Lafayette weather in December

In December, Lafayette sees average daytime highs of 39°F and overnight lows near 26°F, with 2.5 in of precipitation across 9.2 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 43°F in the first days to 36°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% 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 Lafayette's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Lafayette's year-round climate.

Daytime high
39°
10th warmest
Overnight low
26°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.5 in
9.2 wet days
Daylight
9 h 06 min
8:10 AM – 5:18 PM
Cloud cover
70%
11th clearest
Wind
9 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.7 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.1
out of 10

Lafayette is city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States.

Density
932/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 43°F in the first days to 36°F by the end.

A typical December day in Lafayette reaches about 39°F in the afternoon and slips back to 26°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°F and 54°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 11°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14430
24329
34329
44229
54228
64228
74128
84127
94027
104027
114026
123926
133926
143926
153926
163825
173825
183825
193825
203824
213724
223724
233724
243724
253724
263723
273723
283623
293623
303623
313623

How December really feels in Lafayette

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
9 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Lafayette 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
Jan34° / 20°2.79.14.99.40.0
Feb39° / 23°2.38.14.210.40.1
Mar50° / 32°3.310.42.411.72.2
Apr62° / 43°4.311.70.4135.0
May72° / 54°4.313.3014.26.1
Jun80° / 63°4.312.8014.86.0
Jul83° / 66°3.611.2014.65.7
Aug82° / 64°3.29.8013.66.5
Sep77° / 56°2.78.1012.37.1
Oct64° / 45°3.190.110.95.9
Nov50° / 35°3.18.51.29.82.4
Dec39° / 26°2.59.23.79.20.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% 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 68%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13565
23565
33565
43466
53466
63466
73367
83367
93367
103367
113268
123268
133268
143268
153268
163268
173268
183169
193169
203169
213169
223268
233268
243268
253268
263268
273268
283268
293169
303169
313169

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Lafayette gets around 2.5 in of rain and snow over 9.2 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 30% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1309
2309
3299
42910
52910
62910
72910
82911
92911
102912
112912
122912
133012
143013
153013
163113
173113
183113
193113
203113
213113
223113
233113
243013
253013
263013
273012
282912
292913
302913
312813

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 (%)
1982
2982
3982
4982
5982
6982
7982
8982
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
31991

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
510light breeze
610light 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
2210light 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 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 7:57 AM to 8:16 AM, and sunset from 5:17 PM to 5:25 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:575:17
29.37:585:17
39.37:595:17
49.38:005:17
59.38:015:16
69.28:025:16
79.28:035:16
89.28:045:16
99.28:055:16
109.28:055:16
119.28:065:17
129.28:075:17
139.28:085:17
149.18:085:17
159.18:095:17
169.18:105:18
179.18:105:18
189.18:115:18
199.18:125:19
209.18:125:19
219.18:135:19
229.18:135:20
239.18:145:20
249.18:145:21
259.18:145:21
269.18:155:22
279.18:155:23
289.18:155:23
299.18:165:24
309.18:165:24
319.28:165:25

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 6.32 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 Lafayette?

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 Lafayette.

What to pack for Lafayette in December

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

In December, Lafayette sees daytime highs around 39°F and nights near 26°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Lafayette 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 Lafayette peaks around July 10 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 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 highHighModerateLowJul 10UV 9Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Lafayette 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 Lafayette is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodJul 1516 µg/m³Oct 218 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr12Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Lafayette?

Lafayette sits at 40.4°N, 86.9°W, 692 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is West Lafayette, 1.9 mi away.

Topography around Lafayette

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Lafayette has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 246 ft around an average of 630 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 322 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 627 ft.

The land around Lafayette is covered by artificial surfaces (49%) and trees (34%) within 2 miles, cropland (49%) and trees (28%) within 10 miles, and cropland (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
246 ft
10 miles
322 ft
50 miles
627 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: West Lafayette 1.9 mi · Frankfort 21 mi · Crawfordsville 26 mi · Lebanon 34 mi · Logansport 36 mi · Kokomo 39 mi · Danville 45 mi · Zionsville 45 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 Lafayette (40.4167°, -86.8753°, elevation 692 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).