Cookeville weather in December

In December, Cookeville sees average daytime highs of 49°F and overnight lows near 34°F, with 5.2 in of precipitation across 11.8 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 52°F in the first days to 47°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 42 min at the start of December to 9 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Cookeville's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cookeville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
49°
11th warmest
Overnight low
34°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
5.2 in
11.8 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
6:52 AM – 4:25 PM
Cloud cover
66%
11th clearest
Wind
7 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
1.99 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.0
out of 10

Cookeville is city in Tennessee, United States.

Density
377/km²
people per km²
Founded
1854

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 52°F in the first days to 47°F by the end.

A typical December day in Cookeville reaches about 49°F in the afternoon and slips back to 34°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 35°F and 63°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 9°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15337
25337
35236
45236
55136
65136
75136
85135
95035
105035
115035
125035
134935
144935
154934
164934
174934
184934
194934
204934
214834
224833
234833
244833
254833
264833
274833
284733
294733
304733
314733

How December really feels in Cookeville

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.

Cookeville weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan46° / 31°4.511.22.69.81.3
Feb50° / 34°4.811.32.410.62.2
Mar59° / 41°5.212.61.111.74.3
Apr69° / 49°4.911.80.212.96.0
May76° / 59°4.712.9013.96.3
Jun83° / 67°4.313.1014.45.3
Jul86° / 70°4.813.7014.24.6
Aug85° / 68°3.511.5013.45.0
Sep80° / 62°3.68.7012.26.7
Oct70° / 50°3.48.20.111.16.9
Nov58° / 40°4.19.20.310.14.5
Dec49° / 34°5.211.81.79.62.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% 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 63%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14357
24258
34258
44060
53961
63961
73862
83763
93763
103664
113565
123565
133466
143466
153466
163466
173466
183466
193466
203466
213565
223664
233664
243664
253664
263664
273664
283763
293763
303664
313664

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Cookeville gets around 5.2 in of rain and snow over 11.8 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 38% and peaks near 39% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1374
2384
3384
4384
5395
6395
7395
8395
9395
10395
11395
12395
13395
14395
15395
16395
17395
18395
19395
20386
21386
22386
23386
24386
25376
26376
27377
28377
29377
30377
31387

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 96% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19640
29550
39550
49550
59550
69550
79550
89550
99640
109640
119640
129640
139640
149730
159730
169730
179730
189730
199730
209730
219631
229631
239631
249631
259631
269541
279541
289541
299541
309541
319541

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 42 min at the start of December to 9 h 36 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 6:40 AM to 6:58 AM, and sunset from 4:23 PM to 4:32 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.76:404:23
29.76:414:23
39.76:424:23
49.76:434:23
59.76:444:23
69.66:444:23
79.66:454:23
89.66:464:23
99.66:474:23
109.66:484:23
119.66:484:24
129.66:494:24
139.66:504:24
149.66:504:24
159.66:514:24
169.66:524:25
179.56:524:25
189.56:534:25
199.56:534:26
209.56:544:26
219.56:544:27
229.56:554:27
239.56:554:28
249.56:564:28
259.56:564:29
269.56:574:29
279.56:574:30
289.66:574:30
299.66:584:31
309.66:584:32
319.66:584:32

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 6.11 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.99 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.0Moderate
72.0Moderate
82.0Moderate
92.0Dim
102.0Dim
112.0Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
181.9Dim
191.9Dim
202.0Dim
212.0Dim
222.0Dim
232.0Dim
242.0Dim
252.0Dim
262.0Dim
272.0Moderate
282.0Moderate
292.0Moderate
302.0Moderate
312.0Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Cookeville?

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

2.0
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 Cookeville.

What to pack for Cookeville in December

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

In December, Cookeville sees daytime highs around 49°F and nights near 34°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Cookeville 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 Cookeville peaks around July 14 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 14UV 10Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Cookeville 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 Cookeville is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1617 µg/m³Dec 226 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar10Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Cookeville?

Cookeville sits at 36.2°N, 85.5°W, 1,096 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Lebanon, 44 mi away.

Topography around Cookeville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Cookeville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 249 ft around an average of 1,109 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,388 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,575 ft.

The land around Cookeville is covered by trees (43%), grassland (28%) and artificial surfaces (27%) within 2 miles, trees (57%) and grassland (37%) within 10 miles, and trees (70%) and grassland (25%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
249 ft
10 miles
1,388 ft
50 miles
2,575 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Lebanon 44 mi · Murfreesboro 54 mi · Gallatin 55 mi · Mount Juliet 57 mi · Smyrna 58 mi · La Vergne 61 mi · Hermitage 63 mi · Hendersonville 63 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 Cookeville (36.1628°, -85.5016°, elevation 1,096 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).