December is one of the cooler months of the year in Kansas City, with average highs near 4.9°C and lows around -4.6°C (mean 0.2°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 44 mm of rainfall and 82% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Kansas City. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Kansas City was 2021 — when the month averaged 5.8°C — while the coldest was 1983 at -9.7°C. Typical December days reach 4.9°C with nights near -4.6°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 1°C per decade.
December is one of the drier months in Kansas City, averaging 44 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 1982 with 113 mm, while the driest was 1996 at 3 mm.
Relative humidity in Kansas City during December averages 82%. The most humid December was 1986 at 91%, and the least humid was 2017 at 72%.
December receives about 1.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Kansas City. The sunniest Decembers were 2000 and 2020 at 2.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2014 at 1.4.
Average wind speed in Kansas City during December is 3.2 m/s. The windiest December was 2008 at 4.1 m/s, while the calmest was 1986 at 2.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | -2.1°C | 0.3°C | -0.4°C | 1.0°C | 2.8°C | +4.9°C |
| Avg High | 2.5°C | 4.9°C | 4.4°C | 5.7°C | 8.0°C | +5.5°C |
| Avg Low | -6.8°C | -4.3°C | -5.1°C | -3.8°C | -2.4°C | +4.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 52 mm | 45 mm | 41 mm | 46 mm | 34 mm | -19 mm |
December temperatures in Kansas City have risen by about 6.1°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of -29.2°C (1983) to a record high of 23°C (2001).
Rainfall in December is one of the drier months, averaging 44 mm, with a wettest year of 113 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 1.1°C per decade while lows rose 0.9°C per decade, widening the gap between day and night.
A quieter season to visit Kansas City
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of September and June tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Kansas City. That said, December — with days averaging 4.9°C and nights around -4.6°C (mean 0.2°C) and moderate rainfall (44 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7.7°C | 2.1°C | -3.4°C | 18.6°C | -11.4°C | 14 mm | 78% | 3.3 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 7.2°C | 2.6°C | -2.0°C | 14.3°C | -8.2°C | 23 mm | 81% | 3 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2023 | 9.0°C | 4.3°C | -0.4°C | 17.4°C | -5.0°C | 88 mm | 82% | 3.1 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2022 | 4.8°C | -0.2°C | -5.1°C | 17.9°C | -19.1°C | 30 mm | 77% | 3.7 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2021 🔥 | 11.8°C | 5.8°C | -0.2°C | 22.3°C | -6.4°C | 21 mm | 76% | 3.6 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2020 | 7.5°C | 2.1°C | -3.2°C | 17.4°C | -10.8°C | 25 mm | 77% | 2.9 m/s | 2.2 |
| 2019 | 7.4°C | 2.6°C | -2.2°C | 16.8°C | -7.4°C | 47 mm | 86% | 3.4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2018 | 6.1°C | 1.5°C | -3.2°C | 15.4°C | -9.5°C | 79 mm | 84% | 3.1 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2017 | 5.2°C | 0.4°C | -4.3°C | 20.2°C | -18.1°C | 9 mm | 72% | 3.4 m/s | 2 |
| 2016 | 3.8°C | -1.1°C | -6.0°C | 16.6°C | -19.8°C | 27 mm | 74% | 3 m/s | 2 |
| 2015 | 8.8°C | 3.5°C | -1.9°C | 17.5°C | -12.8°C | 106 mm | 88% | 3.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2014 | 5.3°C | 1.5°C | -2.3°C | 16.9°C | -14.2°C | 51 mm | 84% | 2.9 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2013 | 2.8°C | -2.1°C | -7.0°C | 14.8°C | -15.7°C | 21 mm | 80% | 3.1 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2012 | 7.8°C | 2.9°C | -2.0°C | 22.4°C | -12.4°C | 26 mm | 77% | 3.3 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2011 | 6.3°C | 1.5°C | -3.3°C | 15.9°C | -9.5°C | 77 mm | 83% | 3.1 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2010 | 3.2°C | -1.2°C | -5.6°C | 17.0°C | -14.6°C | 15 mm | 80% | 3.1 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2009 | 1.6°C | -2.5°C | -6.6°C | 12.4°C | -16.6°C | 55 mm | 87% | 3.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2008 | 3.3°C | -2.1°C | -7.4°C | 17.1°C | -17.4°C | 59 mm | 80% | 4.1 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2007 | 2.6°C | -2.0°C | -6.7°C | 15.5°C | -16.5°C | 70 mm | 89% | 3 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2006 | 7.3°C | 2.2°C | -2.9°C | 19.9°C | -15.4°C | 55 mm | 82% | 3.4 m/s | 2 |
| 2005 | 2.8°C | -1.3°C | -5.4°C | 14.2°C | -14.4°C | 26 mm | 82% | 3.3 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2004 | 5.8°C | 1.0°C | -3.7°C | 18.8°C | -14.8°C | 16 mm | 80% | 3.6 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2003 | 5.9°C | 1.3°C | -3.2°C | 14.0°C | -10.4°C | 78 mm | 82% | 3.5 m/s | 1.8 |
| 2002 | 7.7°C | 2.6°C | -2.4°C | 17.7°C | -8.6°C | 5 mm | 76% | 3.2 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2001 | 8.6°C | 3.1°C | -2.3°C | 23.0°C | -11.7°C | 21 mm | 74% | 3.2 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2000 | -1.7°C | -6.1°C | -10.5°C | 12.2°C | -19.3°C | 20 mm | 80% | 3.5 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1999 | 6.8°C | 1.8°C | -3.2°C | 17.3°C | -11.9°C | 50 mm | 79% | 3.1 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1998 | 5.9°C | 1.2°C | -3.5°C | 21.1°C | -16.4°C | 37 mm | 82% | 2.8 m/s | 2 |
| 1997 | 3.2°C | -1.1°C | -5.3°C | 12.8°C | -12.6°C | 71 mm | 91% | 2.9 m/s | 2 |
| 1996 | 4.2°C | -0.5°C | -5.2°C | 15.5°C | -14.4°C | 3 mm | 83% | 3.2 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1995 | 4.4°C | -0.3°C | -5.0°C | 19.0°C | -14.9°C | 23 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1994 | 6.5°C | 1.9°C | -2.7°C | 16.6°C | -13.2°C | 48 mm | 88% | 2.7 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1993 | 4.9°C | 0.4°C | -4.0°C | 14.9°C | -11.0°C | 30 mm | 86% | 3.3 m/s | 1.9 |
| 1992 | 3.0°C | -1.1°C | -5.1°C | 6.5°C | -12.7°C | 106 mm | 88% | 3 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1991 | 5.9°C | 1.4°C | -3.1°C | 17.3°C | -13.1°C | 53 mm | 83% | 2.9 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1990 | 3.8°C | -1.2°C | -6.3°C | 14.8°C | -18.6°C | 30 mm | 77% | 3.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1989 | -1.0°C | -5.5°C | -10.1°C | 11.9°C | -27.7°C | 12 mm | 78% | 3.3 m/s | 2 |
| 1988 | 6.5°C | 1.3°C | -4.0°C | 14.6°C | -8.4°C | 31 mm | 73% | 3.5 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1987 | 5.3°C | 0.8°C | -3.8°C | 15.7°C | -12.0°C | 74 mm | 83% | 3.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1986 | 4.4°C | 0.7°C | -3.1°C | 7.0°C | -10.5°C | 40 mm | 91% | 2.4 m/s | 1.8 |
| 1985 | -1.9°C | -7.3°C | -12.7°C | 5.3°C | -27.8°C | 33 mm | 90% | 3.4 m/s | 2 |
| 1984 | 6.1°C | 1.2°C | -3.7°C | 19.2°C | -15.9°C | 109 mm | 85% | 3.6 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1983 ❄️ | -5.3°C | -9.7°C | -14.1°C | 4.9°C | -29.2°C | 46 mm | 87% | 3.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 🌧️ | 5.6°C | 1.1°C | -3.5°C | 18.0°C | -14.7°C | 113 mm | 87% | 3.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 3.2°C | -1.3°C | -5.8°C | 13.4°C | -17.2°C | 12 mm | 83% | 3.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 4.9°C with lows near -4.6°C (mean 0.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 44 mm of rainfall in Kansas City, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 113 mm in 1982.
The hottest December reached 23°C in 2001. The coldest dipped to -29.2°C in 1983.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 6.1°C. Daytime highs moved from 1.5°C to 8.1°C and overnight lows from -8°C to -2.2°C over the same span.
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Kansas City and one of the drier months, so plan for around 4.9°C daytime highs and -4.6°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 2nd coolest month in Kansas City, averaging 0.2°C.
For December in Kansas City, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 4.9°C and lows of -4.6°C.
Relative humidity in December averages 82% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 3.2 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 4.1 m/s (2008).
The wettest December on record was 1982 with 113 mm. On average, December sees 44 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Kansas City 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.
