Poplar Bluff weather in December

In December, Poplar Bluff sees average daytime highs of 48°F and overnight lows near 32°F, with 3.7 in of precipitation across 8.6 wet days and about 9.5 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 6th-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 36% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 42 min at the start of December to 9 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Poplar Bluff's 9th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Poplar Bluff's year-round climate.

Daytime high
48°
11th warmest
Overnight low
32°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
3.7 in
8.6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 30 min
7:13 AM – 4:43 PM
Cloud cover
59%
9th clearest
Wind
7 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
2.07 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.7
out of 10

Poplar Bluff is city in and county seat of Butler County, Missouri, United States.

Density
505/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 51°F in the first days to 45°F by the end.

A typical December day in Poplar Bluff reaches about 48°F in the afternoon and slips back to 32°F overnight — a 16°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)
15235
25135
35135
45034
55034
65034
74934
84933
94933
104933
114833
124832
134832
144832
154732
164732
174732
184731
194731
204731
214631
224631
234631
244631
254631
264630
274630
284530
294530
304530
314530

How December really feels in Poplar Bluff

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.

Poplar Bluff weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 11th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan45° / 29°3.68.71.69.81.0
Feb50° / 32°3.37.91.310.62.2
Mar59° / 40°4.711.40.711.74.5
Apr69° / 50°5.210.9012.96.2
May77° / 60°4.912.8013.96.3
Jun86° / 68°3.410014.55.0
Jul89° / 72°3.010.9014.34.0
Aug88° / 69°2.98.7013.44.6
Sep82° / 62°3.37.4012.26.6
Oct70° / 50°3.88.30.1117.0
Nov58° / 40°4.290.4104.4
Dec48° / 32°3.78.61.19.51.7

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% 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 54%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15149
25050
35050
45050
54951
64852
74852
84852
94753
104654
114654
124555
134555
144555
154555
164555
174357
184357
194357
204357
214456
224456
234555
244555
254456
264456
274555
284555
294555
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Poplar Bluff gets around 3.7 in of rain and snow over 8.6 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 29% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1292
2293
3283
4283
5283
6283
7283
8293
9293
10293
11293
12294
13294
14304
15304
16304
17304
18304
19294
20294
21294
22284
23284
24284
25284
26284
27284
28284
29284
30284
31274

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
89541
99631
109631
119631
129730
139820
149820
159820
169820
179820
189820
199820
209820
219820
229820
239820
249820
259820
269730
279631
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 42 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 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:01 AM to 7:19 AM, and sunset from 4:41 PM to 4:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.77:014:41
29.77:024:41
39.67:034:41
49.67:044:41
59.67:054:41
69.67:064:41
79.67:064:41
89.67:074:41
99.67:084:41
109.57:094:41
119.57:094:41
129.57:104:42
139.57:114:42
149.57:124:42
159.57:124:42
169.57:134:43
179.57:134:43
189.57:144:43
199.57:154:44
209.57:154:44
219.57:164:45
229.57:164:45
239.57:174:45
249.57:174:46
259.57:174:46
269.57:184:47
279.57:184:48
289.57:184:48
299.57:194:49
309.57:194:50
319.57:194:50

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.07 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.07 kWh/m² to a high of 6.52 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 2.07 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.2Moderate
42.2Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.1Moderate
82.1Moderate
92.1Moderate
102.1Moderate
112.1Moderate
122.0Moderate
132.0Moderate
142.0Moderate
152.0Moderate
162.0Moderate
172.0Moderate
182.0Moderate
192.0Moderate
202.0Moderate
212.0Moderate
222.0Moderate
232.0Moderate
242.0Moderate
252.1Moderate
262.1Moderate
272.1Moderate
282.1Moderate
292.1Moderate
302.1Moderate
312.1Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Poplar Bluff?

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

1.7
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 Poplar Bluff.

What to pack for Poplar Bluff in December

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

In December, Poplar Bluff sees daytime highs around 48°F and nights near 32°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Poplar Bluff 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 Poplar Bluff peaks around June 20 at about 10 (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 20UV 10Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Poplar Bluff 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 Poplar Bluff is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.6× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodGoodModerateGoodJul 1317 µg/m³Nov 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct9Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Poplar Bluff?

Poplar Bluff sits at 36.8°N, 90.4°W, 361 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Sikeston, 45 mi away.

Topography around Poplar Bluff

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Poplar Bluff has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 164 ft around an average of 361 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 344 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,270 ft.

The land around Poplar Bluff is covered by trees (50%) within 2 miles, trees (45%) and cropland (40%) within 10 miles, and trees (50%) and cropland (40%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
164 ft
10 miles
344 ft
50 miles
1,270 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Sikeston 45 mi · Paragould 48 mi · Cape Girardeau 62 mi · Jonesboro 65 mi · Farmington 71 mi · Dyersburg 75 mi · Carbondale 93 mi · Paducah 101 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 Poplar Bluff (36.757°, -90.3929°, elevation 361 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).