Rockford, IL weather in December
December in Rockford: cold, with some rain and some snow. Highs 34°F, lows 20°F, about 10 wet days and about 9.4 in of snow. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 34°F
- Normal low
- 20°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 1.9 in total
- Snowfall
- 9.4 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 | 25°F | 17°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 32% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:05 am / 4:25 pm | 7:25 am / 4:33 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 am25°Fdew point 20°F
- 9 am26°Fdew point 21°F
- Noon31°Fdew point 22°F
- 3 pm32°Fdew point 23°F
- 6 pm29°Fdew point 22°F
- 9 pm27°Fdew point 21°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Rockford Gtr Rockford Airport (5 mi away); average wind 9 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 below27 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 1.9 in; a dry December brings about 0.9 in and a wet one about 2.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 9.4 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: 4.7 in
- Driest December1995: 0.5 in
- Highest reading69°F (December 3, 2012)
- Lowest reading-22°F (December 25, 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 | 31°F | 20°F | 15°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.8 h | 9.2 h | 9.5 h |
Highs change by -13°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Springfield, IL173 mi · high 41°F · 9 wet days
- Cooler: Rochester, MN209 mi · high 28°F · 10 wet days
How Rockford ranks in December
- Normal high344th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days208th driest of 378
- Comfortable days271st most of 340
What to pack for Rockford in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 20°F, highs near 34°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 13 days
- A hat and gloves – about 27 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1170 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 Rockford in December?
The normal high is 34°F and the normal low is 20°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -22°F (December 25, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Rockford in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.9 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (4.7 in); the driest was in 1995 (0.5 in).
Does it snow in Rockford in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 9.4 in, and snow covers the ground on about 13 days.
Is December a good time to visit Rockford?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Rockford (27 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Rockford Gtr Rockford Airport (USW00094822), 5.4 mi S of the city center, 730 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Greater Rockford Airport (725430-94822), 5.4 mi S of the city center, 725 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).