Elgin, IL weather in December
Expect cold weather with frequent rain and some snow in Elgin in December, with highs near 36°F and lows near 20°F. Rain or snow falls on about 10 days. Snowfall averages about 8.7 in.
- Normal high
- 36°F
- Normal low
- 20°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 2.2 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.7 in
- snow on the ground 9 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 40°F | 32°F |
| Normal low | 25°F | 16°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:01 am / 4:22 pm | 7:21 am / 4:31 pm |
| Daylight | 9.3 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 am26°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 am28°Fdew point 22°F
- Noon32°Fdew point 24°F
- 3 pm33°Fdew point 24°F
- 6 pm30°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 pm29°Fdew point 23°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from West Chicago Dupage Airport (9 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
- 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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below28 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 2.2 in; a dry December brings about 1.6 in and a wet one about 2.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 8.7 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 45°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 23°F
- Wettest December2008: 5.2 in
- Driest December2017: 0.9 in
- Highest reading68°F (December 4, 2012)
- Lowest reading-10°F (December 19, 2016)
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 | 48°F | 36°F | 30°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 20°F | 14°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.2 h | 9.5 h |
Highs change by -12°F from November and -6°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Springfield, IL170 mi · high 41°F · 9 wet days
How Elgin ranks in December
- Normal high334th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days239th driest of 378
- Comfortable days269th most of 340
What to pack for Elgin in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 20°F, highs near 36°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – about 8.7 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 28 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1153 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 16% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Elgin in December?
The normal high is 36°F and the normal low is 20°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -10°F (most recently on December 19, 2016).
Does it rain a lot in Elgin in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.2 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (5.2 in); the driest was in 2017 (0.9 in).
Does it snow in Elgin in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 8.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 9 days.
Is December a good time to visit Elgin?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Elgin (28 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Elgin (USC00112736), 1.8 mi N of the city center, 763 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: West Chicago Dupage Airport (USW00094892), 8.7 mi SSE of the city center, 754 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Chicago O'hare International Airport (725300-94846), 19 mi ESE of the city center, 672 ft (68 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).