Normal weather in December

In December, Normal sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 24°F, with 2.3 in of precipitation across 8.3 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-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 26% 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 Normal's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Normal's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
10th warmest
Overnight low
24°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.3 in
8.3 wet days
Daylight
9 h 06 min
7:19 AM – 4:26 PM
Cloud cover
67%
11th clearest
Wind
9 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.77 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Normal is town in McLean County, Illinois, United States.

Density
1,140/km²
people per km²
Founded
1865

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 Normal reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 24°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 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)
14328
24328
34228
44227
54127
64127
74026
84026
94026
103925
113925
123925
133825
143824
153824
163824
173724
183724
193724
203723
213723
223723
233723
243623
253623
263622
273622
283622
293522
303522
313522

How December really feels in Normal

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.

Normal 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
Jan33° / 19°2.38.34.99.40.0
Feb38° / 22°2.17.44.110.40.0
Mar50° / 32°3.110.31.811.72.2
Apr62° / 43°4.4120.5134.9
May72° / 53°4.713.5014.26.1
Jun81° / 63°4.312.2014.86.1
Jul83° / 66°3.810.8014.65.7
Aug82° / 64°3.29.4013.66.5
Sep76° / 56°3.07.8012.37.2
Oct64° / 45°3.38.90.110.95.8
Nov50° / 34°3.08.41.19.72.3
Dec38° / 24°2.38.33.69.20.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% 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 63%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23862
33862
43862
53862
63961
73862
83763
93862
103862
113862
123862
133862
143763
153763
163763
173763
183664
193763
203763
213763
223565
233565
243565
253466
263466
273565
283466
293466
303466
313466

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Normal gets around 2.3 in of rain and snow over 8.3 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 27% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1299
2299
32910
42810
52810
62710
72711
82711
92711
102611
112611
122611
132611
142611
152711
162711
172711
182711
192711
202711
212712
222712
232712
242612
252612
262612
272612
282612
292513
302513
312513

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
2110light 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 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 7:06 AM to 7:25 AM, and sunset from 4:25 PM to 4:33 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.37:064:25
29.37:074:25
39.37:084:25
49.37:094:25
59.27:104:25
69.27:114:25
79.27:124:25
89.27:134:24
99.27:134:25
109.27:144:25
119.27:154:25
129.27:164:25
139.17:174:25
149.17:174:25
159.17:184:25
169.17:194:26
179.17:194:26
189.17:204:26
199.17:204:27
209.17:214:27
219.17:214:27
229.17:224:28
239.17:224:28
249.17:234:29
259.17:234:29
269.17:244:30
279.17:244:31
289.17:244:31
299.17:244:32
309.17:254:33
319.17:254:33

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.77 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.77 kWh/m² to a high of 6.4 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.77 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.9Dim
21.9Dim
31.8Dim
41.8Dim
51.8Dim
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 Normal?

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 Normal.

What to pack for Normal in December

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

In December, Normal sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 24°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Normal 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 Normal peaks around June 22 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 highHighModerateJun 22UV 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 Normal 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 Normal 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).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 1816 µg/m³Oct 228 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Normal?

Normal sits at 40.5°N, 89.0°W, 801 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Bloomington, 1.9 mi away.

Topography around Normal

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Normal has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 151 ft around an average of 810 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 276 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 531 ft.

The land around Normal is covered by artificial surfaces (39%), trees (30%) and grassland (21%) within 2 miles, cropland (74%) within 10 miles, and cropland (83%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
151 ft
10 miles
276 ft
50 miles
531 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Bloomington 1.9 mi · Washington 25 mi · Morton 25 mi · East Peoria 33 mi · Peoria 34 mi · North Peoria 34 mi · Pekin 34 mi · Decatur 47 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 Normal (40.5142°, -88.9906°, elevation 801 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).