Mattoon weather in December

In December, Mattoon sees average daytime highs of 41°F and overnight lows near 27°F, with 2.7 in of precipitation across 8.9 wet days and about 9.3 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 44°F in the first days to 38°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Mattoon's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mattoon's year-round climate.

Daytime high
41°
11th warmest
Overnight low
27°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.7 in
8.9 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
7:13 AM – 4:26 PM
Cloud cover
68%
11th clearest
Wind
9 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.79 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.2
out of 10

Mattoon is city in Illinois, United States.

Density
676/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 44°F in the first days to 38°F by the end.

A typical December day in Mattoon reaches about 41°F in the afternoon and slips back to 27°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°F and 55°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)
14531
24530
34430
44430
54429
64329
74329
84228
94228
104228
114128
124128
134127
144127
154027
164027
174026
184026
194026
204026
213926
223926
233925
243925
253925
263925
273825
283825
293824
303824
313824

How December really feels in Mattoon

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.

Mattoon 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
Jan37° / 22°3.08.93.89.50.0
Feb41° / 25°2.57.83.410.40.3
Mar52° / 34°3.410.51.611.72.7
Apr64° / 45°4.811.80.3135.4
May74° / 56°4.712.7014.16.3
Jun82° / 65°4.211.2014.75.9
Jul85° / 68°3.710.7014.55.4
Aug83° / 65°3.08.5013.56.0
Sep78° / 58°2.97.2012.37.3
Oct65° / 46°3.38.20.1116.2
Nov52° / 36°3.58.30.79.82.8
Dec41° / 27°2.78.92.99.30.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% 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 65%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33763
43763
53763
63763
73664
83664
93565
103565
113565
123565
133664
143664
153664
163565
173664
183565
193565
203565
213565
223565
233565
243664
253664
263466
273466
283565
293565
303565
313565

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Mattoon gets around 2.7 in of rain and snow over 8.9 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 29% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1306
2307
3307
4307
5308
6308
7308
8309
9309
10309
11309
12309
133010
143010
153010
163010
173010
182910
192910
202910
212910
222810
232810
242810
25289
26289
27289
28289
29289
30289
31289

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
9982
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
24991
25991
26991
27991
28991
29991
30991
31991

Wind in December

Winds average 9 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light 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
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 24 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 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:01 AM to 7:19 AM, and sunset from 4:26 PM to 4:34 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.47:014:26
29.47:024:26
39.47:034:25
49.47:044:25
59.37:044:25
69.37:054:25
79.37:064:25
89.37:074:25
99.37:084:25
109.37:094:25
119.37:094:25
129.37:104:26
139.27:114:26
149.27:124:26
159.27:124:26
169.27:134:26
179.27:134:27
189.27:144:27
199.27:154:27
209.27:154:28
219.27:164:28
229.27:164:29
239.27:174:29
249.27:174:30
259.27:174:30
269.27:184:31
279.27:184:31
289.27:184:32
299.27:194:33
309.27:194:33
319.27:194:34

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.79 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.79 kWh/m² to a high of 6.44 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.79 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
61.8Dim
71.8Dim
81.8Dim
91.8Dim
101.8Dim
111.8Dim
121.8Dim
131.8Dim
141.8Dim
151.8Dim
161.8Dim
171.8Dim
181.8Dim
191.8Dim
201.8Dim
211.8Dim
221.8Dim
231.8Dim
241.8Dim
251.8Dim
261.8Dim
271.8Dim
281.8Dim
291.8Dim
301.8Dim
311.8Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Mattoon?

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

0.2
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 Mattoon.

What to pack for Mattoon in December

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

In December, Mattoon sees daytime highs around 41°F and nights near 27°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 Mattoon 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 Mattoon peaks around June 23 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 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 9Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Mattoon 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 Mattoon is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodJul 1616 µg/m³Oct 218 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Mattoon?

Mattoon sits at 39.5°N, 88.4°W, 735 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Charleston, 11 mi away.

Topography around Mattoon

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Mattoon has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 75 ft around an average of 712 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 236 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 446 ft.

The land around Mattoon is covered by cropland (49%) within 2 miles, cropland (80%) within 10 miles, and cropland (76%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
75 ft
10 miles
236 ft
50 miles
446 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Charleston 11 mi · Decatur 40 mi · Urbana 44 mi · Champaign 44 mi · Terre Haute 51 mi · Danville 59 mi · Springfield 71 mi · Vincennes 71 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 Mattoon (39.4831°, -88.3728°, elevation 735 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).