Cedar Rapids weather in December: Cedar Rapids, Iowa: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Cedar Rapids in December has a normal high of 33°F and a normal low of 17°F, a daily mean of 25°F, falling from 39°F on the 1st to 29°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 8 days in a normal December, 1.59 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 1°C and low of −8°C, 40 mm of precipitation in December.
- NOAA stationCedar Rapids Municipal Airport
- Station IDUSW00014990
- Location41.88°N 91.72°W
- Elevation868 ft (265 m)
- From the center6 miles
- Population137,904
- Jan 28° 11°
- Feb 33° 16°
- Mar 46° 27°
- Apr 60° 38°
- May 71° 50°
- Jun 80° 60°
- Jul 83° 63°
- Aug 81° 60°
- Sep 75° 52°
- Oct 62° 40°
- Nov 46° 28°
- Dec 33° 17°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Cedar Rapids in December?
The normal high is 33°F and the normal low 17°F, for a daily mean of 25.2°F. December is 11.8°F cooler than November and 5.6°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Cedar Rapids and the 10th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 10°F, from 39°F on December 1 to 29°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 5.6°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 20°F and 31°F.
Bars above: each day's normal high to low. Columns below: the chance of 0.01 inch or more of precipitation that day, on a scale of 0 to 100% (highest 27%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 39°F | 22°F | 27% | 13% |
| December 8 | 36°F | 19°F | 27% | 12% |
| December 15 | 33°F | 17°F | 26% | 12% |
| December 22 | 31°F | 15°F | 26% | 11% |
| December 31 | 29°F | 13°F | 25% | 10% |
Every day of December: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon December 1, coldest night December 31)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 39°F | 22°F | 27% | 13% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 2 | 38°F | 21°F | 27% | 13% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 3 | 38°F | 21°F | 27% | 13% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 4 | 38°F | 21°F | 27% | 13% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 5 | 37°F | 20°F | 27% | 13% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 6 | 37°F | 20°F | 27% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 7 | 36°F | 20°F | 27% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 8 | 36°F | 19°F | 27% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 9 | 35°F | 19°F | 26% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 10 | 35°F | 19°F | 26% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 11 | 35°F | 18°F | 26% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 12 | 34°F | 18°F | 26% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 13 | 34°F | 18°F | 26% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 14 | 34°F | 18°F | 26% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 15 | 33°F | 17°F | 26% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 16 | 33°F | 17°F | 26% | 12% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 17 | 33°F | 17°F | 26% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 18 | 32°F | 16°F | 26% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 19 | 32°F | 16°F | 26% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 20 | 32°F | 16°F | 26% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 21 | 31°F | 16°F | 26% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 22 | 31°F | 15°F | 26% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 23 | 31°F | 15°F | 26% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 24 | 31°F | 15°F | 26% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 25 | 30°F | 15°F | 25% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 26 | 30°F | 14°F | 25% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 27 | 30°F | 14°F | 25% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 28 | 30°F | 14°F | 25% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 29 | 30°F | 14°F | 25% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 30 | 29°F | 13°F | 25% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 31 | 29°F | 13°F | 25% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
- Normal high
- 33°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 17°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 1.59 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 80.01 inch or more
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 29
- Daylight
- 9 h 20 min to 9 h 10 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 63%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014990; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain in Cedar Rapids in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 26% on average, highest around December 1 (27%). In all, 1.59 in falls on 8 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Cedar Rapids, 29 nights fall to freezing and 14 days stay below freezing all day.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014990.
How humid and windy is Cedar Rapids in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 27°F with 72% relative humidity and a dew point of 19°F; at 6 a.m. it is 19°F with 85% humidity. The wind averages 11.0 mph, most often from the west-northwest in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 19°F | 15°F | 85% | 10.3 mph | 54% |
| 9 a.m. | 20°F | 16°F | 84% | 10.9 mph | 55% |
| noon | 25°F | 18°F | 75% | 12.6 mph | 52% |
| 3 p.m. | 27°F | 19°F | 72% | 12.5 mph | 51% |
| 6 p.m. | 24°F | 18°F | 79% | 10.6 mph | 56% |
| 9 p.m. | 22°F | 17°F | 82% | 10.6 mph | 57% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00014990. Hourly normals exist only for NOAA's first-order stations; a dash where NOAA publishes no value for that hour (the sky at some hours).
What are the records for December in Cedar Rapids?
The warmest December temperature on Cedar Rapids's official record (since 1893) is 73°F, on December 15, 2021; the coldest is −28°F, on December 28, 1924. The wettest December brought 4.07 in (2015); the snowiest, 21.3 inches (1977).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 25.2°F: 2021 31.3°F (+6.1), 2022 23.4°F (−1.8), 2023 35.3°F (+10.1), 2024 30.0°F (+4.8), 2025 22.1°F (−3.1). 3 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 31.3°F | +6.1°F | 1.18 in |
| 2022 | 23.4°F | −1.8°F | 1.21 in |
| 2023 | 35.3°F | +10.1°F | 1.50 in |
| 2024 | 30.0°F | +4.8°F | 1.48 in |
| 2025 | 22.1°F | −3.1°F | 1.00 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record CIDthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014990. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Cedar Rapids compare across Iowa?
Across the 132 places PlainClimate covers in Iowa, December normal highs run from 27°F in Northwood to 38°F in Keokuk; Cedar Rapids's is 33°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.