Waukegan weather in December

In December, Waukegan sees average daytime highs of 36°F and overnight lows near 28°F, with 3.1 in of precipitation across 10 wet days and about 9 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 8th-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 17% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 06 min at the start of December to 8 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Waukegan's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Waukegan's year-round climate.

Daytime high
36°
10th warmest
Overnight low
28°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.1 in
10 wet days
Daylight
8 h 54 min
7:20 AM – 4:15 PM
Cloud cover
74%
11th clearest
Wind
14 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
1.48 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Waukegan is county seat of Lake County, Illinois, United States.

Density
1,430/km²
people per km²
Founded
1859

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 Waukegan reaches about 36°F in the afternoon and slips back to 28°F overnight — a 8°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 25°F and 45°F. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 10°F cooler than November and about 6°F warmer than January.

10°20°30°40°50°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14033
24033
33932
43932
53931
63831
73831
83830
93730
103730
113729
123729
133629
143629
153628
163628
173628
183528
193528
203527
213527
223527
233427
243426
253426
263426
273426
283426
293326
303325
313325

How December really feels in Waukegan

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
5 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Waukegan weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 21°2.99.879.30.0
Feb31° / 21°2.47.75.110.30.0
Mar37° / 29°3.09.83.211.60.0
Apr46° / 39°4.8121.413.11.3
May58° / 50°4.111.7014.44.1
Jun71° / 64°3.510.50156.5
Jul78° / 70°3.110.5014.86.8
Aug77° / 70°3.810.7013.77.0
Sep71° / 63°3.39.5012.36.8
Oct58° / 51°4.010.50.110.84.4
Nov46° / 39°3.4101.39.61.2
Dec36° / 28°3.1104.990.0

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% 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 74%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12971
22971
32971
42971
52971
62872
72872
82872
92773
102773
112773
122773
132773
142773
152674
162674
172674
182674
192674
202674
212575
222575
232575
242674
252575
262575
272575
282476
292476
302377
312377

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Waukegan gets around 3.1 in of rain and snow over 10 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 33% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days, and about 5 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13612
23613
33514
43514
53514
63415
73415
83315
93315
103215
113215
123215
133215
143215
153215
163215
173215
183215
193215
203215
213215
223216
233216
243216
253216
263217
273217
283217
293318
303318
313318

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 (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in December

Winds average 14 mph in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 14 mph on the calmest days to 15 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
115breezy
215breezy
315breezy
415breezy
514breezy
614breezy
714breezy
814breezy
914breezy
1014breezy
1114breezy
1214breezy
1314breezy
1414breezy
1514breezy
1614breezy
1714breezy
1814breezy
1914breezy
2014breezy
2114breezy
2214breezy
2315breezy
2415breezy
2515breezy
2615breezy
2715breezy
2815breezy
2915breezy
3015breezy
3115breezy

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 06 min at the start of December to 8 h 54 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 7:07 AM to 7:26 AM, and sunset from 4:15 PM to 4:23 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.17:074:15
29.17:084:15
39.17:094:15
49.17:104:14
59.07:114:14
69.07:124:14
79.07:134:14
89.07:144:14
99.07:154:14
109.07:164:14
119.07:164:14
128.97:174:14
138.97:184:14
148.97:194:15
158.97:194:15
168.97:204:15
178.97:214:15
188.97:214:16
198.97:224:16
208.97:234:16
218.97:234:17
228.97:244:17
238.97:244:18
248.97:244:18
258.97:254:19
268.97:254:19
278.97:254:20
288.97:264:21
298.97:264:21
308.97:264:22
318.97:264:23

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.48 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.48 kWh/m² to a high of 6.5 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.48 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.6Dim
21.6Dim
31.6Dim
41.6Dim
51.6Dim
61.5Dim
71.5Dim
81.5Dim
91.5Dim
101.5Dim
111.5Dim
121.5Dim
131.5Dim
141.5Dim
151.5Dim
161.5Dim
171.5Dim
181.4Dim
191.4Dim
201.4Dim
211.4Dim
221.4Dim
231.5Dim
241.5Dim
251.5Dim
261.5Dim
271.5Dim
281.5Dim
291.5Dim
301.5Dim
311.5Dim
Planning a trip in December

Is December a good time to visit Waukegan?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

December is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Waukegan.

What to pack for Waukegan in December

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

In December, Waukegan sees daytime highs around 36°F and nights near 28°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear and a windbreaker. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Waukegan 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 offshore is warmest in August at about 71°F and coldest in March near 36°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 18 to Sep 8 — about 1.7 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan38Bracing
Feb36Bracing
Mar36Bracing
Apr38Bracing
May43Bracing
Jun55Bracing
Jul68Refreshing
Aug71Refreshing
Sep67Cool
Oct57Bracing
Nov47Bracing
Dec42Bracing

UV index in Waukegan in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Waukegan peaks around June 22 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 22UV 9Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Waukegan 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 Waukegan is worst in July — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 10 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJul 921 µg/m³Oct 2410 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr19Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Waukegan?

Waukegan sits at 42.4°N, 87.8°W, 653 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is North Chicago, 2.5 mi away.

Topography around Waukegan

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Waukegan has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 194 ft around an average of 653 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 318 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 787 ft.

The land around Waukegan is covered by artificial surfaces (43%) and trees (31%) within 2 miles, water (41%) and trees (25%) within 10 miles, and water (45%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
194 ft
10 miles
318 ft
50 miles
787 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: North Chicago 2.5 mi · Gurnee 3.1 mi · Zion 5.6 mi · Lake Forest 7.5 mi · Libertyville 8.1 mi · Grayslake 9.9 mi · Mundelein 11 mi · Vernon Hills 12 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 Waukegan (42.3636°, -87.8448°, elevation 653 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).