Indianapolis weather in December: Indianapolis, Indiana: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Indianapolis in December has a normal high of 40°F and a normal low of 26°F, a daily mean of 33°F, falling from 45°F on the 1st to 37°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 12 days in a normal December, 2.92 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 5°C and low of −3°C, 74 mm of precipitation and 16 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationIndianapolis International Airport
- Station IDUSW00093819
- Location39.71°N 86.28°W
- Elevation790 ft (241 m)
- From the center9 miles
- Population891,484
- Jan 36° 21°
- Feb 41° 24°
- Mar 52° 33°
- Apr 64° 43°
- May 73° 54°
- Jun 82° 63°
- Jul 85° 66°
- Aug 84° 65°
- Sep 78° 57°
- Oct 66° 46°
- Nov 52° 35°
- Dec 40° 26°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Indianapolis in December?
The normal high is 40°F and the normal low 26°F, for a daily mean of 33.3°F. December is 10.0°F cooler than November and 4.8°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Indianapolis and the 11th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 8°F, from 45°F on December 1 to 37°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 4.6°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 29°F and 38°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 40%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 45°F | 30°F | 36% | 21% |
| December 8 | 43°F | 28°F | 37% | 21% |
| December 15 | 40°F | 26°F | 38% | 21% |
| December 22 | 39°F | 25°F | 39% | 21% |
| December 31 | 37°F | 23°F | 40% | 21% |
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 | 45°F | 30°F | 36% | 21% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 2 | 45°F | 30°F | 36% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 3 | 44°F | 30°F | 36% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 4 | 44°F | 29°F | 36% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 5 | 44°F | 29°F | 37% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 6 | 43°F | 29°F | 37% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 7 | 43°F | 28°F | 37% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 8 | 43°F | 28°F | 37% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 9 | 42°F | 28°F | 37% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 10 | 42°F | 28°F | 38% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 11 | 42°F | 27°F | 38% | 21% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 12 | 41°F | 27°F | 38% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 13 | 41°F | 27°F | 38% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 14 | 41°F | 27°F | 38% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 15 | 40°F | 26°F | 38% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 16 | 40°F | 26°F | 39% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 17 | 40°F | 26°F | 39% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 18 | 40°F | 26°F | 39% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 19 | 39°F | 25°F | 39% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 20 | 39°F | 25°F | 39% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 21 | 39°F | 25°F | 39% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 22 | 39°F | 25°F | 39% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 23 | 38°F | 25°F | 39% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 24 | 38°F | 24°F | 39% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 25 | 38°F | 24°F | 40% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 26 | 38°F | 24°F | 40% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 27 | 38°F | 24°F | 40% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 28 | 37°F | 23°F | 40% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 29 | 37°F | 23°F | 40% | 20% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 30 | 37°F | 23°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 31 | 37°F | 23°F | 40% | 21% | 9 h 20 min |
- Normal high
- 40°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 26°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 2.92 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 120.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 6.4 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 23
- Daylight
- 9 h 40 min to 9 h 20 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 59%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00093819; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Indianapolis in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 38% on average, highest around December 31 (40%). In all, 2.92 in falls on 12 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Indianapolis, 23 nights fall to freezing, 7 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 6.4 inches.
Snow falls on 6 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 6 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00093819.
How humid and windy is Indianapolis in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 35°F with 68% relative humidity and a dew point of 25°F; at 6 a.m. it is 28°F with 82% humidity. The wind averages 10.5 mph, most often from the west-southwest in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 28°F | 23°F | 82% | 9.6 mph | 28% |
| 9 a.m. | 28°F | 23°F | 83% | 9.7 mph | 27% |
| noon | 33°F | 25°F | 73% | 11.6 mph | 27% |
| 3 p.m. | 35°F | 25°F | 68% | 12.1 mph | 20% |
| 6 p.m. | 33°F | 25°F | 74% | 10.6 mph | – |
| 9 p.m. | 31°F | 25°F | 78% | 10.5 mph | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00093819. 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 Indianapolis?
The warmest December temperature on Indianapolis's official record (since 1871) is 74°F, on December 2, 1982; the coldest is −23°F, on December 22, 1989. The wettest December brought 7.72 in (1990); the snowiest, 27.5 inches (1973).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 33.3°F: 2021 42.1°F (+8.8), 2022 33.4°F (+0.1), 2023 40.8°F (+7.5), 2024 36.1°F (+2.9), 2025 32.1°F (−1.2). 4 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 42.1°F | +8.8°F | 4.23 in |
| 2022 | 33.4°F | +0.1°F | 2.63 in |
| 2023 | 40.8°F | +7.5°F | 1.26 in |
| 2024 | 36.1°F | +2.9°F | 4.73 in |
| 2025 | 32.1°F | −1.2°F | 2.39 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record INDthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00093819. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Indianapolis compare across Indiana?
Across the 99 places PlainClimate covers in Indiana, December normal highs run from 36°F in Angola to 47°F in English; Indianapolis's is 40°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.
Other months and places
- Indianapolis in November52°F by day, 35°F at night
- Indianapolis in January36°F by day, 21°F at night
- Indianapolis through the yearEvery month, frost dates, records and recent years
- Indiana in DecemberThe statewide normal and the warmest and coolest places
- English: Indiana's warmest Decembernormal high 47°F