Joplin weather in December: Joplin, Missouri: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Joplin in December has a normal high of 48°F and a normal low of 29°F, a daily mean of 38°F, falling from 52°F on the 1st to 45°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 8 days in a normal December, 2.60 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 9°C and low of −2°C, 66 mm of precipitation in December.
- NOAA stationJoplin Regional Airport
- Station IDUSW00013987
- Location37.15°N 94.50°W
- Elevation980 ft (299 m)
- Population53,605
- Jan 45° 25°
- Feb 50° 29°
- Mar 60° 37°
- Apr 69° 47°
- May 77° 56°
- Jun 86° 65°
- Jul 90° 70°
- Aug 90° 68°
- Sep 82° 59°
- Oct 71° 48°
- Nov 58° 37°
- Dec 48° 29°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Joplin in December?
The normal high is 48°F and the normal low 29°F, for a daily mean of 38.1°F. December is 9.7°F cooler than November and 3.2°F warmer than January. December is the 11th warmest month of the year in Joplin and the 10th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 7°F, from 52°F on December 1 to 45°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 3.7°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 34°F and 42°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 26%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 52°F | 32°F | 26% | 16% |
| December 8 | 50°F | 30°F | 26% | 15% |
| December 15 | 48°F | 29°F | 26% | 14% |
| December 22 | 46°F | 27°F | 25% | 14% |
| December 31 | 45°F | 26°F | 25% | 13% |
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 | 52°F | 32°F | 26% | 16% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 2 | 52°F | 32°F | 26% | 16% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 3 | 51°F | 31°F | 26% | 16% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 4 | 51°F | 31°F | 26% | 16% | 9 h 50 min |
| December 5 | 51°F | 31°F | 26% | 16% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 6 | 50°F | 31°F | 26% | 15% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 7 | 50°F | 30°F | 26% | 15% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 8 | 50°F | 30°F | 26% | 15% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 9 | 49°F | 30°F | 26% | 15% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 10 | 49°F | 30°F | 26% | 15% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 11 | 49°F | 29°F | 26% | 15% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 12 | 49°F | 29°F | 26% | 15% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 13 | 48°F | 29°F | 26% | 15% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 14 | 48°F | 29°F | 26% | 15% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 15 | 48°F | 29°F | 26% | 14% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 16 | 47°F | 28°F | 26% | 14% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 17 | 47°F | 28°F | 26% | 14% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 18 | 47°F | 28°F | 26% | 14% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 19 | 47°F | 28°F | 25% | 14% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 20 | 47°F | 28°F | 25% | 14% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 21 | 46°F | 27°F | 25% | 14% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 22 | 46°F | 27°F | 25% | 14% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 23 | 46°F | 27°F | 25% | 14% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 24 | 46°F | 27°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 25 | 46°F | 27°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 26 | 45°F | 27°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 27 | 45°F | 26°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 28 | 45°F | 26°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 29 | 45°F | 26°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 30 | 45°F | 26°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 40 min |
| December 31 | 45°F | 26°F | 25% | 13% | 9 h 40 min |
- Normal high
- 48°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 29°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 2.60 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 80.01 inch or more
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 21
- Daylight
- 9 h 50 min to 9 h 40 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Days at 70°F or more
- 1
- Sunshine
- 71%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00013987; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain in Joplin in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 25% on average, highest around December 1 (26%). In all, 2.60 in falls on 8 days of a normal December, 1 of them with an inch or more.
In a normal December in Joplin, 21 nights fall to freezing and 4 days stay below freezing all day.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00013987.
How humid and windy is Joplin in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 43°F with 53% relative humidity and a dew point of 27°F; at 6 a.m. it is 31°F with 78% humidity. The wind averages 9.7 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. | 31°F | 25°F | 78% | 9.0 mph | 63% |
| 9 a.m. | 33°F | 26°F | 75% | 10.0 mph | 58% |
| noon | 40°F | 27°F | 59% | 11.6 mph | 56% |
| 3 p.m. | 43°F | 27°F | 53% | 11.7 mph | 59% |
| 6 p.m. | 38°F | 27°F | 63% | 8.3 mph | 60% |
| 9 p.m. | 35°F | 26°F | 70% | 8.5 mph | 65% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00013987. 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 Joplin?
The warmest December temperature on this station's record (since 1902) is 79°F, on December 27, 2025; the coldest is −15°F, on December 23, 1989. The wettest December brought 9.77 in (2015); the snowiest, 11.5 inches (1987).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 38.1°F: 2021 50.0°F (+11.9), 2022 37.7°F (−0.4), 2023 44.0°F (+5.9), 2024 43.0°F (+4.9), 2025 42.7°F (+4.6). 4 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 50.0°F | +11.9°F | 0.93 in |
| 2022 | 37.7°F | −0.4°F | 2.64 in |
| 2023 | 44.0°F | +5.9°F | 2.43 in |
| 2024 | 43.0°F | +4.9°F | 1.47 in |
| 2025 | 42.7°F | +4.6°F | 0.04 in |
Source: records: ACIS, station USW00013987; recent months: ACIS, station USW00013987. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Joplin compare across Missouri?
Across the 134 places PlainClimate covers in Missouri, December normal highs run from 37°F in Tarkio to 49°F in Neosho; Joplin's is 48°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.