Decatur Weather in December (1981–2025)

📍 34.57°N, 86.99°W •
📊

December at a Glance in Decatur

(1981–2025)
Avg High
🔥
11.2°C
Avg Low
❄️
0.8°C
Avg Temp
🌡️
6.0°C
Avg Rain
🌧️
140 mm
Avg Humidity
💧
84%
Avg Wind
🌬️
1.2 m/s
Avg Solar
☀️
2.2
kWh/m²/day
vs Annual
📈
-9.9°C
temp difference
❄️Cool afternoons🥶Freezing mornings☁️Cloudier skies🌧️Wet month🍃Light winds💦Humid air

Decatur December Weather Overview

December is one of the cooler months of the year in Decatur, with average highs near 11.2°C and lows around 0.8°C (mean 6°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 140 mm of rainfall and 84% relative humidity across the period.

Decatur December Temperature History (1981–2025)

Range

December is one of the cooler months of the year in Decatur. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Decatur was 2015 — when the month averaged 11.7°C — while the coldest was 1989 at -0.3°C. Typical December days reach 11.2°C with nights near 0.8°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.7°C per decade.

1981–1985 vs 2021–2025

Avg Temp5.0°C→8.0°C+3°C
Max Temp9.8°C→13.4°C+3.6°C
Min Temp0.1°C→2.4°C+2.3°C

Trend (per decade)

Avg Temp+0.7°C/decade ↗
Max Temp+0.8°C/decade ↗
Min Temp+0.6°C/decade ↗

Distribution of Avg Temp

-1.0°C–2.3°C5 yr (11%)
2.3°C–5.5°C14 yr (31%)
5.5°C–8.8°C22 yr (49%)
8.8°C–12.0°C4 yr (9%)

Decatur December Rainfall History (1981–2025)

Range

December is a relatively wet time of year in Decatur, averaging 140 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1990 with 349 mm, while the driest was 2025 at 49 mm.

Decatur December Humidity History (1981–2025)

Range

Relative humidity in Decatur during December averages 84%. The most humid December was 2018 at 89%, and the least humid were 1999 and 2023 at 77%.

Decatur December Solar History (1981–2025)

Range

December receives about 2.2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Decatur. The sunniest Decembers were 2001, 2004 and 2023, among others at 2.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1992 at 1.7.

Decatur December Wind History (1981–2025)

Range

Average wind speed in Decatur during December is 1.2 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 1982, 1983 and 2008 at 1.4 m/s, while the calmest was 1986 at 1 m/s.

What December Feels Like in Decatur

🌅
Freezing
Morning
🌞
Cool
Afternoon
🌆
Cold
Evening
Rain chanceHigh
Outdoor comfort★☆☆☆☆

How December Ranks in Decatur

🥶2nd coolest month of the year
🌧️1st wettest month of the year
☀️12th sunniest month of the year

Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.

Explore Decatur Weather by Month

Decatur December Averages by Decade

Metric1980s1990s2000s2010s2020sChange
Avg Temp4.6°C6.2°C5.3°C7.0°C7.5°C+2.9°C
Avg High9.5°C11.3°C10.5°C12.0°C13.0°C+3.5°C
Avg Low-0.4°C1.0°C0.0°C2.0°C2.0°C+2.4°C
Avg Rain126 mm150 mm132 mm164 mm120 mm-5 mm

Extreme December Records in Decatur

🔥Warmest December24.5°C1998
🧊Coldest December-18.7°C1989
🌧️Wettest December349 mm1990
🏜️Driest December49 mm2025
🌬️Windiest December1.4 m/s1982

Key Insights for December

✅

December temperatures in Decatur have risen by about 3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.

✅

December has ranged from a record low of -18.7°C (1989) to a record high of 24.5°C (1998).

✅

Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 140 mm, with a wettest year of 349 mm.

✅

Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.8°C per decade while lows rose 0.6°C per decade, widening the gap between day and night.

Is December a Good Time to Visit Decatur?

A quieter season to visit Decatur

If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of September and May tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Decatur. That said, December — with days averaging 11.2°C and nights around 0.8°C (mean 6°C) and higher rainfall (140 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.

See Decatur's complete weather history All 12 months side by side, 1981–2025 records, annual trends and long-term averages in one place. View full history →

Decatur Weather in December — In Depth

☀️ December climate overview

December is one of the cooler months of the year in Decatur, with average highs near 11.2°C and lows around 0.8°C (mean 6°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 140 mm of rainfall and 84% relative humidity across the period.

🌧️ Rain, humidity & wind in December

December averages 140 mm of rainfall in Decatur, a relatively wet time of year compared with the rest of the year. The wettest December on record saw 349 mm (1990), and the driest just 49 mm (2025). Humidity sits around 84% and average wind speed is 1.2 m/s, with solar radiation averaging 2.2 kWh/m²/day.

📈 How December has changed

Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 3°C. Daytime highs moved from 9.8°C to 13.4°C and overnight lows from 0.1°C to 2.4°C over the same span.
December Weather in Decatur, Year by Year
🔥 warmest❄️ coldest🌧️ wettest
YearAvg HighAvg TempAvg LowHottest DayColdest DayRainfallHumidityWindSolar
202512.7°C6.8°C0.9°C22.8°C-7.9°C49 mm78%1.1 m/s—
202412.5°C7.1°C1.7°C20.9°C-6.7°C111 mm79%1.3 m/s2.3
202313.4°C7.6°C1.7°C22.1°C-5.6°C122 mm77%1.1 m/s2.5
202211.6°C6.8°C2.0°C22.9°C-14.6°C179 mm85%1.2 m/s2
202117.0°C11.5°C5.9°C23.1°C-2.6°C132 mm86%1.2 m/s2
202010.9°C5.3°C-0.4°C18.8°C-7.2°C127 mm85%1.1 m/s2.4
201913.7°C8.7°C3.7°C21.4°C-4.9°C193 mm87%1.2 m/s2.2
201810.8°C6.6°C2.4°C20.0°C-5.3°C228 mm89%1.1 m/s1.9
201710.5°C5.4°C0.3°C20.8°C-8.4°C124 mm80%1.1 m/s2.2
201612.1°C6.6°C1.0°C22.5°C-9.0°C129 mm82%1.3 m/s2.1
2015 🔥16.5°C11.7°C7.0°C23.7°C-3.6°C288 mm87%1.2 m/s2.1
201411.8°C7.1°C2.4°C20.3°C-4.1°C146 mm88%1.1 m/s1.9
201311.2°C6.0°C0.8°C23.8°C-6.2°C167 mm84%1.1 m/s2
201214.3°C8.7°C3.1°C21.6°C-5.5°C156 mm83%1.2 m/s2
201112.4°C7.2°C2.1°C19.3°C-4.8°C155 mm85%1.1 m/s2.2
20106.7°C1.9°C-2.9°C17.2°C-12.2°C59 mm79%1.3 m/s2.3
20098.6°C4.0°C-0.7°C19.0°C-5.3°C181 mm88%1.2 m/s2
200811.0°C5.8°C0.6°C20.5°C-9.5°C249 mm83%1.4 m/s2
200714.4°C8.8°C3.3°C23.8°C-5.2°C61 mm81%1.2 m/s2.2
200613.4°C7.4°C1.5°C20.2°C-7.9°C89 mm83%1.2 m/s2.4
20058.8°C3.3°C-2.2°C17.6°C-7.0°C106 mm83%1.1 m/s2.3
20049.9°C4.9°C-0.1°C19.7°C-8.0°C172 mm85%1.3 m/s2.5
200310.2°C4.4°C-1.4°C15.1°C-5.5°C83 mm80%1.3 m/s2.4
200210.0°C5.2°C0.4°C17.4°C-5.4°C164 mm86%1.3 m/s2.2
200112.9°C7.7°C2.5°C21.5°C-6.0°C138 mm84%1.2 m/s2.5
20006.2°C1.0°C-4.2°C20.0°C-10.3°C75 mm81%1.2 m/s2.2
199912.8°C6.4°C0.1°C20.6°C-6.5°C65 mm77%1.2 m/s2.4
199812.7°C7.4°C2.2°C24.5°C-11.9°C171 mm85%1.2 m/s1.9
19979.1°C4.6°C0.0°C15.9°C-5.5°C98 mm87%1.1 m/s2.1
199612.0°C6.8°C1.6°C20.8°C-7.4°C119 mm86%1.3 m/s2.2
19958.7°C3.9°C-0.9°C18.9°C-9.7°C111 mm84%1.2 m/s2.2
199412.6°C7.6°C2.6°C19.3°C-4.4°C97 mm87%1.1 m/s2.1
19939.9°C5.0°C0.2°C18.1°C-7.4°C135 mm84%1.2 m/s2.1
19929.8°C5.3°C0.8°C17.7°C-4.5°C144 mm88%1.1 m/s1.7
199112.2°C6.9°C1.6°C23.2°C-5.4°C213 mm87%1.1 m/s2.3
1990 🌧️13.3°C7.7°C2.1°C21.8°C-8.8°C349 mm85%1.3 m/s1.9
1989 ❄️4.5°C-0.3°C-5.2°C17.1°C-18.7°C96 mm84%1.3 m/s2.3
198810.7°C5.0°C-0.7°C18.8°C-5.5°C110 mm83%1.2 m/s2.4
198712.7°C7.2°C1.7°C21.6°C-5.3°C126 mm82%1.3 m/s2.1
19869.0°C4.4°C-0.2°C18.2°C-4.4°C110 mm89%1 m/s1.9
19857.2°C2.0°C-3.2°C19.4°C-12.0°C68 mm80%1.1 m/s2.5
198415.1°C10.1°C5.1°C21.9°C-7.3°C65 mm89%1.1 m/s2
19836.5°C1.7°C-3.1°C21.2°C-17.8°C258 mm86%1.4 m/s—
198212.6°C8.3°C4.0°C22.4°C-6.1°C183 mm88%1.4 m/s—
19817.6°C2.7°C-2.1°C17.1°C-12.7°C113 mm82%1.2 m/s—

Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.

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Decatur December Weather — FAQ

What is the average temperature in Decatur in December?▼

The average high in December is around 11.2°C with lows near 0.8°C (mean 6°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.

Does it rain a lot in Decatur in December?▼

December averages 140 mm of rainfall in Decatur, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 349 mm in 1990.

What was the hottest December on record in Decatur?▼

The hottest December reached 24.5°C in 1998. The coldest dipped to -18.7°C in 1989.

Has December in Decatur gotten warmer over time?▼

Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 3°C. Daytime highs moved from 9.8°C to 13.4°C and overnight lows from 0.1°C to 2.4°C over the same span.

Is December a good time to visit Decatur?▼

December is one of the cooler months of the year in Decatur and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 11.2°C daytime highs and 0.8°C at night.

Is December the coldest month in Decatur?▼

Not quite — December is the 2nd coolest month in Decatur, averaging 6°C.

What should I pack for Decatur in December?▼

For December in Decatur, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 11.2°C and lows of 0.8°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.

Is Decatur humid in December?▼

Relative humidity in December averages 84% — quite humid.

How windy is Decatur in December?▼

Average wind speed in December is 1.2 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 1.4 m/s (1982).

Which December had the most rainfall in Decatur?▼

The wettest December on record was 1990 with 349 mm. On average, December sees 140 mm.

Where does this December weather data come from?▼

All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.

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Explore how the weather in Decatur behaves each December, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for December specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.