Decatur weather in December

In December, Decatur sees average daytime highs of 53°F and overnight lows near 37°F, with 5.2 in of precipitation across 10.7 wet days and about 9.7 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 56°F in the first days to 51°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% 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 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Decatur's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Decatur's year-round climate.

Daytime high
53°
11th warmest
Overnight low
37°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
5.2 in
10.7 wet days
Daylight
9 h 42 min
6:53 AM – 4:35 PM
Cloud cover
61%
11th clearest
Wind
7 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.2 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.0
out of 10

Decatur is city in Morgan and Limestone counties, Alabama, United States.

Density
354/km²
people per km²
Founded
1821

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 56°F in the first days to 51°F by the end.

A typical December day in Decatur reaches about 53°F in the afternoon and slips back to 37°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 40°F and 65°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 8°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15639
25639
35639
45539
55539
65539
75538
85438
95438
105438
115438
125338
135338
145337
155337
165337
175337
185337
195237
205237
215237
225237
235237
245237
255237
265136
275136
285136
295136
305136
315136

How December really feels in Decatur

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 18 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
18
wind chill below the day's low

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

Decatur 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
Jan51° / 35°4.99.90.69.92.4
Feb55° / 38°4.710.40.610.73.4
Mar63° / 45°5.511.40.211.75.4
Apr71° / 53°5.010.1012.86.6
May79° / 62°4.210.9013.86.5
Jun86° / 69°4.312.6014.34.8
Jul88° / 72°4.213.1014.14.2
Aug88° / 71°3.111.5013.34.4
Sep83° / 65°3.57.7012.26.3
Oct73° / 53°3.47.4011.17.3
Nov61° / 43°4.08.50.110.25.4
Dec53° / 37°5.210.70.39.73.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% 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 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14753
24654
34555
44456
54456
64357
74258
84258
94258
104258
114159
124258
134258
144159
154159
164159
174258
184258
194258
204258
214258
224258
234258
244258
254159
264060
274060
284060
294060
303961
313961

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Decatur gets around 5.2 in of rain and snow over 10.7 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 35% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
133
233
333
434
534
634
734
834
935
1035
1135
1235
1335
1435
1536
1636
1736
1836
1936
2036
2136
2236
2336
2435
2535
2635
2735
2834
2934
3034
3133

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 92% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19163
29163
39073
49073
59073
69073
79172
89172
99172
109172
119172
129361
139361
149361
159451
169451
179451
189442
199442
209442
219532
229433
239433
249433
259433
269433
279433
289433
299343
309343
319343

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 42 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 6:42 AM to 7:00 AM, and sunset from 4:33 PM to 4:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.96:424:33
29.86:434:33
39.86:444:33
49.86:454:33
59.86:454:33
69.86:464:33
79.86:474:33
89.86:484:33
99.76:494:33
109.76:494:33
119.76:504:34
129.76:514:34
139.76:514:34
149.76:524:34
159.76:534:35
169.76:534:35
179.76:544:35
189.76:544:36
199.76:554:36
209.76:564:36
219.76:564:37
229.76:574:37
239.76:574:38
249.76:574:38
259.76:584:39
269.76:584:39
279.76:594:40
289.76:594:41
299.76:594:41
309.77:004:42
319.77:004:42

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.2 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.2 kWh/m² to a high of 6.2 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.2 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.4Moderate
22.4Moderate
32.4Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.3Moderate
62.3Moderate
72.3Moderate
82.2Moderate
92.2Moderate
102.2Moderate
112.2Moderate
122.2Moderate
132.2Moderate
142.2Moderate
152.2Moderate
162.2Moderate
172.2Moderate
182.2Moderate
192.2Moderate
202.2Moderate
212.2Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.2Moderate
242.2Moderate
252.2Moderate
262.2Moderate
272.2Moderate
282.2Moderate
292.2Moderate
302.2Moderate
312.2Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Decatur

In seasonPeak

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

Decatur 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 Decatur?

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

3.0
Sightseeing
11th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
11th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Decatur.

What to pack for Decatur in December

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

In December, Decatur sees daytime highs around 53°F and nights near 37°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Decatur 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 Decatur peaks around July 12 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 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 highVery highHighModerateJul 12UV 10Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Decatur 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 Decatur is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.3× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1719 µg/m³Jan 116 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar10Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Decatur?

Decatur sits at 34.6°N, 87.0°W, 561 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Athens, 14 mi away.

Topography around Decatur

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Decatur has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 138 ft around an average of 571 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 505 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,621 ft.

The land around Decatur is covered by trees (31%), water (30%) and artificial surfaces (22%) within 2 miles, trees (43%) and cropland (23%) within 10 miles, and trees (62%) and grassland (23%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
138 ft
10 miles
505 ft
50 miles
1,621 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Athens 14 mi · Madison 15 mi · Huntsville 24 mi · Cullman 31 mi · East Florence 40 mi · Florence 42 mi · Albertville 50 mi · Dixiana 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 Decatur (34.6059°, -86.9833°, elevation 561 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).