Middleton weather in December

In December, Middleton sees average daytime highs of 32°F and overnight lows near 19°F, with 1.9 in of precipitation across 7.5 wet days and about 8.9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 36°F in the first days to 30°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 06 min at the start of December to 8 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Middleton's 11th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Middleton's year-round climate.

Daytime high
32°
10th warmest
Overnight low
19°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
1.9 in
7.5 wet days
Daylight
8 h 48 min
7:29 AM – 4:19 PM
Cloud cover
69%
11th clearest
Wind
8 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
1.56 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Middleton is city in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States.

Density
789/km²
people per km²

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 36°F in the first days to 30°F by the end.

A typical December day in Middleton reaches about 32°F in the afternoon and slips back to 19°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 18°F and 45°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)
13724
23724
33623
43623
53522
63522
73422
83421
93421
103320
113320
123320
133220
143219
153219
163219
173119
183119
193119
203118
213118
223118
233118
243017
253017
263017
273017
283017
292916
302916
312916

How December really feels in Middleton

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
28 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Middleton weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 13°1.67.66.49.20.0
Feb32° / 16°1.66.65.310.20.0
Mar44° / 27°2.49.23.911.60.9
Apr57° / 38°4.012.31.913.13.7
May68° / 49°4.012.50.114.45.8
Jun78° / 60°4.411.8015.16.4
Jul81° / 64°3.210.2014.96.5
Aug79° / 61°3.79.9013.86.7
Sep72° / 53°3.39.1012.36.9
Oct59° / 42°2.88.70.410.84.6
Nov44° / 30°2.282.29.50.9
Dec32° / 19°1.97.55.28.90.0

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
23466
33466
43466
53466
63466
73466
83466
93466
103565
113466
123466
133367
143367
153367
163367
173268
183268
193268
203268
213268
223268
233268
243268
253268
263268
273268
283367
293367
303367
313367

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Middleton gets around 1.9 in of rain and snow over 7.5 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 27% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12714
22715
32715
42716
52616
62616
72616
82616
92516
102516
112416
122416
132416
142316
152316
162316
172315
182315
192215
202215
212216
222216
232216
242316
252316
262317
272317
282316
292316
302316
312316

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 (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

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 06 min at the start of December to 8 h 54 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 7:16 AM to 7:36 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)
19.17:164:19
29.07:174:19
39.07:184:19
49.07:194:19
59.07:204:18
69.07:214:18
78.97:224:18
88.97:234:18
98.97:244:18
108.97:254:18
118.97:264:18
128.97:264:18
138.97:274:18
148.87:284:19
158.87:294:19
168.87:294:19
178.87:304:19
188.87:314:20
198.87:314:20
208.87:324:20
218.87:324:21
228.87:334:21
238.87:334:22
248.87:344:22
258.87:344:23
268.87:344:23
278.87:354:24
288.87:354:25
298.87:354:25
308.87:354:26
318.97:364:27

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.56 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.56 kWh/m² to a high of 6.29 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.56 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.6Dim
21.6Dim
31.6Dim
41.6Dim
51.6Dim
61.6Dim
71.6Dim
81.6Dim
91.6Dim
101.6Dim
111.6Dim
121.6Dim
131.6Dim
141.6Dim
151.6Dim
161.6Dim
171.5Dim
181.5Dim
191.5Dim
201.5Dim
211.5Dim
221.5Dim
231.5Dim
241.6Dim
251.6Dim
261.6Dim
271.6Dim
281.6Dim
291.6Dim
301.6Dim
311.6Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Middleton?

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
8th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Middleton.

What to pack for Middleton in December

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

In December, Middleton sees daytime highs around 32°F and nights near 19°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Middleton in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Middleton peaks around June 18 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 18UV 9Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Middleton 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 Middleton is worst in July — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodJul 1715 µg/m³Oct 238 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr12Good
May13Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Middleton?

Middleton sits at 43.1°N, 89.5°W, 938 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Madison, 5.6 mi away.

Topography around Middleton

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Middleton has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 285 ft around an average of 942 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 427 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,066 ft.

The land around Middleton is covered by trees (39%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 2 miles, cropland (32%), trees (29%) and grassland (20%) within 10 miles, and cropland (49%) and trees (31%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
285 ft
10 miles
427 ft
50 miles
1,066 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Madison 5.6 mi · Fitchburg 9.3 mi · Sun Prairie 16 mi · Janesville 38 mi · Watertown 40 mi · Beaver Dam 42 mi · Beloit 47 mi · Oconomowoc 51 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 Middleton (43.0972°, -89.5043°, elevation 938 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).