Chicago · United States

Chicago in December: every year compared

In December, Chicago averages highs of 2.3 °C and lows of -3.6 °C, with 61 mm of precipitation. The warmest December was 2015 (4.5 °C), the coldest 1963 (-8.0 °C).

Avg. highAvg. high 2.3 °C

Avg. lowAvg. low -3.6 °C

PrecipitationPrecipitation 61 mm

Rainy daysRainy days 9

Day by day through December

Normal high and low for each day of December in Chicago.

Normal high and low, day by dayNormal 1991–2020

Every December in Chicago, ranked

86 months of December since 1940. The last one, 2025, ranks 52 of 86 (−1.3 °C vs normal).

194019832025

2025 · -1.9 °C · −1.3 °C vs normal · rank 52 of 86

Warmest years

120154.5 °C
220234.2 °C
320213.5 °C
419823.0 °C
520123.0 °C

Coldest years

11963-8.0 °C
21983-7.9 °C
31989-7.7 °C
42000-7.5 °C
51950-7.1 °C

All 86 years in a table

Year	Mean temperature	Daytime highs	Night lows	Precipitation	Frost days	Snowfall	Rainy days
2025	-1.9 °C	1.3 °C	-5.6 °C	78 mm	25 days	14 cm	13 days
2024	0.7 °C	3.4 °C	-2.4 °C	55 mm	19 days	3 cm	9 days
2023	4.2 °C	6.6 °C	1.8 °C	85 mm	10 days	2 cm	12 days
2022	-0.7 °C	2.3 °C	-3.9 °C	68 mm	19 days	6 cm	8 days
2021	3.5 °C	7.2 °C	-0.2 °C	69 mm	13 days	8 cm	11 days
2020	0.8 °C	3.8 °C	-2.0 °C	61 mm	19 days	7 cm	5 days
2019	1.7 °C	5.3 °C	-1.7 °C	47 mm	22 days	4 cm	6 days
2018	1.0 °C	4.2 °C	-1.8 °C	106 mm	23 days	4 cm	9 days
2017	-2.2 °C	1.0 °C	-5.2 °C	20 mm	24 days	11 cm	5 days
2016	-2.7 °C	-0.1 °C	-5.8 °C	50 mm	25 days	27 cm	9 days
2015	4.5 °C	7.2 °C	2.2 °C	152 mm	10 days	4 cm	11 days
2014	0.9 °C	2.9 °C	-1.3 °C	34 mm	19 days	1 cm	7 days
2013	-4.2 °C	-0.8 °C	-8.2 °C	65 mm	25 days	22 cm	13 days
2012	3.0 °C	5.7 °C	0.1 °C	70 mm	16 days	6 cm	10 days
2011	2.2 °C	5.1 °C	-0.9 °C	39 mm	18 days	3 cm	8 days
2010	-4.2 °C	-1.5 °C	-7.1 °C	57 mm	29 days	23 cm	12 days
2009	-2.0 °C	0.6 °C	-5.1 °C	92 mm	26 days	29 cm	14 days
2008	-4.4 °C	-0.1 °C	-8.5 °C	148 mm	29 days	37 cm	13 days
2007	-1.2 °C	1.5 °C	-4.0 °C	103 mm	29 days	32 cm	17 days
2006	1.4 °C	4.6 °C	-2.0 °C	98 mm	17 days	20 cm	9 days
2005	-4.2 °C	-1.7 °C	-7.1 °C	42 mm	23 days	20 cm	9 days
2004	-0.6 °C	2.5 °C	-4.0 °C	45 mm	23 days	4 cm	6 days
2003	0.7 °C	3.5 °C	-2.4 °C	40 mm	23 days	9 cm	7 days
2002	-0.3 °C	2.4 °C	-3.3 °C	36 mm	25 days	7 cm	7 days
2001	1.8 °C	4.6 °C	-1.3 °C	32 mm	16 days	2 cm	8 days
2000	-7.5 °C	-4.0 °C	-11.4 °C	59 mm	30 days	41 cm	9 days
1999	-0.0 °C	3.1 °C	-3.2 °C	71 mm	22 days	7 cm	9 days
1998	1.8 °C	5.0 °C	-1.6 °C	32 mm	19 days	4 cm	3 days
1997	0.0 °C	2.2 °C	-2.0 °C	40 mm	22 days	22 cm	7 days
1996	-1.4 °C	1.1 °C	-4.1 °C	56 mm	26 days	9 cm	11 days
1995	-2.2 °C	0.8 °C	-5.1 °C	19 mm	28 days	8 cm	8 days
1994	2.1 °C	4.6 °C	-0.6 °C	52 mm	19 days	13 cm	8 days
1993	-0.3 °C	2.1 °C	-2.9 °C	24 mm	19 days	3 cm	7 days
1992	-1.0 °C	1.7 °C	-3.7 °C	76 mm	26 days	11 cm	7 days
1991	-0.1 °C	3.1 °C	-3.4 °C	59 mm	23 days	25 cm	7 days
1990	-1.0 °C	2.5 °C	-4.3 °C	117 mm	20 days	19 cm	12 days
1989	-7.7 °C	-4.1 °C	-11.1 °C	26 mm	30 days	16 cm	9 days
1988	-1.2 °C	2.4 °C	-4.9 °C	63 mm	27 days	14 cm	6 days
1987	0.8 °C	3.1 °C	-1.8 °C	143 mm	23 days	33 cm	15 days
1986	-0.4 °C	1.9 °C	-2.9 °C	43 mm	24 days	8 cm	7 days
1985	-6.8 °C	-2.8 °C	-11.1 °C	57 mm	31 days	15 cm	10 days
1984	0.8 °C	4.5 °C	-2.6 °C	128 mm	20 days	14 cm	13 days
1983	-7.9 °C	-5.2 °C	-11.1 °C	89 mm	26 days	30 cm	12 days
1982	3.0 °C	5.7 °C	-0.1 °C	93 mm	17 days	2 cm	11 days
1981	-2.4 °C	0.2 °C	-5.0 °C	48 mm	28 days	26 cm	10 days
1980	-1.5 °C	1.4 °C	-4.6 °C	82 mm	26 days	20 cm	12 days
1979	0.9 °C	4.1 °C	-2.4 °C	79 mm	25 days	7 cm	10 days
1978	-2.8 °C	0.1 °C	-5.9 °C	116 mm	30 days	54 cm	12 days
1977	-3.9 °C	-0.7 °C	-7.3 °C	71 mm	26 days	28 cm	10 days
1976	-6.3 °C	-2.2 °C	-11.0 °C	21 mm	30 days	13 cm	7 days
1975	-0.0 °C	2.7 °C	-3.1 °C	76 mm	26 days	13 cm	12 days
1974	-0.4 °C	1.9 °C	-3.1 °C	79 mm	24 days	30 cm	16 days
1973	-2.1 °C	0.6 °C	-5.2 °C	120 mm	25 days	42 cm	16 days
1972	-3.5 °C	-0.6 °C	-6.8 °C	89 mm	27 days	33 cm	12 days
1971	1.5 °C	4.5 °C	-1.4 °C	139 mm	21 days	1 cm	11 days
1970	-0.9 °C	2.4 °C	-4.8 °C	52 mm	22 days	13 cm	12 days
1969	-2.0 °C	0.2 °C	-4.4 °C	36 mm	30 days	23 cm	8 days
1968	-2.4 °C	1.2 °C	-5.4 °C	107 mm	26 days	23 cm	12 days
1967	-0.8 °C	2.2 °C	-4.0 °C	81 mm	20 days	6 cm	13 days
1966	-1.8 °C	1.2 °C	-4.7 °C	92 mm	25 days	15 cm	9 days
1965	2.0 °C	4.8 °C	-1.2 °C	104 mm	18 days	20 cm	8 days
1964	-2.7 °C	0.6 °C	-6.2 °C	71 mm	27 days	30 cm	15 days
1963	-8.0 °C	-4.3 °C	-11.7 °C	23 mm	30 days	15 cm	4 days
1962	-4.0 °C	-0.2 °C	-7.4 °C	14 mm	27 days	7 cm	6 days
1961	-3.6 °C	-0.3 °C	-7.3 °C	73 mm	27 days	29 cm	11 days
1960	-3.5 °C	-0.0 °C	-7.3 °C	17 mm	29 days	10 cm	5 days
1959	1.4 °C	4.0 °C	-1.0 °C	58 mm	21 days	13 cm	9 days
1958	-5.4 °C	-1.8 °C	-9.1 °C	14 mm	31 days	8 cm	4 days
1957	1.1 °C	4.4 °C	-2.5 °C	78 mm	20 days	15 cm	10 days
1956	0.3 °C	2.8 °C	-2.9 °C	52 mm	24 days	17 cm	11 days
1955	-3.4 °C	-0.2 °C	-6.7 °C	25 mm	29 days	7 cm	5 days
1954	-0.5 °C	1.6 °C	-3.0 °C	60 mm	27 days	23 cm	10 days
1953	-0.3 °C	2.8 °C	-3.7 °C	61 mm	23 days	10 cm	10 days
1952	0.3 °C	2.6 °C	-2.0 °C	66 mm	23 days	9 cm	10 days
1951	-3.3 °C	0.5 °C	-7.6 °C	83 mm	22 days	47 cm	12 days
1950	-7.1 °C	-3.4 °C	-11.3 °C	88 mm	30 days	36 cm	9 days
1949	-0.1 °C	3.4 °C	-3.6 °C	134 mm	23 days	14 cm	16 days
1948	-0.8 °C	2.2 °C	-4.1 °C	95 mm	26 days	13 cm	8 days
1947	-1.9 °C	1.4 °C	-4.6 °C	55 mm	28 days	13 cm	5 days
1946	0.0 °C	3.5 °C	-3.4 °C	83 mm	24 days	15 cm	10 days
1945	-4.1 °C	-1.1 °C	-7.4 °C	61 mm	26 days	17 cm	8 days
1944	-4.9 °C	-1.7 °C	-8.2 °C	41 mm	29 days	26 cm	5 days
1943	-1.9 °C	1.3 °C	-4.8 °C	17 mm	29 days	0 cm	2 days
1942	-5.3 °C	-1.7 °C	-9.3 °C	123 mm	29 days	13 cm	9 days
1941	1.0 °C	3.7 °C	-1.8 °C	32 mm	21 days	8 cm	10 days
1940	-1.2 °C	1.6 °C	-4.4 °C	39 mm	27 days	11 cm	5 days

December records

Hottest day

19.0 °C

December 3, 2012 estimate

Nearby station: 22.2 °C on December 3, 2012 measured

Coldest night

-29.0 °C

December 24, 1983 estimate

Nearby station: -28.9 °C on December 24, 1983 measured

Wettest day

61 mm

December 27, 1942 estimate

The weather on your birthday in Chicago

Any day since 1940: high, low, rain, snow, and how warm it was compared with the same date in every other year.

Questions & answers

How warm is Chicago in December?

Highs average 2.3 °C and lows -3.6 °C. A typical December brings 0 hot days (30 °C or more) and 23 frost days.

Does it rain a lot in Chicago in December?

About 61 mm falls in December, over some 9 days with at least 1 mm. The wettest December was 2015 (152 mm), the driest 1958 (14 mm).

What was the warmest December in Chicago?

2015, with a mean temperature of 4.5 °C. The coldest was 1963 (-8.0 °C). The last one, 2025, ranks 52 of 86.