Galena, IL weather in December
Galena is cold in December, with some rain and some snow: highs average 34°F and nights drop to about 19°F. Rain or snow falls on about 9 days. Snowfall averages about 9.5 in. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 34°F
- Normal low
- 19°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 1.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 9.5 in
- snow on the ground 13 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 40°F | 30°F |
| Normal low | 23°F | 15°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 29% | 28% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:11 am / 4:30 pm | 7:31 am / 4:38 pm |
| Daylight | 9.3 h | 9.1 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 am22°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 am23°Fdew point 19°F
- Noon28°Fdew point 21°F
- 3 pm29°Fdew point 21°F
- 6 pm26°Fdew point 20°F
- 9 pm25°Fdew point 20°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Dubuque Rgnl Airport (14 mi away); average wind 11 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 snow9 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 more13 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 1.8 in; a dry December brings about 1.1 in and a wet one about 2.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 9.5 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 43°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 22°F
- Wettest December2015: 4.8 in
- Driest December1995: 0.3 in
- Highest reading67°F (December 6, 2001)
- Lowest reading-23°F (December 26, 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 | 47°F | 34°F | 29°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 19°F | 12°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.1 h | 9.5 h |
Highs change by -13°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Springfield, IL185 mi · high 41°F · 9 wet days
- Cooler: Rochester, MN151 mi · high 28°F · 10 wet days
How Galena ranks in December
- Normal high345th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days171st driest of 378
- Comfortable days253rd most of 340
What to pack for Galena in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 19°F, highs near 34°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 13 days
- A hat and gloves – about 28 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1192 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 Galena in December?
The normal high is 34°F and the normal low is 19°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -23°F (December 26, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Galena in December?
About 9 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.8 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (4.8 in); the driest was in 1995 (0.3 in).
Does it snow in Galena in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 9.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 13 days.
Is December a good time to visit Galena?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Galena (27 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and frost dates: Bellevue L&D 12 (USC00130608), 11 mi S of the city center, 603 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Galena (USC00113312), 2.5 mi ESE of the city center, 822 ft (190 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Dubuque Rgnl Airport (USW00094908), 14 mi W of the city center, 1,056 ft (424 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Dubuque Regional Airport (725470-94908), 14 mi W of the city center, 1,040 ft (408 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).