Bloomington Weather in December (1981–2025)

📍 40.47°N, 88.98°W •
📊

December at a Glance in Bloomington

(1981–2025)
Avg High
🔥
2.5°C
Avg Low
❄️
-5.9°C
Avg Temp
🌡️
-1.7°C
Avg Rain
🌧️
63 mm
Avg Humidity
💧
85%
Avg Wind
🌬️
3.7 m/s
Avg Solar
☀️
1.5
kWh/m²/day
vs Annual
📈
-12.3°C
temp difference
❄️Cold afternoons🥶Freezing mornings☁️Cloudier skies🌧️Wet month💨Breezy💦Humid air

Bloomington December Weather Overview

December is one of the cooler months of the year in Bloomington, with average highs near 2.5°C and lows around -5.9°C (mean -1.7°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 63 mm of rainfall and 85% relative humidity across the period.

Bloomington December Temperature History (1981–2025)

Range

December is one of the cooler months of the year in Bloomington. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Bloomington was 2015 — when the month averaged 3.9°C — while the coldest were 1983 and 1985 at -10.4°C. Typical December days reach 2.5°C with nights near -5.9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 1°C per decade.

1981–1985 vs 2021–2025

Avg Temp-4.5°C→0.4°C+4.9°C
Max Temp0.1°C→4.9°C+4.8°C
Min Temp-9.1°C→-4.1°C+5°C

Trend (per decade)

Avg Temp+1°C/decade ↗
Max Temp+1°C/decade ↗
Min Temp+0.9°C/decade ↗

Distribution of Avg Temp

-11.0°C–-7.2°C4 yr (9%)
-7.2°C–-3.5°C5 yr (11%)
-3.5°C–0.3°C24 yr (53%)
0.3°C–4.0°C12 yr (27%)

Bloomington December Rainfall History (1981–2025)

Range

December is one of the drier months in Bloomington, averaging 63 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1982 with 174 mm, while the driest was 2017 at 14 mm.

Bloomington December Humidity History (1981–2025)

Range

Relative humidity in Bloomington during December averages 85%. The most humid December was 1985 at 92%, and the least humid was 2017 at 75%.

Bloomington December Solar History (1981–2025)

Range

December receives about 1.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Bloomington. The sunniest Decembers were 2004, 2017 and 2020, among others at 1.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2014, 2015 and 2022, among others at 1.3.

Bloomington December Wind History (1981–2025)

Range

Average wind speed in Bloomington during December is 3.7 m/s. The windiest December was 2008 at 4.8 m/s, while the calmest was 1994 at 3 m/s.

What December Feels Like in Bloomington

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

How December Ranks in Bloomington

🥶3rd coolest month of the year
🌵3rd driest month of the year
☀️12th sunniest month of the year

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

Explore Bloomington Weather by Month

Bloomington December Averages by Decade

Metric1980s1990s2000s2010s2020sChange
Avg Temp-4.1°C-1.3°C-2.3°C-0.6°C0.3°C+4.4°C
Avg High0.3°C2.7°C1.9°C3.6°C4.8°C+4.5°C
Avg Low-8.4°C-5.4°C-6.5°C-4.7°C-4.2°C+4.2°C
Avg Rain77 mm53 mm62 mm61 mm61 mm-16 mm

Extreme December Records in Bloomington

🔥Warmest December21.2°C1998
🧊Coldest December-32.1°C1983
🌧️Wettest December174 mm1982
🏜️Driest December14 mm2017
🌬️Windiest December4.8 m/s2008

Key Insights for December

✅

December temperatures in Bloomington have risen by about 4.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.

✅

December has ranged from a record low of -32.1°C (1983) to a record high of 21.2°C (1998).

✅

Rainfall in December is one of the drier months, averaging 63 mm, with a wettest year of 174 mm.

Is December a Good Time to Visit Bloomington?

A quieter season to visit Bloomington

If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and June tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Bloomington. That said, December — with days averaging 2.5°C and nights around -5.9°C (mean -1.7°C) and moderate rainfall (63 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.

See Bloomington'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 →

Bloomington Weather in December — In Depth

☀️ December climate overview

December is one of the cooler months of the year in Bloomington, with average highs near 2.5°C and lows around -5.9°C (mean -1.7°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 63 mm of rainfall and 85% relative humidity across the period.

🌧️ Rain, humidity & wind in December

December averages 63 mm of rainfall in Bloomington, one of the drier months compared with the rest of the year. The wettest December on record saw 174 mm (1982), and the driest just 14 mm (2017). Humidity sits around 85% and average wind speed is 3.7 m/s, with solar radiation averaging 1.5 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 4.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 0.1°C to 4.9°C and overnight lows from -9.1°C to -4.1°C over the same span.
December Weather in Bloomington, Year by Year
🔥 warmest❄️ coldest🌧️ wettest
YearAvg HighAvg TempAvg LowHottest DayColdest DayRainfallHumidityWindSolar
20252.2°C-3.0°C-8.2°C20.6°C-23.1°C55 mm83%3.8 m/s—
20243.9°C-0.2°C-4.2°C11.6°C-13.2°C73 mm82%3.8 m/s1.5
20237.0°C3.0°C-1.1°C15.6°C-6.9°C78 mm82%3.3 m/s1.4
20223.0°C-1.3°C-5.6°C13.7°C-20.7°C57 mm80%4.1 m/s1.3
20218.5°C3.5°C-1.6°C18.1°C-8.6°C63 mm82%3.9 m/s1.6
20204.2°C-0.1°C-4.5°C14.6°C-13.3°C39 mm81%3.3 m/s1.8
20195.7°C1.3°C-3.2°C17.5°C-10.1°C37 mm87%3.8 m/s1.7
20185.0°C0.7°C-3.6°C12.5°C-10.2°C91 mm87%3.4 m/s1.6
20171.9°C-2.3°C-6.4°C17.4°C-22.2°C14 mm75%3.9 m/s1.8
20161.0°C-3.0°C-7.0°C13.0°C-21.4°C29 mm81%3.9 m/s1.6
2015 🔥7.9°C3.9°C-0.1°C18.8°C-9.2°C165 mm88%4.3 m/s1.3
20143.3°C-0.2°C-3.6°C11.0°C-14.4°C30 mm85%3.2 m/s1.3
20130.2°C-4.1°C-8.5°C16.0°C-18.7°C41 mm84%3.7 m/s1.4
20126.4°C2.1°C-2.1°C20.6°C-10.1°C54 mm84%3.8 m/s1.4
20115.6°C1.4°C-2.8°C13.8°C-9.5°C80 mm85%3.5 m/s1.5
2010-1.4°C-5.4°C-9.5°C13.9°C-18.4°C75 mm90%3.6 m/s1.6
20090.6°C-3.0°C-6.6°C11.9°C-17.3°C97 mm89%4.1 m/s1.3
20080.1°C-4.8°C-9.8°C18.4°C-21.8°C104 mm85%4.8 m/s1.6
20071.8°C-1.9°C-5.6°C13.2°C-14.1°C97 mm88%3.5 m/s1.3
20065.0°C0.1°C-4.8°C14.2°C-25.0°C78 mm89%3.8 m/s1.7
20050.0°C-3.9°C-7.8°C9.5°C-17.4°C33 mm87%3.5 m/s1.5
20043.4°C-0.9°C-5.2°C15.8°C-17.3°C36 mm83%4.1 m/s1.8
20033.8°C-0.3°C-4.3°C10.7°C-12.5°C50 mm83%3.9 m/s1.7
20023.9°C-0.1°C-4.1°C13.6°C-11.6°C42 mm79%3.9 m/s1.7
20015.2°C0.9°C-3.3°C19.5°C-12.7°C44 mm84%3.7 m/s1.8
2000-4.7°C-9.1°C-13.5°C5.0°C-24.3°C42 mm91%3.4 m/s1.8
19994.4°C-0.4°C-5.1°C17.7°C-14.3°C61 mm79%3.7 m/s1.4
19985.9°C1.1°C-3.8°C21.2°C-16.3°C34 mm78%3.3 m/s1.7
19972.1°C-1.3°C-4.7°C8.0°C-15.0°C43 mm88%3.2 m/s1.7
19962.2°C-1.6°C-5.4°C12.2°C-14.6°C27 mm83%3.7 m/s1.3
19950.9°C-3.5°C-8.0°C14.7°C-18.0°C23 mm81%3.7 m/s1.6
19944.5°C0.6°C-3.3°C14.2°C-13.4°C58 mm89%3 m/s1.4
19931.3°C-1.9°C-5.2°C9.8°C-17.8°C38 mm90%3.8 m/s1.3
19921.3°C-2.4°C-6.1°C7.5°C-17.0°C75 mm87%3.6 m/s1.3
19913.2°C-0.8°C-4.9°C17.5°C-15.6°C50 mm87%3.8 m/s1.7
19901.3°C-3.3°C-7.9°C12.6°C-24.1°C121 mm87%4 m/s1.5
1989-4.1°C-8.5°C-12.8°C8.0°C-28.7°C20 mm79%3.6 m/s1.7
19882.6°C-2.2°C-7.0°C13.5°C-15.3°C63 mm79%4.2 m/s1.7
19872.2°C-1.8°C-5.9°C11.5°C-17.7°C119 mm89%4.1 m/s1.3
19862.0°C-1.4°C-4.8°C9.4°C-15.3°C34 mm89%3.1 m/s1.4
1985-4.5°C-10.4°C-16.2°C5.7°C-29.4°C57 mm92%4 m/s1.7
19845.0°C0.4°C-4.2°C17.3°C-16.1°C99 mm86%4.2 m/s1.3
1983 ❄️-6.3°C-10.4°C-14.5°C3.4°C-32.1°C87 mm92%3.7 m/s—
1982 🌧️6.1°C1.8°C-2.5°C19.5°C-15.5°C174 mm88%4.2 m/s—
19810.0°C-4.0°C-8.1°C7.1°C-16.9°C39 mm87%3.5 m/s—

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

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Bloomington December Weather — FAQ

What is the average temperature in Bloomington in December?▼

The average high in December is around 2.5°C with lows near -5.9°C (mean -1.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.

Does it rain a lot in Bloomington in December?▼

December averages 63 mm of rainfall in Bloomington, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 174 mm in 1982.

What was the hottest December on record in Bloomington?▼

The hottest December reached 21.2°C in 1998. The coldest dipped to -32.1°C in 1983.

Has December in Bloomington 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 4.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 0.1°C to 4.9°C and overnight lows from -9.1°C to -4.1°C over the same span.

Is December a good time to visit Bloomington?▼

December is one of the cooler months of the year in Bloomington and one of the drier months, so plan for around 2.5°C daytime highs and -5.9°C at night.

Is December the coldest month in Bloomington?▼

Not quite — December is the 3rd coolest month in Bloomington, averaging -1.7°C.

What should I pack for Bloomington in December?▼

For December in Bloomington, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 2.5°C and lows of -5.9°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.

Is Bloomington humid in December?▼

Relative humidity in December averages 85% — quite humid.

How windy is Bloomington in December?▼

Average wind speed in December is 3.7 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 4.8 m/s (2008).

Which December had the most rainfall in Bloomington?▼

The wettest December on record was 1982 with 174 mm. On average, December sees 63 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.

Other Illinois cities

Explore how the weather in Bloomington 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.