Chico weather in December

In December, Chico sees average daytime highs of 56°F and overnight lows near 40°F, with 7.9 in of precipitation across 11.4 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 58°F in the first days to 55°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Chico's 11th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Chico's year-round climate.

Daytime high
56°
12th warmest
Overnight low
40°
1st coldest
Precipitation
7.9 in
11.4 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
7:27 AM – 4:40 PM
Cloud cover
59%
11th clearest
Wind
7 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
1.94 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.7
out of 10

Chico is city in Butte County, California, United States.

Density
1,416/km²
people per km²
Founded
1860

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 58°F in the first days to 55°F by the end.

A typical December day in Chico reaches about 56°F in the afternoon and slips back to 40°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 48°F and 63°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°F cooler than November and on par with January.

20°30°40°50°60°70°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15841
25841
35841
45741
55741
65741
75741
85641
95640
105640
115640
125640
135640
145640
155540
165540
175540
185540
195539
205539
215539
225539
235539
245539
255539
265539
275539
285539
295539
305539
315539

How December really feels in Chico

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.

Chico weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 12th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan57° / 40°7.211.20.59.53.9
Feb60° / 42°6.910.20.710.44.6
Mar64° / 45°5.910.90.411.75.8
Apr70° / 49°2.97.40.2137.0
May80° / 55°1.95.1014.27.6
Jun89° / 63°0.61.8014.85.2
Jul96° / 67°0.00.1014.53.2
Aug94° / 65°0.10.3013.63.7
Sep88° / 60°0.31.2012.35.8
Oct77° / 52°2.03.8010.98.1
Nov64° / 44°4.180.29.85.9
Dec56° / 40°7.911.40.59.23.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34753
44654
54555
64456
74357
84357
94258
104159
114159
124159
134159
144258
154258
164258
174357
184357
194357
204456
214456
224456
234555
244555
254654
264555
274555
284555
294555
304555
314456

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Chico gets around 7.9 in of rain and snow over 11.4 wet days in December, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 37% and peaks near 41% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1352
2362
3362
4371
5381
6391
7391
8401
9401
10411
11411
12411
13411
14401
15401
16391
17381
18371
19371
20361
21352
22342
23342
24342
25332
26332
27332
28332
29332
30332
31342

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 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
111000
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
21991
22991
23991
24991
25991
26991
27991
28991
29991
30991
31991

Wind in December

Winds average 7 mph in December, the windiest month of the year.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
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
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:15 AM to 7:34 AM, and sunset from 4:39 PM to 4:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.47:154:39
29.47:164:39
39.47:174:39
49.37:184:38
59.37:194:38
69.37:204:38
79.37:214:38
89.37:224:38
99.37:224:38
109.37:234:38
119.27:244:39
129.27:254:39
139.27:254:39
149.27:264:39
159.27:274:39
169.27:274:40
179.27:284:40
189.27:294:40
199.27:294:41
209.27:304:41
219.27:304:41
229.27:314:42
239.27:314:42
249.27:324:43
259.27:324:43
269.27:324:44
279.27:334:45
289.27:334:45
299.27:334:46
309.27:344:47
319.27:344:47

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.94 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.94 kWh/m² to a high of 8.24 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.94 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.1Moderate
22.0Moderate
32.0Moderate
42.0Dim
52.0Dim
61.9Dim
71.9Dim
81.9Dim
91.9Dim
101.9Dim
111.9Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
181.9Dim
191.9Dim
201.9Dim
211.9Dim
221.9Dim
231.9Dim
241.9Dim
251.9Dim
262.0Dim
272.0Dim
282.0Dim
292.0Dim
302.0Dim
312.0Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Chico

In seasonPeak

In December, Chico sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Chico's rainy season runs November–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Chico?

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

3.7
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Chico.

What to pack for Chico in December

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

In December, Chico sees daytime highs around 56°F and nights near 40°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Chico 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 Chico peaks around June 22 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 22UV 10Dec 13UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May9Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct5Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec2Low

Air quality in Chico 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 Chico is worst in July — around 64 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 8.2× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateUnhealthyModerateJul 2363 µg/m³Dec 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May10Good
Jun10Good
Jul64Unhealthy
Aug59Unhealthy
Sep63Unhealthy
Oct17Moderate
Nov37Poor
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Chico?

Chico sits at 39.7°N, 121.8°W, 197 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Paradise, 12 mi away.

Topography around Chico

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Chico has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 128 ft around an average of 207 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,860 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 7,772 ft.

The land around Chico is covered by trees (62%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 2 miles, trees (51%) and grassland (33%) within 10 miles, and trees (52%) and grassland (32%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
128 ft
10 miles
1,860 ft
50 miles
7,772 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Paradise 12 mi · Oroville 21 mi · Yuba City 42 mi · South Yuba City 43 mi · Linda 44 mi · Lincoln 65 mi · Redding 66 mi · Clearlake 68 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 Chico (39.7285°, -121.8375°, elevation 197 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).