Weather in Chicago in December 2024
- December is usually the wettest month of the year in Chicago;
Average weather
Average temperature in Chicago in December
Going from a maximum of +55°F during the day to a minimum of +19°F during the night, the temperature in December averages around +45°F.
The average maximum temperature goes down 25% by the end of the month, compared with the beginning of the month, from +46°F to +37°F.
Is Chicago warm or cold in December?
Chicago is typically chill in December.
Maximum temperatures go down compared to the previous month from +48°F to +37°F. The minimum temperature also goes down from +37°F to +27°F.
Pack a jumper and a jacket as there will be cooler temperatures.
December is one of the coolest months in Chicago, here is the comparison with other months:
Water temperature in Chicago in December
Water in Chicago in December is Cold. It varies from +38°F to +47°F, with an average of +42°F. Note that the air temperature is lower than the water temperature, averaging around +37°F.
In December, water temperatures are average relative to the rest of the year:
Can you swim in Chicago in December?
Climate in Chicago in December
| November | December | January | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. temperature | ||||||
| +48°F | +37°F | +32°F | ||||
| Min. temperature | ||||||
| +9°F | -17°F | -22°F | ||||
| Max. temperature | ||||||
| +75°F | +72°F | +64°F | ||||
| Rainfall | ||||||
| 70 mm | 42 mm | 23 mm | ||||
| Wind | ||||||
| 4 m/s | 4 m/s | 4 m/s | ||||
| Avg. water temperature | ||||||
| +49°F | +42°F | +39°F | ||||
| Humidity | ||||||
| 69% | 73% | 73% | ||||
| Air pressure | ||||||
| 1017 HPa | 1018 HPa | 1018 HPa | ||||
| Sunny days | ||||||
| 4 | 3 | 3 | ||||
| Cloudy days | ||||||
| 14 | 14 | 15 | ||||
| Rainy days | ||||||
| 10 | 6 | 3 | ||||
| Snowy days | ||||||
| 2 | 8 | 11 | ||||
December weather is still as ok as in November. It’s getting colder in December. From +48°F in the day, the average maximum temperature lowers to +37°F. As December arrives, the amount of rainfall goes down. On average, the rainfall volume decreases from 70 mm to 42 mm. Humidity rises from 69% to 73%. The average wind speed doesn’t change much during December, staying around 4 m/s. The days becoming less sunny, going from 4 sunny days in November to 3 in December.
January brings much the same weather, it remains ok.
Wind
The average wind speed is 4 m/s getting up to 9 m/s which is a medium breeze. You can feel it, especially getting out of the water.
The average wind speed in Chicago is gradually increasing during December, going from 3 m/s to 4 m/s over the course of the month.
Rain
Snow
December is one of the snowiest months in Chicago.
Here’s how December is compared with other months in the amount of snow, total mm:
How was the weather last December in Chicago?
Climate Change Over the Years
The climate in Chicago in December has not changed that much over the last 43 years.
The average temperature was the lowest in 1979 (+54°F) and the highest in 2012 (+63°F). The driest year was 2005 with only 501 mm of rainfall, and the wettest year was 2023 with 1535 mm.
FAQ
Is December a good time to visit Chicago?
Can you sunbathe in Chicago in December?
Can you swim in Chicago in December?
Is Chicago rainy in December?
Is it sunny in Chicago in December?
Other cities in USA
Monthly weather in Chicago
Source of the data
For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Chicago, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2023.
For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.