Cedar Rapids, IA weather in December
Cedar Rapids is cold in December, with some rain and some snow: highs average 35°F and nights drop to about 19°F. There are about 9 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 9.0 in. This is the depth of winter in Cedar Rapids. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 35°F
- Normal low
- 19°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 1.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 9.0 in
- snow on the ground 12 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 40°F | 31°F |
| Normal low | 23°F | 15°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 28% | 29% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:15 am / 4:36 pm | 7:34 am / 4:44 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 am22°Fdew point 19°F
- 9 am24°Fdew point 20°F
- Noon29°Fdew point 22°F
- 3 pm31°Fdew point 22°F
- 6 pm27°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 pm25°Fdew point 21°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Cedar Rapids Muni Airport (9 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 53% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 43%.
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 in4 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below28 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more12 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 1.7 in; a dry December brings about 1.1 in and a wet one about 2.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 9.0 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202006: average high 43°F
- Coolest December2000: average high 20°F
- Wettest December2015: 4.5 in
- Driest December1995: 0.3 in
- Highest reading69°F (December 4, 1998)
- Lowest reading-19°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 | 48°F | 35°F | 30°F |
| Normal low | 29°F | 19°F | 13°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 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, IL185 mi · high 41°F · 9 wet days
- Cooler: Rochester, MN145 mi · high 28°F · 10 wet days
How Cedar Rapids ranks in December
- Normal high339th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 3 in Iowa
- Wet days167th driest of 378
- Comfortable days274th most of 340
What to pack for Cedar Rapids in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 19°F, highs near 35°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 12 days
- A hat and gloves – about 28 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1189 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 Cedar Rapids in December?
The normal high is 35°F and the normal low is 19°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -19°F (December 25, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Cedar Rapids in December?
About 9 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.7 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (4.5 in); the driest was in 1995 (0.3 in).
Does it snow in Cedar Rapids in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 9.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 12 days.
Is December a good time to visit Cedar Rapids?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Cedar Rapids (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: Cedar Rapids #1 (USC00131319), 4.0 mi NE of the city center, 813 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Cedar Rapids Muni Airport (USW00014990), 9.4 mi SSW of the city center, 868 ft (60 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Eastern Iowa Regional Airport (725450-14990), 9.6 mi SSW of the city center, 840 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.