Davenport, IA weather in December
December in Davenport: cold, with some rain and some snow. Highs 37°F, lows 21°F, about 10 wet days and about 8.8 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 37°F
- Normal low
- 21°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 2.0 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.8 in
- snow on the ground 11 days
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 42°F | 33°F |
| Normal low | 25°F | 17°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 31% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:09 am / 4:33 pm | 7:28 am / 4:41 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 am26°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 am27°Fdew point 21°F
- Noon33°Fdew point 23°F
- 3 pm34°Fdew point 23°F
- 6 pm30°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 pm29°Fdew point 22°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Moline Quad City Intl Airport (5 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 49% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 48%.
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 more11 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in December
Normal precipitation is 2.0 in; a dry December brings about 1.1 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 8.8 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 22°F
- Wettest December2008: 4.6 in
- Driest December1995: 0.5 in
- Highest reading71°F (December 4, 1998)
- Lowest reading-18°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 | 50°F | 37°F | 32°F |
| Normal low | 31°F | 21°F | 15°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 9.2 h | 9.6 h |
Highs change by -13°F from November and -5°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Columbia, MO200 mi · high 44°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Wisconsin Dells, WI151 mi · high 32°F · 9 wet days
How Davenport ranks in December
- Normal high316th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 3 in Iowa
- Wet days189th driest of 378
- Comfortable days239th most of 340
What to pack for Davenport in December
- A warm jacket – lows near 21°F, highs near 37°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 11 days
- A hat and gloves – about 27 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
December has 1119 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 Davenport in December?
The normal high is 37°F and the normal low is 21°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was -18°F (December 25, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Davenport in December?
About 10 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.0 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (4.6 in); the driest was in 1995 (0.5 in).
Does it snow in Davenport in December?
Yes. Normal snowfall in December is 8.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 11 days.
Is December a good time to visit Davenport?
December ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Davenport (29 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Moline Quad City Intl Airport (USW00014923), 4.9 mi SE of the city center, 592 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Clinton #1 (USC00131635), 25 mi NE of the city center, 585 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Rock Island L&D 15 (USC00117391), 0.8 mi ESE of the city center, 568 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Quad City International Airport (725440-14923), 5.9 mi SSE of the city center, 576 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.