Eau Claire weather in December

In December, Eau Claire sees average daytime highs of 29°F and overnight lows near 15°F, with 1.5 in of precipitation across 6.9 wet days and about 8.7 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 32°F in the first days to 26°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 54 min at the start of December to 8 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Eau Claire's 12th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Eau Claire's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
11th warmest
Overnight low
15°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
1.5 in
6.9 wet days
Daylight
8 h 36 min
7:44 AM – 4:21 PM
Cloud cover
71%
12th clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
1.41 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Eau Claire is city in Eau Claire and Chippewa counties in Wisconsin, United States, that is the county seat of Eau Claire County.

Density
766/km²
people per km²
Founded
1856

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 32°F in the first days to 26°F by the end.

A typical December day in Eau Claire reaches about 29°F in the afternoon and slips back to 15°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 13°F and 41°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 12°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13320
23319
33319
43218
53118
63117
73117
83017
93016
103016
112915
122915
132915
142915
152815
162814
172814
182814
192814
202714
212713
222713
232713
242713
252613
262612
272612
282612
292611
302611
312511

How December really feels in Eau Claire

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
31 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Eau Claire weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan24° / 1.26.86.790.0
Feb29° / 12°1.15.75.310.10.0
Mar41° / 24°2.18.54.511.60.6
Apr55° / 36°3.511.52.613.23.4
May67° / 48°4.312.80.114.65.7
Jun77° / 58°4.512.1015.36.4
Jul80° / 62°3.310.60156.5
Aug78° / 60°4.010013.96.8
Sep71° / 52°3.39.7012.36.7
Oct57° / 39°2.990.510.74.0
Nov41° / 27°2.16.93.69.40.5
Dec29° / 15°1.56.96.28.70.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 20% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 69%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23268
33268
43268
53169
63169
73169
83169
93169
103169
113169
123169
133169
143169
153169
163169
173070
183070
193070
202971
213070
223070
233169
243169
253169
263169
273169
283169
293169
303169
313169

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Eau Claire gets around 1.5 in of rain and snow over 6.9 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 22% and peaks near 23% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12218
22218
32218
42218
52218
62218
72218
82218
92218
102218
112218
122218
132219
142219
152319
162320
172320
182320
192320
202321
212321
222321
232321
242321
252321
262221
272221
282220
292220
302120
312119

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 (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in December

Winds average 8 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
157light breeze
167light breeze
177light breeze
187light breeze
197light breeze
207light breeze
217light breeze
227light breeze
237light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 54 min at the start of December to 8 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 18 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:30 AM to 7:50 AM, and sunset from 4:21 PM to 4:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.97:304:21
28.87:314:21
38.87:324:21
48.87:334:21
58.87:344:20
68.87:354:20
78.77:364:20
88.77:374:20
98.77:384:20
108.77:394:20
118.77:404:20
128.77:414:20
138.67:414:20
148.67:424:20
158.67:434:21
168.67:444:21
178.67:444:21
188.67:454:21
198.67:454:22
208.67:464:22
218.67:474:22
228.67:474:23
238.67:474:23
248.67:484:24
258.67:484:24
268.67:494:25
278.67:494:26
288.67:494:26
298.67:494:27
308.67:504:28
318.67:504:29

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.41 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.41 kWh/m² to a high of 6.19 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.41 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.5Dim
21.5Dim
31.5Dim
41.5Dim
51.5Dim
61.5Dim
71.5Dim
81.4Dim
91.4Dim
101.4Dim
111.4Dim
121.4Dim
131.4Dim
141.4Dim
151.4Dim
161.4Dim
171.4Dim
181.4Dim
191.4Dim
201.4Dim
211.4Dim
221.4Dim
231.4Dim
241.4Dim
251.4Dim
261.4Dim
271.4Dim
281.4Dim
291.5Dim
301.5Dim
311.5Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Eau Claire?

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
8th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Eau Claire.

What to pack for Eau Claire in December

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

In December, Eau Claire sees daytime highs around 29°F and nights near 15°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 7 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire peaks around June 16 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 12 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 16UV 9Jan 12UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul7Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Eau Claire?

Eau Claire sits at 44.8°N, 91.5°W, 787 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Menomonie, 21 mi away.

Topography around Eau Claire

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Eau Claire has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 305 ft around an average of 850 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 472 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,099 ft.

The land around Eau Claire is covered by trees (43%) and artificial surfaces (37%) within 2 miles, trees (45%) and cropland (30%) within 10 miles, and trees (53%) and cropland (34%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
305 ft
10 miles
472 ft
50 miles
1,099 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Menomonie 21 mi · Winona 53 mi · Red Wing 53 mi · River Falls 55 mi · Onalaska 65 mi · Marshfield 66 mi · Stillwater 66 mi · Hastings 66 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 Eau Claire (44.8113°, -91.4985°, elevation 787 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).