Kirksville weather in December

In December, Kirksville sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 24°F, with 1.9 in of precipitation across 6.3 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 42°F in the first days to 36°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% 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 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Kirksville's 7th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kirksville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
11th warmest
Overnight low
24°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
1.9 in
6.3 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
7:32 AM – 4:41 PM
Cloud cover
62%
7th clearest
Wind
8 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.87 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.1
out of 10

Kirksville is city in and county seat of Adair County, Missouri, United States.

Density
469/km²
people per km²
Founded
1841

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 36°F by the end.

A typical December day in Kirksville reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 24°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°F and 53°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 11°F cooler than November and about 4°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14328
24328
34227
44227
54226
64126
74126
84025
94025
104025
113925
123924
133924
143924
153824
163824
173823
183823
193823
203723
213722
223722
233722
243722
253622
263621
273621
283621
293621
303520
313520

How December really feels in Kirksville

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
14 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Kirksville weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan34° / 19°1.66.64.59.50.0
Feb39° / 22°2.06.7410.40.1
Mar51° / 33°3.09.12.311.72.5
Apr62° / 43°4.511.40.6135.1
May72° / 54°5.113.1014.26.2
Jun82° / 64°4.211014.86.0
Jul85° / 68°3.99.5014.65.3
Aug83° / 65°3.79013.66.0
Sep76° / 56°3.37.9012.37.3
Oct64° / 45°2.980.210.95.9
Nov50° / 33°2.471.19.82.4
Dec38° / 24°1.96.339.20.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% 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 59%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14357
24357
34357
44357
54258
64258
74258
84258
94258
104357
114357
124258
134258
144159
154060
164060
174060
183961
194060
204060
213961
223961
233961
243961
254060
264060
274060
283961
293961
303961
313961

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Kirksville gets around 1.9 in of rain and snow over 6.3 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 21% and peaks near 23% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1238
2229
3229
4229
52110
62110
72110
82110
92110
102110
112110
122110
132110
142110
152110
162110
17219
18219
19219
20209
21209
22209
23209
24209
252010
262010
272010
282011
292011
302012
312112

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
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in December

Winds average 8 mph in December.

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

051015151015202531
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
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light 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 9 h 18 min at the start of December to 9 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:20 AM to 7:38 AM, and sunset from 4:41 PM to 4:49 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:204:41
29.37:214:40
39.37:224:40
49.37:224:40
59.37:234:40
69.37:244:40
79.27:254:40
89.27:264:40
99.27:274:40
109.27:284:40
119.27:284:40
129.27:294:40
139.27:304:40
149.27:314:41
159.27:314:41
169.27:324:41
179.17:334:41
189.17:334:42
199.17:344:42
209.17:344:42
219.17:354:43
229.17:354:43
239.17:364:44
249.17:364:44
259.17:374:45
269.17:374:45
279.17:374:46
289.27:384:47
299.27:384:47
309.27:384:48
319.27:384:49

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.87 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.87 kWh/m² to a high of 6.43 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.87 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.9Dim
21.9Dim
31.9Dim
41.9Dim
51.9Dim
61.9Dim
71.9Dim
81.9Dim
91.9Dim
101.9Dim
111.9Dim
121.9Dim
131.8Dim
141.8Dim
151.8Dim
161.8Dim
171.8Dim
181.8Dim
191.8Dim
201.8Dim
211.8Dim
221.8Dim
231.9Dim
241.9Dim
251.9Dim
261.9Dim
271.9Dim
281.9Dim
291.9Dim
301.9Dim
311.9Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Kirksville?

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

0.1
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 Kirksville.

What to pack for Kirksville in December

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

In December, Kirksville sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 24°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 6 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Kirksville 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 Kirksville peaks around June 21 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 21UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Kirksville 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 Kirksville is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 1816 µg/m³Oct 227 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun13Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Kirksville?

Kirksville sits at 40.2°N, 92.6°W, 981 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ottumwa, 58 mi away.

Topography around Kirksville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Kirksville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 184 ft around an average of 955 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 302 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 577 ft.

The land around Kirksville is covered by grassland (40%) and trees (33%) within 2 miles, trees (38%), grassland (36%) and cropland (24%) within 10 miles, and cropland (36%), grassland (34%) and trees (29%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
184 ft
10 miles
302 ft
50 miles
577 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Ottumwa 58 mi · Quincy 65 mi · Hannibal 73 mi · Columbia 87 mi · Burlington 88 mi · Indianola 95 mi · Macomb 103 mi · Newton 107 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 Kirksville (40.1947°, -92.5833°, elevation 981 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).