Paducah weather in December

In December, Paducah sees average daytime highs of 47°F and overnight lows near 33°F, with 4.2 in of precipitation across 9.8 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 51°F in the first days to 45°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Paducah's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Paducah's year-round climate.

Daytime high
47°
11th warmest
Overnight low
33°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
4.2 in
9.8 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
7:07 AM – 4:35 PM
Cloud cover
64%
11th clearest
Wind
7 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.97 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.6
out of 10

Paducah is city in and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States.

Density
465/km²
people per km²
Founded
1821

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 51°F in the first days to 45°F by the end.

A typical December day in Paducah reaches about 47°F in the afternoon and slips back to 33°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 34°F and 62°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 3°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15136
25136
35136
45036
55035
65035
74935
84935
94934
104834
114834
124834
134833
144733
154733
164733
174733
184733
194733
204732
214632
224632
234632
244632
254632
264632
274631
284531
294531
304531
314531

How December really feels in Paducah

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.

Paducah weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan44° / 30°3.891.99.70.9
Feb49° / 33°3.88.81.910.61.9
Mar59° / 40°4.911.40.711.74.4
Apr69° / 50°5.311.4012.96.1
May77° / 60°4.512.40146.4
Jun86° / 69°3.611014.55.0
Jul89° / 72°3.410.3014.34.2
Aug88° / 70°2.98.9013.44.6
Sep82° / 63°3.47.9012.36.5
Oct70° / 51°3.78.20117.0
Nov57° / 41°4.18.90.4104.3
Dec47° / 33°4.29.81.49.51.6

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% 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 60%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14555
24555
34456
44357
54456
64357
74258
84258
94060
104060
114159
124060
134060
143862
153862
163862
173862
183862
193862
203961
213961
223961
233961
243961
253961
263961
273961
283961
293961
303961
313961

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Paducah gets around 4.2 in of rain and snow over 9.8 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 32% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1322
2322
3322
4323
5323
6323
7323
8334
9334
10334
11335
12335
13335
14335
15345
16345
17345
18346
19336
20336
21336
22326
23325
24325
25315
26315
27315
28305
29305
30305
31295

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 97% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19640
29640
39640
49541
59541
69541
79541
89631
99631
109631
119631
129721
139820
149820
159820
169910
179910
189910
199910
209910
219910
229910
239910
249820
259721
269721
279721
289631
299631
309631
319631

Wind in December

Winds average 7 mph in December.

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

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 36 min at the start of December to 9 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:55 AM to 7:13 AM, and sunset from 4:33 PM to 4:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.66:554:33
29.66:564:33
39.66:574:33
49.66:584:33
59.66:584:33
69.66:594:33
79.57:004:33
89.57:014:33
99.57:024:33
109.57:024:33
119.57:034:33
129.57:044:34
139.57:054:34
149.57:054:34
159.57:064:34
169.57:074:35
179.57:074:35
189.57:084:35
199.57:084:36
209.57:094:36
219.47:094:36
229.47:104:37
239.47:104:37
249.57:114:38
259.57:114:38
269.57:124:39
279.57:124:40
289.57:124:40
299.57:134:41
309.57:134:41
319.57:134:42

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.97 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.97 kWh/m² to a high of 6.4 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.97 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.1Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.0Moderate
62.0Moderate
72.0Moderate
82.0Dim
92.0Dim
102.0Dim
112.0Dim
121.9Dim
131.9Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
181.9Dim
191.9Dim
201.9Dim
211.9Dim
221.9Dim
231.9Dim
241.9Dim
251.9Dim
262.0Dim
272.0Dim
282.0Dim
292.0Dim
302.0Dim
312.0Dim
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Paducah

In seasonPeak

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

Paducah sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Paducah?

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

1.6
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 Paducah.

What to pack for Paducah in December

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

In December, Paducah sees daytime highs around 47°F and nights near 33°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Paducah 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 Paducah peaks around June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Paducah 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 Paducah is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1419 µg/m³Nov 208 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Good
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Paducah?

Paducah sits at 37.1°N, 88.6°W, 341 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Murray, 36 mi away.

Topography around Paducah

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Paducah has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 95 ft around an average of 328 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 331 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,184 ft.

The land around Paducah is covered by trees (37%), water (24%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 2 miles, trees (51%) and cropland (27%) within 10 miles, and trees (51%) and cropland (36%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
95 ft
10 miles
331 ft
50 miles
1,184 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Murray 36 mi · Marion 48 mi · Cape Girardeau 53 mi · Carbondale 56 mi · Sikeston 57 mi · Madisonville 63 mi · Hopkinsville 63 mi · Henderson 76 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 Paducah (37.0834°, -88.6°, elevation 341 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).