Cape Girardeau weather in December

In December, Cape Girardeau sees average daytime highs of 46°F and overnight lows near 31°F, with 3.7 in of precipitation across 8.9 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 50°F in the first days to 44°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Cape Girardeau's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cape Girardeau's year-round climate.

Daytime high
46°
11th warmest
Overnight low
31°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.7 in
8.9 wet days
Daylight
9 h 24 min
7:11 AM – 4:38 PM
Cloud cover
62%
11th clearest
Wind
7 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.99 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.4
out of 10

Cape Girardeau is city in Cape Girardeau and Scott Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri.

Density
535/km²
people per km²
Founded
1793

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 50°F in the first days to 44°F by the end.

A typical December day in Cape Girardeau reaches about 46°F in the afternoon and slips back to 31°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 33°F and 61°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15135
25035
35034
44934
54934
64933
74833
84833
94733
104732
114732
124732
134732
144631
154631
164631
174631
184631
194631
204531
214530
224530
234530
244530
254530
264430
274430
284430
294429
304429
314429

How December really feels in Cape Girardeau

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 31 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
31
wind chill below the day's low

The story in December is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Cape Girardeau 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 daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan43° / 28°3.89.229.70.6
Feb48° / 31°3.48.21.710.61.8
Mar58° / 40°4.811.80.711.74.1
Apr68° / 49°5.311.1012.96.1
May77° / 60°4.712.30146.4
Jun85° / 68°3.510.1014.55.3
Jul88° / 72°3.310.1014.34.4
Aug87° / 69°2.88013.45.0
Sep81° / 61°3.27.6012.36.8
Oct69° / 50°3.97.90.1117.0
Nov56° / 39°4.18.70.5104.1
Dec46° / 31°3.78.91.39.51.4

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% 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 58%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24753
34753
44753
54555
64555
74555
84357
94357
104357
114357
124357
134159
144159
154159
164159
174159
184060
194060
204159
214159
224060
234159
244159
254159
264159
274060
284159
294159
304159
314159

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Cape Girardeau gets around 3.7 in of rain and snow over 8.9 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 29% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1302
2303
3303
4303
5303
6303
7304
8304
9304
10304
11304
12305
13305
14305
15315
16315
17305
18305
19305
20305
21295
22295
23285
24285
25285
26285
27285
28285
29285
30285
31285

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 98% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19730
29730
39730
49631
59631
69631
79721
89721
99721
109721
119721
129910
139910
149910
159910
169910
179910
189910
199910
209910
219820
229820
239820
249820
259820
269730
279730
289730
299730
309640
319640

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 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 30 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 6:59 AM to 7:17 AM, and sunset from 4:36 PM to 4:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.66:594:36
29.67:004:36
39.67:014:36
49.67:024:36
59.67:034:36
69.57:044:36
79.57:044:36
89.57:054:36
99.57:064:36
109.57:074:36
119.57:084:36
129.57:084:37
139.57:094:37
149.57:104:37
159.47:104:37
169.47:114:38
179.47:124:38
189.47:124:38
199.47:134:39
209.47:134:39
219.47:144:39
229.47:144:40
239.47:154:40
249.47:154:41
259.47:154:41
269.47:164:42
279.47:164:43
289.47:174:43
299.47:174:44
309.57:174:44
319.57:174:45

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.99 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.99 kWh/m² to a high of 6.5 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.99 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.1Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.0Moderate
72.0Moderate
82.0Moderate
92.0Moderate
102.0Moderate
112.0Dim
122.0Dim
132.0Dim
142.0Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
181.9Dim
191.9Dim
201.9Dim
212.0Dim
222.0Dim
232.0Dim
242.0Dim
252.0Dim
262.0Dim
272.0Dim
282.0Dim
292.0Moderate
302.0Moderate
312.0Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Cape Girardeau

In seasonPeak

None of Cape Girardeau's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Cape Girardeau sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Cape Girardeau?

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

1.4
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Cape Girardeau.

What to pack for Cape Girardeau in December

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

In December, Cape Girardeau sees daytime highs around 46°F and nights near 31°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Cape Girardeau in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Cape Girardeau peaks around June 21 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 21UV 10Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Cape Girardeau 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 Cape Girardeau is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1318 µg/m³Nov 128 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb11Good
Mar12Moderate
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Cape Girardeau?

Cape Girardeau sits at 37.3°N, 89.5°W, 354 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Sikeston, 30 mi away.

Topography around Cape Girardeau

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Cape Girardeau has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 285 ft around an average of 371 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 869 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,375 ft.

The land around Cape Girardeau is covered by trees (36%) and cropland (20%) within 2 miles, trees (49%) and cropland (30%) within 10 miles, and trees (47%) and cropland (39%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
285 ft
10 miles
869 ft
50 miles
1,375 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Sikeston 30 mi · Carbondale 34 mi · Marion 43 mi · Paducah 53 mi · Farmington 60 mi · Poplar Bluff 62 mi · Mount Vernon 78 mi · Murray 82 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 Cape Girardeau (37.3059°, -89.5182°, elevation 354 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).