Zanesville weather in December

In December, Zanesville sees average daytime highs of 41°F and overnight lows near 29°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 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 45°F in the first days to 39°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% 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 Zanesville's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Zanesville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
41°
10th warmest
Overnight low
29°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
3.3 in
9.8 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
7:49 AM – 5:00 PM
Cloud cover
75%
11th clearest
Wind
7 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
1.58 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.2
out of 10

Zanesville is city in Muskingum County, Ohio, United States.

Density
811/km²
people per km²
Founded
1797

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 45°F in the first days to 39°F by the end.

A typical December day in Zanesville reaches about 41°F in the afternoon and slips back to 29°F overnight — a 13°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°F and 56°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)
14632
24532
34531
44431
54431
64331
74330
84330
94230
104229
114229
124229
134129
144129
154129
164128
174128
184028
194028
204028
214028
224028
234027
244027
254027
264027
274027
283927
293926
303926
313926

How December really feels in Zanesville

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.

Zanesville weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan37° / 23°3.410.85.79.50.0
Feb41° / 25°2.99.34.510.40.2
Mar51° / 33°4.011.52.611.72.3
Apr63° / 43°4.512.60.5135.0
May72° / 53°4.613.5014.26.1
Jun80° / 62°4.112.3014.86.0
Jul84° / 65°3.711.8014.55.4
Aug83° / 64°3.110.1013.66.0
Sep76° / 56°3.28.6012.37.0
Oct64° / 46°3.19.40.110.95.7
Nov51° / 36°3.29.219.82.6
Dec41° / 29°3.39.83.39.20.2

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% 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 (%)
12773
22674
32674
42674
52575
62476
72476
82476
92476
102377
112377
122377
132476
142476
152476
162575
172674
182674
192773
202773
212773
222773
232773
242773
252773
262773
272773
282773
292773
302674
312773

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitationSnow

Zanesville 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 34% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1346
2336
3337
4337
5338
6339
7339
83310
93310
103311
113311
123311
133211
143212
153212
163212
173212
183112
193112
203112
213112
223011
233011
243011
253011
263112
273112
283212
293213
303313
313313

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
14991
15991
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
27991
28991
29991
30991
31991

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 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 7:37 AM to 7:55 AM, and sunset from 4:59 PM to 5:07 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.47:374:59
29.47:384:59
39.37:384:59
49.37:394:59
59.37:404:58
69.37:414:58
79.37:424:58
89.37:434:58
99.27:444:58
109.27:454:58
119.27:454:59
129.27:464:59
139.27:474:59
149.27:474:59
159.27:484:59
169.27:495:00
179.27:495:00
189.27:505:00
199.27:515:01
209.27:515:01
219.27:525:01
229.27:525:02
239.27:535:02
249.27:535:03
259.27:535:03
269.27:545:04
279.27:545:05
289.27:545:05
299.27:555:06
309.27:555:07
319.27:555:07

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 1.58 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.58 kWh/m² to a high of 6.14 kWh/m² in June across the year — December's 1.58 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

00.511.522.5151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.7Dim
21.7Dim
31.6Dim
41.6Dim
51.6Dim
61.6Dim
71.6Dim
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 Zanesville?

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

0.2
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 Zanesville.

What to pack for Zanesville in December

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

In December, Zanesville sees daytime highs around 41°F and nights near 29°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 Zanesville 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 Zanesville peaks around June 21 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 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 21UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Zanesville 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 Zanesville is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1217 µg/m³Nov 157 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May15Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Zanesville?

Zanesville sits at 39.9°N, 82.0°W, 676 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Newark, 22 mi away.

Topography around Zanesville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Zanesville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 312 ft around an average of 797 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 505 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 883 ft.

The land around Zanesville is covered by trees (55%), grassland (20%) and artificial surfaces (20%) within 2 miles, trees (64%) and grassland (25%) within 10 miles, and trees (66%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
312 ft
10 miles
505 ft
50 miles
883 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Newark 22 mi · Lancaster 35 mi · Pataskala 35 mi · Pickerington 39 mi · Mount Vernon 40 mi · Reynoldsburg 42 mi · Athens 42 mi · Gahanna 46 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 Zanesville (39.9404°, -82.0132°, elevation 676 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).