Defiance weather in December

In December, Defiance sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 26°F, with 2.6 in of precipitation across 9.2 wet days and about 9.1 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 42°F in the first days to 36°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Defiance's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Defiance's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
10th warmest
Overnight low
26°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.6 in
9.2 wet days
Daylight
9 hours
8:03 AM – 5:05 PM
Cloud cover
76%
11th clearest
Wind
9 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.58 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Defiance is city in and the county seat of Defiance County, Ohio, United States.

Density
534/km²
people per km²
Founded
1822

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 42°F in the first days to 36°F by the end.

A typical December day in Defiance reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 26°F overnight — a 12°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°F and 53°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 11°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14330
24229
34229
44229
54128
64128
74028
84027
94027
103927
113926
123826
133826
143826
153825
163825
173725
183725
193725
203724
213724
223724
233724
243624
253624
263624
273624
283623
293623
303623
313623

How December really feels in Defiance

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
8 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Defiance weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan33° / 20°2.810.169.40.0
Feb37° / 22°2.38.54.810.30.0
Mar48° / 30°3.210.63.111.71.6
Apr60° / 41°3.9120.713.14.6
May71° / 52°4.113.2014.36.0
Jun80° / 61°3.911.5014.96.3
Jul83° / 65°3.411.1014.75.7
Aug81° / 63°3.49.9013.76.5
Sep75° / 55°2.58.2012.37.1
Oct63° / 44°2.790.110.95.6
Nov49° / 34°3.08.91.39.72.2
Dec38° / 26°2.69.23.99.10.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% 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 75%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12773
22674
32674
42575
52674
62575
72575
82476
92377
102476
112476
122476
132476
142476
152476
162476
172476
182476
192575
202575
212476
222476
232575
242575
252575
262575
272575
282674
292575
302575
312575

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Defiance gets around 2.6 in of rain and snow over 9.2 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 33% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1339
23210
33210
43211
53111
63112
73112
83112
93113
103113
113013
123013
133014
143014
153014
163013
173013
183013
193013
203013
212913
222913
232913
242913
252912
262912
273013
283013
293013
303114
313114

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 (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in December

Winds average 9 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze
3110light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 h 06 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 7:50 AM to 8:09 AM, and sunset from 5:04 PM to 5:12 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.27:505:04
29.27:515:04
39.27:525:04
49.27:535:04
59.27:545:04
69.17:555:04
79.17:565:04
89.17:565:04
99.17:575:04
109.17:585:04
119.17:595:04
129.18:005:04
139.18:005:04
149.08:015:04
159.08:025:04
169.08:035:05
179.08:035:05
189.08:045:05
199.08:045:06
209.08:055:06
219.08:055:06
229.08:065:07
239.08:065:07
249.08:075:08
259.08:075:08
269.08:085:09
279.08:085:10
289.08:085:10
299.08:085:11
309.08:095:12
319.18:095:12

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.58 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.58 kWh/m² to a high of 6.3 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.58 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.6Dim
21.6Dim
31.6Dim
41.6Dim
51.6Dim
61.6Dim
71.6Dim
81.6Dim
91.6Dim
101.6Dim
111.6Dim
121.6Dim
131.6Dim
141.6Dim
151.6Dim
161.6Dim
171.6Dim
181.6Dim
191.6Dim
201.6Dim
211.6Dim
221.6Dim
231.6Dim
241.6Dim
251.6Dim
261.6Dim
271.6Dim
281.6Dim
291.6Dim
301.6Dim
311.6Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Defiance?

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

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

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Defiance.

What to pack for Defiance in December

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

In December, Defiance sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 26°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Defiance in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Defiance peaks around June 18 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 18UV 9Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Defiance 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 Defiance is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1316 µg/m³Oct 228 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct8Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Defiance?

Defiance sits at 41.3°N, 84.4°W, 676 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Bowling Green, 37 mi away.

Topography around Defiance

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Defiance has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 138 ft around an average of 709 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 223 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 781 ft.

The land around Defiance is covered by trees (34%), grassland (23%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 2 miles, cropland (66%) and trees (20%) within 10 miles, and cropland (73%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
138 ft
10 miles
223 ft
50 miles
781 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Bowling Green 37 mi · New Haven 37 mi · Lima 40 mi · Findlay 40 mi · Fort Wayne 42 mi · Perrysburg 42 mi · Sylvania 45 mi · Adrian 45 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 Defiance (41.2845°, -84.3558°, elevation 676 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).