Aiken weather in December

In December, Aiken sees average daytime highs of 59°F and overnight lows near 40°F, with 3.5 in of precipitation across 9 wet days and about 9.8 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 62°F in the first days to 57°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 54 min at the start of December to 9 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Aiken's 8th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Aiken's year-round climate.

Daytime high
59°
11th warmest
Overnight low
40°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
3.5 in
9 wet days
Daylight
9 h 48 min
7:29 AM – 5:17 PM
Cloud cover
55%
8th clearest
Wind
7 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.43 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.7
out of 10

Aiken is city in South Carolina, United States.

Density
562/km²
people per km²
Founded
1835

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 62°F in the first days to 57°F by the end.

A typical December day in Aiken reaches about 59°F in the afternoon and slips back to 40°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 46°F and 72°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 7°F cooler than November and about 2°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16242
26241
36241
46141
56141
66141
76040
86040
96040
106040
115940
125940
135940
145940
155939
165839
175839
185839
195839
205839
215839
225839
235839
245739
255739
265739
275739
285739
295739
305738
315738

How December really feels in Aiken

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Aiken weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan57° / 37°3.69.3104.1
Feb60° / 40°3.68.410.85.0
Mar68° / 46°3.88.811.76.6
Apr76° / 54°3.27.912.87.2
May83° / 62°3.09.113.76.0
Jun88° / 70°4.213.614.24.0
Jul91° / 73°4.215.8143.1
Aug90° / 72°4.013.813.23.6
Sep85° / 66°3.39.312.25.5
Oct76° / 55°3.16.711.27.5
Nov66° / 45°2.8710.36.7
Dec59° / 40°3.599.84.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 51%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15248
25248
35149
45149
55149
65050
75050
85050
94951
104951
114951
124951
134852
144852
154852
164852
174951
184852
194852
204852
214852
224852
234852
244852
254753
264753
274654
284654
294654
304654
314753

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Aiken gets around 3.5 in of rain and snow over 9 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 30% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
125
225
325
426
526
627
727
828
928
1029
1129
1230
1330
1430
1530
1631
1731
1831
1931
2031
2131
2231
2331
2431
2532
2632
2732
2832
2932
3032
3132

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 89% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
186941
286941
386941
487931
587931
687931
788831
889830
989830
1089830
1190730
1290730
1390730
1490730
1590730
1690631
1790631
1890631
1990631
2090631
2189632
2289632
2389632
2489632
2589632
2689722
2789722
2889722
2988822
3088822
3188822

Wind in December

Winds average 7 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 54 min at the start of December to 9 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:19 AM to 7:36 AM, and sunset from 5:15 PM to 5:24 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.97:195:15
29.97:195:15
39.97:205:15
49.97:215:15
59.97:225:15
69.97:235:15
79.97:235:15
89.87:245:15
99.87:255:15
109.87:265:15
119.87:265:15
129.87:275:15
139.87:285:16
149.87:285:16
159.87:295:16
169.87:295:17
179.87:305:17
189.87:315:17
199.87:315:18
209.87:325:18
219.87:325:19
229.87:335:19
239.87:335:19
249.87:345:20
259.87:345:20
269.87:345:21
279.87:355:22
289.87:355:22
299.87:355:23
309.87:365:23
319.87:365:24

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.43 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.43 kWh/m² to a high of 6.21 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 2.43 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.6Moderate
22.6Moderate
32.6Moderate
42.6Moderate
52.6Moderate
62.5Moderate
72.5Moderate
82.5Moderate
92.5Moderate
102.5Moderate
112.5Moderate
122.4Moderate
132.4Moderate
142.4Moderate
152.4Moderate
162.4Moderate
172.4Moderate
182.4Moderate
192.4Moderate
202.4Moderate
212.4Moderate
222.4Moderate
232.4Moderate
242.4Moderate
252.4Moderate
262.4Moderate
272.4Moderate
282.4Moderate
292.4Moderate
302.4Moderate
312.4Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Aiken?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

4.7
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
0.3
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Aiken for sightseeing.

What to pack for Aiken in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Aiken sees daytime highs around 59°F and nights near 40°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Aiken in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Aiken peaks around June 22 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 9Dec 20UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Aiken in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Aiken is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (January, 8 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 1718 µg/m³Jan 108 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar15Moderate
Apr11Good
May12Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Aiken?

Aiken sits at 33.6°N, 81.7°W, 515 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is North Augusta, 15 mi away.

Topography around Aiken

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Aiken.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Aiken has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 272 ft around an average of 505 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 466 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,175 ft.

The land around Aiken is covered by trees (70%) within 2 miles, trees (71%) and grassland (23%) within 10 miles, and trees (78%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
272 ft
10 miles
466 ft
50 miles
1,175 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: North Augusta 15 mi · Augusta 16 mi · Martinez 21 mi · Evans 24 mi · Lexington 40 mi · Seven Oaks 47 mi · West Columbia 48 mi · Saint Andrews 48 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Aiken (33.5604°, -81.7195°, elevation 515 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).