Jefferson City weather in December

In December, Jefferson City sees average daytime highs of 44°F and overnight lows near 29°F, with 2.4 in of precipitation across 7.3 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 48°F in the first days to 42°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 30 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Jefferson City's 8th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Jefferson City's year-round climate.

Daytime high
44°
11th warmest
Overnight low
29°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.4 in
7.3 wet days
Daylight
9 h 18 min
7:25 AM – 4:44 PM
Cloud cover
60%
8th clearest
Wind
7 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.98 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.8
out of 10

Jefferson City is capital city of the U.S. state of Missouri and seat of Cole County.

Density
438/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 48°F in the first days to 42°F by the end.

A typical December day in Jefferson City reaches about 44°F in the afternoon and slips back to 29°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 29°F and 59°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 11°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14932
24832
34831
44731
54731
64631
74630
84630
94630
104529
114529
124529
134429
144429
154428
164428
174428
184328
194328
204328
214328
224327
234227
244227
254227
264227
274227
284226
294226
304126
314126

How December really feels in Jefferson City

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.

Jefferson City 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
Jan41° / 24°2.47.53.29.60.0
Feb46° / 28°2.47.22.610.51.2
Mar56° / 37°3.410.51.511.73.8
Apr67° / 47°5.011.40.3135.8
May75° / 57°4.913014.16.3
Jun84° / 66°4.212014.65.3
Jul89° / 70°3.410.1014.44.3
Aug87° / 67°3.18.7013.54.9
Sep80° / 59°3.57.9012.36.9
Oct68° / 48°3.28.40.1116.7
Nov55° / 37°3.280.89.93.7
Dec44° / 29°2.47.31.99.40.8

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 10% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34852
44852
54753
64753
74654
84555
94555
104555
114456
124456
134456
144456
154456
164456
174456
184456
194357
204357
214357
224456
234357
244357
254258
264258
274357
284357
294357
304357
314357

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Jefferson City gets around 2.4 in of rain and snow over 7.3 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 24% and peaks near 25% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1255
2256
3246
4246
5246
6246
7246
8246
9247
10247
11247
12256
13256
14256
15256
16256
17256
18256
19256
20256
21256
22246
23246
24246
25236
26236
27237
28237
29237
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
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
30991
31991

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 30 min at the start of December to 9 h 18 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 7:13 AM to 7:32 AM, and sunset from 4:44 PM to 4:52 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.57:134:44
29.57:144:43
39.57:154:43
49.57:164:43
59.47:174:43
69.47:184:43
79.47:194:43
89.47:194:43
99.47:204:43
109.47:214:43
119.47:224:43
129.37:234:43
139.37:234:44
149.37:244:44
159.37:254:44
169.37:254:44
179.37:264:45
189.37:264:45
199.37:274:45
209.37:284:46
219.37:284:46
229.37:294:47
239.37:294:47
249.37:294:48
259.37:304:48
269.37:304:49
279.37:314:49
289.37:314:50
299.37:314:51
309.37:314:51
319.37:324:52

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.98 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.98 kWh/m² to a high of 6.42 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.98 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.1Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.0Moderate
52.0Moderate
62.0Moderate
72.0Moderate
82.0Moderate
92.0Dim
102.0Dim
112.0Dim
122.0Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
181.9Dim
191.9Dim
201.9Dim
211.9Dim
221.9Dim
232.0Dim
242.0Dim
252.0Dim
262.0Dim
272.0Dim
282.0Moderate
292.0Moderate
302.0Moderate
312.0Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Jefferson City

In seasonPeak

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

Jefferson City 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 Jefferson City?

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

0.8
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 Jefferson City.

What to pack for Jefferson City in December

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

In December, Jefferson City sees daytime highs around 44°F and nights near 29°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 7 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Jefferson City 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 Jefferson City peaks around June 22 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 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 highHighModerateJun 22UV 10Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Jefferson City 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 Jefferson City is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (November, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1516 µg/m³Nov 136 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb10Good
Mar11Good
Apr9Good
May12Good
Jun14Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct6Good
Nov6Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Jefferson City?

Jefferson City sits at 38.6°N, 92.2°W, 630 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Columbia, 27 mi away.

Topography around Jefferson City

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Jefferson City has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 299 ft around an average of 610 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 367 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 768 ft.

The land around Jefferson City is covered by trees (33%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 2 miles, trees (53%) and grassland (28%) within 10 miles, and trees (55%) and grassland (26%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
299 ft
10 miles
367 ft
50 miles
768 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Columbia 27 mi · Rolla 48 mi · Sedalia 58 mi · Fort Leonard Wood 60 mi · Wentzville 73 mi · O'Fallon 81 mi · Wildwood 81 mi · Saint Peters 85 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 Jefferson City (38.5767°, -92.1735°, elevation 630 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).