St. Charles weather in December

In December, St. Charles sees average daytime highs of 35°F and overnight lows near 22°F, with 2.2 in of precipitation across 8 wet days and about 9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 39°F in the first days to 33°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is St. Charles's 11th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see St. Charles's year-round climate.

Daytime high
35°
10th warmest
Overnight low
22°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
2.2 in
8 wet days
Daylight
9 hours
7:20 AM – 4:18 PM
Cloud cover
69%
11th clearest
Wind
8 mph
7th windiest
Solar energy
1.62 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

St. Charles is Chicago suburb in Kane and DuPage counties of Illinois, United States.

Density
847/km²
people per km²
Founded
1834

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 39°F in the first days to 33°F by the end.

A typical December day in St. Charles reaches about 35°F in the afternoon and slips back to 22°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°F and 49°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 12°F cooler than November and about 5°F warmer than January.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14026
23926
33926
43825
53825
63824
73724
83724
93623
103623
113623
123522
133522
143522
153522
163522
173421
183421
193421
203421
213421
223421
233321
243320
253320
263320
273320
283320
293320
303319
313219

How December really feels in St. Charles

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
22 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

St. Charles 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
Jan30° / 16°2.17.95.79.30.0
Feb34° / 20°1.974.910.30.0
Mar46° / 29°2.69.63.111.71.4
Apr58° / 39°4.512113.14.1
May69° / 50°4.612.5014.36.0
Jun79° / 60°4.212.30156.3
Jul82° / 65°3.711.2014.76.1
Aug80° / 62°3.710.6013.76.5
Sep74° / 55°3.18.4012.37.1
Oct61° / 43°3.190.210.95.2
Nov47° / 32°2.481.59.61.5
Dec35° / 22°2.284.490.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% 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 66%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13565
23565
33664
43664
53565
63664
73664
83664
93565
103565
113565
123565
133565
143565
153565
163466
173367
183367
193268
203268
213268
223169
233169
243169
253268
263169
273169
283169
293169
303169
313169

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

St. Charles gets around 2.2 in of rain and snow over 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 26% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12912
22913
32913
42813
52814
62814
72714
82714
92714
102714
112614
122614
132614
142614
152614
162714
172614
182614
192614
202614
212614
222514
232514
242514
252514
262514
272514
282514
292514
302515
312515

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
12991
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
311000

Wind in December

Winds average 8 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 12 min at the start of December to 9 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 7:08 AM to 7:27 AM, and sunset from 4:18 PM to 4:26 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.27:084:18
29.27:094:18
39.17:104:18
49.17:114:18
59.17:124:17
69.17:134:17
79.17:134:17
89.07:144:17
99.07:154:17
109.07:164:17
119.07:174:17
129.07:184:18
139.07:184:18
149.07:194:18
159.07:204:18
169.07:204:18
179.07:214:19
189.07:224:19
199.07:224:19
208.97:234:20
218.97:234:20
228.97:244:21
238.97:244:21
248.97:254:22
259.07:254:22
269.07:254:23
279.07:264:23
289.07:264:24
299.07:264:25
309.07:274:25
319.07:274:26

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.62 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.62 kWh/m² to a high of 6.3 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.62 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.7Dim
21.7Dim
31.7Dim
41.7Dim
51.7Dim
61.7Dim
71.7Dim
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

Is December a good time to visit St. Charles?

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
9th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in St. Charles.

What to pack for St. Charles in December

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

In December, St. Charles sees daytime highs around 35°F and nights near 22°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near St. Charles in December

The nearest coast averages about 42°F in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 35 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in February near 36°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 13 to Sep 15 — about 2.1 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan38Bracing
Feb36Bracing
Mar36Bracing
Apr39Bracing
May45Bracing
Jun57Bracing
Jul70Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Refreshing
Oct58Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec42Bracing

UV index in St. Charles 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 St. Charles peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 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 20UV 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in St. Charles 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 St. Charles is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJul 1817 µg/m³Oct 229 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar16Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov10Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is St. Charles?

St. Charles sits at 41.9°N, 88.3°W, 732 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Geneva, 1.9 mi away.

Topography around St. Charles

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around St. Charles has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 187 ft around an average of 758 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 430 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 892 ft.

The land around St. Charles is covered by trees (49%) and artificial surfaces (30%) within 2 miles, trees (33%) and grassland (27%) within 10 miles, and cropland (43%) and trees (20%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
187 ft
10 miles
430 ft
50 miles
892 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Geneva 1.9 mi · Batavia 4.3 mi · Wasco 5.0 mi · South Elgin 5.6 mi · West Chicago 5.6 mi · North Aurora 7.5 mi · Bartlett 8.7 mi · Elgin 8.7 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 St. Charles (41.9142°, -88.3087°, elevation 732 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).