Richmond weather in December

In December, Richmond sees average daytime highs of 40°F and overnight lows near 27°F, with 3.3 in of precipitation across 9.8 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 43°F in the first days to 38°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Richmond's 11th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Richmond's year-round climate.

Daytime high
40°
10th warmest
Overnight low
27°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.3 in
9.8 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
8:00 AM – 5:11 PM
Cloud cover
72%
11th clearest
Wind
9 mph
6th windiest
Solar energy
1.7 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.1
out of 10

Richmond is city in Indiana, United States.

Density
575/km²
people per km²
Founded
1806

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 43°F in the first days to 38°F by the end.

A typical December day in Richmond reaches about 40°F in the afternoon and slips back to 27°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°F and 55°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 4°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14431
24430
34330
44330
54229
64229
74229
84128
94128
104128
114028
124027
134027
144027
154027
163926
173926
183926
193926
203926
213826
223825
233825
243825
253825
263825
273825
283825
293824
303724
313724

How December really feels in Richmond

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.

Richmond weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan36° / 22°3.29.74.69.50.0
Feb39° / 24°2.68.84.310.40.1
Mar50° / 33°4.011.22.411.72.1
Apr62° / 43°4.712.50.7134.9
May71° / 54°4.613.1014.26.1
Jun80° / 63°4.011.6014.86.3
Jul83° / 66°3.311.3014.55.9
Aug82° / 64°2.99.7013.66.5
Sep76° / 57°2.87.8012.37.2
Oct64° / 45°3.08.60.210.95.8
Nov50° / 35°3.48.719.82.4
Dec40° / 27°3.39.83.59.20.1

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 18% 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 71%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23169
33070
43070
53070
62971
72971
82872
92872
102872
112872
122872
132773
142872
152872
162872
172872
182872
192971
202971
212971
222971
232971
242971
252971
262971
272971
282971
293070
302971
312971

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Richmond gets around 3.3 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 33% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1328
2328
3328
4329
5329
63210
73210
83211
93211
103212
113212
123212
133212
143212
153212
163312
173312
183312
193312
203312
213212
223212
233212
243212
253211
263211
273211
283111
293112
303112
313112

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 99% 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
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
27991
28991
29991
30991
31991

Wind in December

Winds average 9 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light 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
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze
319light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 24 min at the start of December to 9 h 12 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 7:48 AM to 8:06 AM, and sunset from 5:11 PM to 5:19 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.47:485:11
29.47:495:11
39.37:505:11
49.37:515:10
59.37:515:10
69.37:525:10
79.37:535:10
89.37:545:10
99.37:555:10
109.27:565:10
119.27:565:10
129.27:575:11
139.27:585:11
149.27:595:11
159.27:595:11
169.28:005:11
179.28:015:12
189.28:015:12
199.28:025:12
209.28:025:13
219.28:035:13
229.28:035:14
239.28:045:14
249.28:045:15
259.28:055:15
269.28:055:16
279.28:055:16
289.28:065:17
299.28:065:18
309.28:065:18
319.28:065:19

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.7 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.7 kWh/m² to a high of 6.25 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 1.7 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.8Dim
21.8Dim
31.8Dim
41.8Dim
51.7Dim
61.7Dim
71.7Dim
81.7Dim
91.7Dim
101.7Dim
111.7Dim
121.7Dim
131.7Dim
141.7Dim
151.7Dim
161.7Dim
171.7Dim
181.7Dim
191.7Dim
201.7Dim
211.7Dim
221.7Dim
231.7Dim
241.7Dim
251.7Dim
261.7Dim
271.7Dim
281.7Dim
291.7Dim
301.7Dim
311.7Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Richmond?

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

0.1
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 Richmond.

What to pack for Richmond in December

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

In December, Richmond sees daytime highs around 40°F and nights near 27°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Richmond 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 Richmond peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 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 20UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Richmond 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 Richmond is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1217 µg/m³Oct 228 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar12Good
Apr12Good
May14Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Richmond?

Richmond sits at 39.8°N, 84.9°W, 981 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Oxford, 24 mi away.

Topography around Richmond

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Richmond has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 279 ft around an average of 1,004 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 492 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 853 ft.

The land around Richmond is covered by trees (48%), artificial surfaces (26%) and grassland (20%) within 2 miles, cropland (58%) and trees (26%) within 10 miles, and cropland (60%) and trees (26%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
279 ft
10 miles
492 ft
50 miles
853 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
December weather nearby: Oxford 24 mi · New Castle 26 mi · Trotwood 31 mi · Middletown 34 mi · Hamilton 34 mi · Miamisburg 35 mi · Muncie 37 mi · Vandalia 37 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 Richmond (39.8289°, -84.8902°, elevation 981 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).