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Typical December weather

Chicago

Illinois · December

Lights everywhere, and a lake that sharpens every block.

37° days
24° nights

about 6 snowy days · 9 hours of daylight

What to pack

What December feels like

Zoo Lights at Lincoln Park is free and gets busy after dinner; the Loop windows do their annual thing. Cold snaps in December are the kind where the wind decides how the day goes, so the walk between the L and the restaurant is the part worth planning.

Winter is doing its thing: 7.6 in of snow in a typical December, with fresh snow on about 6 days. Nearly every night dips below freezing.

The numbers

Typical high37°
Typical low24°
Days with snow6
Rain and melted snow2.1 in
Snowfall7.6 in
Humiditydry air
Sunrise / sunset (mid-month)7:11 am / 4:20 pm

How December compares

See the whole year in Chicago ›