Kankakee weather in December

In December, Kankakee sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 25°F, with 2.3 in of precipitation across 8.2 wet days and about 9.1 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 42°F in the first days to 35°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 18 min at the start of December to 9 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Kankakee's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kankakee's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
10th warmest
Overnight low
25°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.3 in
8.2 wet days
Daylight
9 h 06 min
7:16 AM – 4:19 PM
Cloud cover
69%
11th clearest
Wind
9 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.7 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Kankakee is city in Kankakee County, Illinois, United States.

Density
665/km²
people per km²
Founded
1853

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 35°F by the end.

A typical December day in Kankakee reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 25°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°F and 53°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)
14329
24228
34228
44228
54127
64127
74027
84026
93926
103926
113926
123825
133825
143825
153824
163724
173724
183724
193724
203724
213723
223623
233623
243623
253623
263623
273622
283522
293522
303522
313522

How December really feels in Kankakee

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
13 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Kankakee weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan33° / 19°2.58.95.39.40.0
Feb38° / 22°2.17.44.210.40.0
Mar49° / 31°3.110.42.211.72.0
Apr62° / 42°4.312.20.613.14.8
May72° / 52°4.513.1014.36.1
Jun80° / 62°4.112.4014.96.0
Jul83° / 66°3.711.2014.75.7
Aug82° / 64°3.49.5013.66.5
Sep76° / 56°3.08.1012.37.1
Oct64° / 45°3.29.10.110.95.8
Nov50° / 34°2.98.61.19.72.3
Dec38° / 25°2.38.23.49.10.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% 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 67%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13565
23565
33565
43565
53565
63565
73565
83565
93565
103565
113466
123466
133466
143466
153466
163466
173367
183268
193268
203367
213367
223367
233367
243268
253268
263268
273268
283268
293169
303268
313169

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Kankakee gets around 2.3 in of rain and snow over 8.2 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 27% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1309
23010
33010
42910
52910
62911
72811
82811
92811
102711
112711
122711
132711
142711
152711
162711
172711
182711
192711
202711
212611
222611
232611
242611
252611
262611
272611
282612
292612
302612
312613

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
13991
14991
15991
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
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
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 18 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 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:03 AM to 7:22 AM, and sunset from 4:19 PM to 4:27 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:034:19
29.27:044:19
39.27:054:18
49.27:064:18
59.27:074:18
69.27:084:18
79.17:094:18
89.17:104:18
99.17:114:18
109.17:124:18
119.17:124:18
129.17:134:18
139.17:144:19
149.17:154:19
159.17:154:19
169.17:164:19
179.07:174:19
189.07:174:20
199.07:184:20
209.07:184:21
219.07:194:21
229.07:194:21
239.07:204:22
249.07:204:22
259.07:214:23
269.07:214:24
279.07:214:24
289.17:224:25
299.17:224:25
309.17:224:26
319.17:224:27

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.7 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.7 kWh/m² to a high of 6.33 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.7 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.8Dim
41.8Dim
51.8Dim
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 Kankakee?

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 Kankakee.

What to pack for Kankakee in December

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

In December, Kankakee sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 25°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Kankakee in December

The nearest coast averages about 42°F in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 43 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in February near 35°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 10 to Sep 16 — about 2.3 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan38Bracing
Feb35Bracing
Mar35Bracing
Apr39Bracing
May46Bracing
Jun59Cool
Jul70Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Refreshing
Oct58Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec42Bracing

UV index in Kankakee 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 Kankakee peaks around June 21 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 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 21UV 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Kankakee 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 Kankakee is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1418 µg/m³Oct 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar15Moderate
Apr15Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct8Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kankakee?

Kankakee sits at 41.1°N, 87.9°W, 656 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Bradley, 1.2 mi away.

Topography around Kankakee

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Kankakee has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 121 ft around an average of 633 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 272 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 564 ft.

The land around Kankakee is covered by artificial surfaces (37%) and trees (30%) within 2 miles, cropland (75%) within 10 miles, and cropland (70%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
121 ft
10 miles
272 ft
50 miles
564 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Bradley 1.2 mi · Bourbonnais 2.5 mi · Frankfort 26 mi · Park Forest 27 mi · Matteson 27 mi · New Lenox 27 mi · Mokena 28 mi · Chicago Heights 29 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 Kankakee (41.12°, -87.8611°, elevation 656 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).