- Noon34°Fdew point 24°F
- 3 pm35°Fdew point 24°F
- 6 pm33°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 pm31°Fdew point 24°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Chicago Midway Airport (7 mi away); average wind 10 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below24 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more9 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 2.3 in; a dry December brings about 1.5 in and a wet one about 2.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 7.9 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 46°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 26°F
- Wettest December2008: 6.5 in
- Driest December2017: 0.4 in
- Highest reading72°F (December 3, 2012)
- Lowest reading-7°F (December 22, 2000)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
December compared with November and January
| November | December | January | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 50°F | 38°F | 33°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 25°F | 20°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.2 h | 9.5 h |
Highs change by -12°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Cooler: Madison, WI123 mi · high 32°F · 10 wet days
How Chicago ranks in December
- Normal high304th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days263rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days252nd most of 340
What to pack for Chicago in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 25°F, highs near 38°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 7.9 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 24 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1038 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 15% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Chicago in December?
The normal high is 38°F and the normal low is 25°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -7°F (December 22, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Chicago in December?
About 11 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.3 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (6.5 in); the driest was in 2017 (0.4 in).
Does it snow in Chicago in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 7.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 9 days.
Is December a good time to visit Chicago?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Chicago (29 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Chicago Midway Airport 3SW (USC00111577), 10 mi SW of the city center, 620 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Chicago Midway Airport (USW00014819), 6.9 mi SW of the city center, 612 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Chicago Midway Intl Arpt (725340-14819), 7.1 mi SW of the city center, 610 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).