Onalaska weather in December

In December, Onalaska sees average daytime highs of 30°F and overnight lows near 17°F, with 1.5 in of precipitation across 7.1 wet days and about 8.8 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 34°F in the first days to 27°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Onalaska's 12th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Onalaska's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
11th warmest
Overnight low
17°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
1.5 in
7.1 wet days
Daylight
8 h 42 min
7:39 AM – 4:23 PM
Cloud cover
71%
12th clearest
Wind
7 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
1.48 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Onalaska is fourth-class city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States.

Density
659/km²
people per km²
Founded
1851

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 34°F in the first days to 27°F by the end.

A typical December day in Onalaska reaches about 30°F in the afternoon and slips back to 17°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 15°F and 42°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 12°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13522
23521
33421
43420
53320
63319
73219
83219
93218
103118
113118
123117
133017
143017
153017
163016
172916
182916
192916
202916
212915
222915
232815
242815
252815
262814
272814
282814
292714
302713
312713

How December really feels in Onalaska

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
31 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Onalaska weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 10°1.376.49.10.0
Feb30° / 14°1.26.15.110.20.0
Mar43° / 26°2.38.94.111.60.7
Apr56° / 38°3.611.5213.23.7
May68° / 49°4.212.80.114.55.8
Jun77° / 60°4.812.3015.26.3
Jul81° / 64°3.910.6014.96.5
Aug78° / 61°3.69.3013.86.9
Sep71° / 53°3.29.4012.36.8
Oct58° / 41°2.88.80.510.84.4
Nov43° / 29°2.06.839.50.7
Dec30° / 17°1.57.168.80.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% 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
113367
123268
133268
143169
153169
163268
173169
183169
193169
203268
213268
223268
233268
243268
253268
263268
273268
283268
293268
303367
313367

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Onalaska gets around 1.5 in of rain and snow over 7.1 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 23% and peaks near 25% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12518
22518
32519
42419
52419
62419
72419
82419
92319
102319
112318
122218
132218
142218
152218
162218
172218
182218
192219
202219
212219
222219
232219
242219
252220
262220
272319
282319
292319
302319
312219

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 7 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
97light breeze
107light breeze
117light breeze
127light breeze
137light breeze
147light breeze
157light breeze
167light breeze
177light breeze
187light breeze
197light breeze
207light breeze
217light breeze
227light breeze
237light breeze
247light breeze
257light breeze
267light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 hours at the start of December to 8 h 48 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 7:26 AM to 7:45 AM, and sunset from 4:24 PM to 4:31 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.07:264:24
28.97:274:23
38.97:284:23
48.97:294:23
58.97:304:23
68.97:314:22
78.87:324:22
88.87:334:22
98.87:344:22
108.87:344:22
118.87:354:22
128.87:364:22
138.87:374:23
148.87:384:23
158.77:384:23
168.77:394:23
178.77:404:23
188.77:404:24
198.77:414:24
208.77:414:24
218.77:424:25
228.77:424:25
238.77:434:26
248.77:434:26
258.77:444:27
268.77:444:27
278.77:444:28
288.77:454:29
298.77:454:29
308.87:454:30
318.87:454:31

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.48 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.48 kWh/m² to a high of 6.22 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.48 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.6Dim
21.6Dim
31.6Dim
41.6Dim
51.5Dim
61.5Dim
71.5Dim
81.5Dim
91.5Dim
101.5Dim
111.5Dim
121.5Dim
131.5Dim
141.5Dim
151.5Dim
161.5Dim
171.5Dim
181.5Dim
191.5Dim
201.5Dim
211.5Dim
221.5Dim
231.5Dim
241.5Dim
251.5Dim
261.5Dim
271.5Dim
281.5Dim
291.5Dim
301.5Dim
311.5Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Onalaska?

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 Onalaska.

What to pack for Onalaska in December

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

In December, Onalaska sees daytime highs around 30°F and nights near 17°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 7 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Onalaska 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 Onalaska peaks around June 14 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 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 14UV 9Jan 11UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul7High
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Onalaska?

Onalaska sits at 43.9°N, 91.2°W, 709 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is North La Crosse, 2.5 mi away.

Topography around Onalaska

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Onalaska has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 581 ft around an average of 696 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 748 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 860 ft.

The land around Onalaska is covered by artificial surfaces (34%), trees (28%) and grassland (21%) within 2 miles, trees (53%) within 10 miles, and trees (54%) and cropland (33%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
581 ft
10 miles
748 ft
50 miles
860 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
December weather nearby: North La Crosse 2.5 mi · La Crosse 5.6 mi · Winona 23 mi · Rochester 62 mi · Eau Claire 65 mi · Marshfield 76 mi · Menomonie 76 mi · Wisconsin Rapids 78 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 Onalaska (43.8844°, -91.2351°, elevation 709 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).