Fort Leonard Wood weather in December

In December, Fort Leonard Wood sees average daytime highs of 45°F and overnight lows near 29°F, with 2.6 in of precipitation across 7.6 wet days and about 9.4 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 49°F in the first days to 43°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Fort Leonard Wood's 8th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Fort Leonard Wood's year-round climate.

Daytime high
45°
11th warmest
Overnight low
29°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.6 in
7.6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 24 min
7:23 AM – 4:47 PM
Cloud cover
60%
8th clearest
Wind
7 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
2.05 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.1
out of 10

Fort Leonard Wood is census-designated place in Pulaski County, Missouri, United States.

Density
60/km²
people per km²
Founded
1940

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 49°F in the first days to 43°F by the end.

A typical December day in Fort Leonard Wood reaches about 45°F in the afternoon and slips back to 29°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 31°F and 60°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14933
24932
34932
44832
54831
64731
74731
84730
94630
104630
114630
124629
134529
144529
154529
164529
174529
184429
194428
204428
214428
224428
234428
244428
254328
264327
274327
284327
294327
304327
314327

How December really feels in Fort Leonard Wood

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.

Fort Leonard Wood 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
Jan42° / 26°2.67.62.99.70.4
Feb47° / 29°2.57.32.510.51.6
Mar57° / 37°3.6111.411.74.0
Apr67° / 47°4.911.40.212.95.9
May75° / 56°5.013.10146.3
Jun83° / 65°3.811.2014.65.5
Jul88° / 69°3.511014.34.5
Aug87° / 67°3.19013.55.0
Sep79° / 59°3.37.9012.37.0
Oct68° / 48°3.58.60.1116.7
Nov55° / 37°3.48.30.8103.9
Dec45° / 29°2.67.61.99.41.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% 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 54%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34852
44852
54753
64753
74753
84753
94555
104555
114654
124654
134555
144555
154654
164654
174654
184654
194555
204555
214555
224555
234555
244555
254555
264555
274555
284555
294555
304456
314555

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Fort Leonard Wood gets around 2.6 in of rain and snow over 7.6 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 28% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1286
2286
3276
4276
5276
6276
7276
8276
9276
10276
11276
12266
13266
14266
15265
16265
17265
18255
19255
20256
21246
22246
23236
24236
25236
26237
27227
28227
29228
30238
31238

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1973
2973
3973
4982
5982
6982
7982
8982
9982
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17991
18991
19991
20991
21991
22991
23991
24991
25991
26991
27991
28991
29991
30991
31982

Wind in December

Winds average 7 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
67light breeze
77light breeze
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227light breeze
237light breeze
247light breeze
257light breeze
267light breeze
277light breeze
287light breeze
297light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 24 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 7:11 AM to 7:29 AM, and sunset from 4:46 PM to 4:55 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.67:114:46
29.67:124:46
39.57:134:46
49.57:144:46
59.57:144:45
69.57:154:45
79.57:164:45
89.57:174:45
99.57:184:46
109.57:184:46
119.47:194:46
129.47:204:46
139.47:214:46
149.47:214:46
159.47:224:47
169.47:234:47
179.47:234:47
189.47:244:48
199.47:244:48
209.47:254:48
219.47:254:49
229.47:264:49
239.47:264:50
249.47:274:50
259.47:274:51
269.47:284:51
279.47:284:52
289.47:284:53
299.47:294:53
309.47:294:54
319.47:294:55

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.05 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.05 kWh/m² to a high of 6.43 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.05 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.0Moderate
102.0Moderate
112.0Moderate
122.0Moderate
132.0Moderate
142.0Moderate
152.0Moderate
162.0Moderate
172.0Moderate
182.0Moderate
192.0Moderate
202.0Moderate
212.0Moderate
222.0Moderate
232.0Moderate
242.0Moderate
252.0Moderate
262.0Moderate
272.1Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.1Moderate
302.1Moderate
312.1Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Fort Leonard Wood?

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

1.1
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 Fort Leonard Wood.

What to pack for Fort Leonard Wood in December

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

In December, Fort Leonard Wood sees daytime highs around 45°F and nights near 29°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Fort Leonard Wood 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 Fort Leonard Wood peaks around June 23 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateJun 23UV 10Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Fort Leonard Wood 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 Fort Leonard Wood is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.1× the cleanest month (November, 5 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1515 µg/m³Nov 175 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr9Good
May12Good
Jun14Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct6Good
Nov5Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Fort Leonard Wood?

Fort Leonard Wood sits at 37.7°N, 92.2°W, 1,093 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Rolla, 27 mi away.

Topography around Fort Leonard Wood

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Fort Leonard Wood has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 279 ft around an average of 1,119 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 715 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,247 ft.

The land around Fort Leonard Wood is covered by trees (70%) and grassland (21%) within 2 miles, trees (84%) within 10 miles, and trees (67%) and grassland (30%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
279 ft
10 miles
715 ft
50 miles
1,247 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Rolla 27 mi · Jefferson City 60 mi · Springfield 71 mi · Ozark 75 mi · Nixa 78 mi · Republic 83 mi · Columbia 86 mi · Sedalia 90 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 Fort Leonard Wood (37.7057°, -92.1572°, elevation 1,093 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).