Saint Joseph weather in December

In December, Saint Joseph sees average daytime highs of 40°F and overnight lows near 24°F, with 1.8 in of precipitation across 5.4 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 44°F in the first days to 37°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% 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 Saint Joseph's 7th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Saint Joseph's year-round climate.

Daytime high
40°
11th warmest
Overnight low
24°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
1.8 in
5.4 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
7:40 AM – 4:51 PM
Cloud cover
58%
7th clearest
Wind
9 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
2.01 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.2
out of 10

Saint Joseph is city and seat of Buchanan County, State of Missouri, United States.

Density
662/km²
people per km²
Founded
1843

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 44°F in the first days to 37°F by the end.

A typical December day in Saint Joseph reaches about 40°F in the afternoon and slips back to 24°F overnight — a 16°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 12°F cooler than November and about 4°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14528
24528
34428
44427
54427
64326
74326
84226
94226
104225
114125
124125
134125
144124
154024
164024
174024
184024
193923
203923
213923
223923
233822
243822
253822
263822
273822
283721
293721
303721
313721

How December really feels in Saint Joseph

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
13 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Saint Joseph 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
Jan37° / 20°1.25.43.69.50.0
Feb41° / 23°1.76.13.110.40.3
Mar53° / 33°3.091.911.73.1
Apr64° / 44°4.511.10.6135.5
May74° / 55°5.612.50.114.26.4
Jun83° / 65°4.511.1014.85.7
Jul87° / 69°4.49.1014.55.0
Aug85° / 67°3.69013.65.5
Sep78° / 58°3.38.2012.37.2
Oct65° / 46°3.27.90.210.96.4
Nov52° / 34°2.16.51.19.83.0
Dec40° / 24°1.85.42.69.20.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 35% 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 53%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15149
25149
35149
45050
55149
65149
75149
85050
95149
105050
115050
125050
134852
144852
154852
164852
174654
184654
194654
204555
214555
224456
234357
244357
254357
264357
274456
284456
294555
304555
314555

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Saint Joseph gets around 1.8 in of rain and snow over 5.4 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 18% and peaks near 20% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1187
2187
3187
4177
5178
6178
7178
8178
9188
10189
11189
12189
13199
14199
15199
16199
17209
18209
19199
20199
21199
22199
23189
24189
25189
26189
27199
281910
291910
301910
311910

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 (%)Comfortable (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

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 7:27 AM to 7:46 AM, and sunset from 4:51 PM to 4:59 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.47:274:51
29.47:284:51
39.47:294:51
49.37:304:50
59.37:314:50
69.37:324:50
79.37:334:50
89.37:344:50
99.37:354:50
109.27:354:50
119.27:364:50
129.27:374:51
139.27:384:51
149.27:384:51
159.27:394:51
169.27:404:51
179.27:404:52
189.27:414:52
199.27:414:52
209.27:424:53
219.27:424:53
229.27:434:54
239.27:434:54
249.27:444:55
259.27:444:55
269.27:454:56
279.27:454:56
289.27:454:57
299.27:464:58
309.27:464:58
319.27:464:59

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 2.01 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.01 kWh/m² to a high of 6.56 kWh/m² in July across the year — December's 2.01 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.1Moderate
22.1Moderate
32.1Moderate
42.1Moderate
52.1Moderate
62.1Moderate
72.0Moderate
82.0Moderate
92.0Moderate
102.0Moderate
112.0Moderate
122.0Moderate
132.0Moderate
142.0Dim
152.0Dim
162.0Dim
172.0Dim
182.0Dim
192.0Dim
202.0Dim
212.0Dim
222.0Dim
232.0Dim
242.0Dim
252.0Moderate
262.0Moderate
272.0Moderate
282.0Moderate
292.0Moderate
302.0Moderate
312.0Moderate
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Saint Joseph?

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

0.2
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 Saint Joseph.

What to pack for Saint Joseph in December

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

In December, Saint Joseph sees daytime highs around 40°F and nights near 24°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 5 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

UV index in Saint Joseph 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 Saint Joseph peaks around June 22 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 10Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May7High
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Saint Joseph 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 Saint Joseph is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 1815 µg/m³Oct 227 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar12Moderate
Apr11Good
May12Good
Jun13Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Saint Joseph?

Saint Joseph sits at 39.8°N, 94.8°W, 886 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Leavenworth, 32 mi away.

Topography around Saint Joseph

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Saint Joseph has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 308 ft around an average of 909 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 397 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 640 ft.

The land around Saint Joseph is covered by trees (48%) and artificial surfaces (27%) within 2 miles, cropland (42%) and trees (33%) within 10 miles, and cropland (48%), grassland (26%) and trees (23%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
308 ft
10 miles
397 ft
50 miles
640 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Leavenworth 32 mi · Gladstone 42 mi · Liberty 43 mi · Kansas City 47 mi · Kansas City 48 mi · Shawnee 51 mi · Independence 52 mi · East Independence 53 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 Saint Joseph (39.7686°, -94.8466°, elevation 886 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).