Owatonna weather in December

In December, Owatonna sees average daytime highs of 28°F and overnight lows near 14°F, with 1.4 in of precipitation across 7.1 wet days and about 8.8 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 32°F in the first days to 25°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 8 h 54 min at the start of December to 8 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Owatonna's 11th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Owatonna's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
10th warmest
Overnight low
14°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
1.4 in
7.1 wet days
Daylight
8 h 42 min
7:48 AM – 4:30 PM
Cloud cover
69%
11th clearest
Wind
10 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
1.57 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Owatonna is city in Minnesota, USA.

Density
669/km²
people per km²
Founded
1854

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 32°F in the first days to 25°F by the end.

A typical December day in Owatonna reaches about 28°F in the afternoon and slips back to 14°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 11°F and 42°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 14°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13319
23319
33218
43218
53117
63117
73117
83016
93016
102916
112915
122915
132815
142815
152814
162814
172714
182714
192713
202713
212613
222613
232613
242612
252612
262512
272511
282511
292511
302411
312410

How December really feels in Owatonna

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.

Owatonna 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
Jan23° / 1.16.36.29.10.0
Feb27° / 12°1.15.55.210.20.0
Mar40° / 24°2.38.24.211.60.5
Apr56° / 37°3.711.52.113.23.5
May67° / 49°4.712.90.114.55.7
Jun77° / 59°5.412.8015.26.3
Jul80° / 63°4.3100156.7
Aug78° / 60°4.210013.86.9
Sep71° / 52°3.58.8012.36.9
Oct58° / 40°2.68.50.610.84.4
Nov42° / 27°1.96.83.59.40.6
Dec28° / 14°1.47.16.28.80.0

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 12% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 66%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13763
23763
33664
43763
53763
63763
73664
83664
93565
103565
113466
123466
133367
143367
153367
163367
173268
183268
193268
203268
213367
223367
233367
243367
253367
263466
273466
283466
293466
303466
313466

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Owatonna gets around 1.4 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 24% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12418
22418
32418
42418
52419
62419
72419
82419
92419
102419
112419
122419
132419
142319
152319
162320
172320
182320
192220
202220
212220
222220
232220
242120
252120
262119
272119
282019
292019
302019
312019

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 10 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 10 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
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light 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 8 h 54 min at the start of December to 8 h 42 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 7:34 AM to 7:54 AM, and sunset from 4:31 PM to 4:38 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.97:344:31
28.97:354:31
38.97:374:30
48.97:384:30
58.97:394:30
68.87:404:30
78.87:404:30
88.87:414:30
98.87:424:30
108.87:434:30
118.87:444:30
128.77:454:30
138.77:464:30
148.77:464:30
158.77:474:30
168.77:484:30
178.77:484:31
188.77:494:31
198.77:504:31
208.77:504:32
218.77:514:32
228.77:514:33
238.77:524:33
248.77:524:34
258.77:524:34
268.77:534:35
278.77:534:35
288.77:534:36
298.77:544:37
308.77:544:37
318.77:544:38

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.57 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.57 kWh/m² to a high of 6.36 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.57 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.7Dim
21.7Dim
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
171.6Dim
181.6Dim
191.6Dim
201.6Dim
211.6Dim
221.6Dim
231.6Dim
241.6Dim
251.6Dim
261.6Dim
271.6Dim
281.6Dim
291.6Dim
301.6Dim
311.6Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Owatonna

In seasonPeak

None of Owatonna's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Owatonna's rainy season runs April–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Owatonna?

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 Owatonna.

What to pack for Owatonna in December

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

In December, Owatonna sees daytime highs around 28°F and nights near 14°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 7 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Owatonna 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 Owatonna peaks around June 16 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 16UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul7High
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low
Location & terrain

Where is Owatonna?

Owatonna sits at 44.1°N, 93.2°W, 1,152 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Faribault, 15 mi away.

Topography around Owatonna

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Owatonna has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 210 ft around an average of 1,188 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 325 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 843 ft.

The land around Owatonna is covered by trees (36%), artificial surfaces (28%) and grassland (23%) within 2 miles, cropland (76%) within 10 miles, and cropland (74%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
210 ft
10 miles
325 ft
50 miles
843 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Faribault 15 mi · Northfield 26 mi · Albert Lea 31 mi · Austin 32 mi · Rochester 38 mi · Farmington 39 mi · Lakeville 39 mi · Mankato 39 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 Owatonna (44.0838°, -93.226°, elevation 1,152 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).