Dixon weather in December

In December, Dixon sees average daytime highs of 35°F and overnight lows near 22°F, with 2.2 in of precipitation across 7.5 wet days and about 9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 39°F in the first days to 32°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% 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 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Dixon's 11th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dixon's year-round climate.

Daytime high
35°
10th warmest
Overnight low
22°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.2 in
7.5 wet days
Daylight
9 hours
7:25 AM – 4:23 PM
Cloud cover
68%
11th clearest
Wind
9 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
1.71 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Dixon is city and county seat of Lee County, Illinois, United States.

Density
752/km²
people per km²
Founded
1828

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 39°F in the first days to 32°F by the end.

A typical December day in Dixon reaches about 35°F in the afternoon and slips back to 22°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 19°F and 49°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 12°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14026
23926
33925
43825
53824
63824
73724
83723
93623
103622
113622
123522
133522
143522
153521
163421
173421
183421
193421
203420
213320
223320
233320
243320
253320
263319
273319
283219
293219
303219
313218

How December really feels in Dixon

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
25 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Dixon 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
Jan30° / 16°2.07.75.39.30.0
Feb34° / 19°1.96.64.410.30.0
Mar47° / 30°2.79.42.511.71.6
Apr60° / 41°4.511.60.913.14.5
May71° / 51°4.813.2014.36.0
Jun80° / 61°4.411.90156.3
Jul82° / 65°3.710.2014.76.2
Aug81° / 63°3.39.3013.76.7
Sep75° / 55°3.48.6012.37.1
Oct62° / 43°3.08.70.210.95.4
Nov47° / 32°2.67.81.49.61.6
Dec35° / 22°2.27.54.190.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% 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 65%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23961
33862
43862
53862
63862
73862
83862
93862
103862
113862
123862
133763
143763
153664
163664
173565
183466
193466
203466
213367
223268
233268
243169
253268
263268
273268
283169
293169
303268
313268

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Dixon gets around 2.2 in of rain and snow over 7.5 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 25% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13011
22911
32912
42912
52813
62813
72713
82713
92613
102613
112513
122513
132413
142413
152412
162312
172312
182312
192212
202212
212212
222212
232213
242213
252213
262213
272213
282314
292314
302314
312314

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 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light 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
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

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

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:12 AM to 7:31 AM, and sunset from 4:23 PM to 4:31 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.27:124:23
29.27:134:23
39.17:144:23
49.17:154:23
59.17:164:22
69.17:174:22
79.17:184:22
89.17:194:22
99.07:204:22
109.07:204:22
119.07:214:22
129.07:224:22
139.07:234:23
149.07:244:23
159.07:244:23
169.07:254:23
179.07:264:24
189.07:264:24
199.07:274:24
209.07:274:25
219.07:284:25
229.07:284:26
239.07:294:26
249.07:294:27
259.07:304:27
269.07:304:28
279.07:304:28
289.07:304:29
299.07:314:30
309.07:314:30
319.07:314:31

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.71 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.71 kWh/m² to a high of 6.34 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.71 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.8Dim
41.8Dim
51.7Dim
61.7Dim
71.7Dim
81.7Dim
91.7Dim
101.7Dim
111.7Dim
121.7Dim
131.7Dim
141.7Dim
151.7Dim
161.7Dim
171.7Dim
181.7Dim
191.7Dim
201.7Dim
211.7Dim
221.7Dim
231.7Dim
241.7Dim
251.7Dim
261.7Dim
271.7Dim
281.7Dim
291.7Dim
301.7Dim
311.7Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Dixon?

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 Dixon.

What to pack for Dixon in December

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

In December, Dixon sees daytime highs around 35°F and nights near 22°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Dixon 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 Dixon peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 19UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Dixon 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 Dixon is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodJul 1915 µg/m³Oct 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr12Good
May13Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Dixon?

Dixon sits at 41.8°N, 89.5°W, 682 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Sterling, 12 mi away.

Topography around Dixon

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Dixon has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 203 ft around an average of 735 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 299 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 886 ft.

The land around Dixon is covered by trees (30%), cropland (24%) and grassland (22%) within 2 miles, cropland (74%) within 10 miles, and cropland (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
203 ft
10 miles
299 ft
50 miles
886 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Sterling 12 mi · Freeport 32 mi · Rockford 36 mi · Clinton 37 mi · DeKalb 38 mi · Loves Park 40 mi · Machesney Park 42 mi · Sycamore 42 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 Dixon (41.8389°, -89.4796°, elevation 682 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).