Ottumwa weather in December: Ottumwa, Iowa: normal highs, lows, rain and records for December
Ottumwa in December has a normal high of 37°F and a normal low of 20°F, a daily mean of 28°F, falling from 43°F on the 1st to 33°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 7 days in a normal December, 1.44 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 3°C and low of −7°C, 37 mm of precipitation and 11 cm of snow in December.
- NOAA stationOttumwa Industrial Airport
- Station IDUSW00014950
- Location41.11°N 92.45°W
- Elevation842 ft (257 m)
- From the center6 miles
- Population25,648
- Jan 32° 14°
- Feb 37° 18°
- Mar 50° 29°
- Apr 63° 39°
- May 73° 51°
- Jun 82° 61°
- Jul 86° 65°
- Aug 84° 62°
- Sep 77° 53°
- Oct 64° 42°
- Nov 50° 30°
- Dec 37° 20°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Ottumwa in December?
The normal high is 37°F and the normal low 20°F, for a daily mean of 28.4°F. December is 11.2°F cooler than November and 5.5°F warmer than January. December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Ottumwa and the 10th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 10°F, from 43°F on December 1 to 33°F on December 31. From one year to the next December's mean temperature typically moves about 4.9°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Decembers in three average between 24°F and 33°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 24%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 43°F | 24°F | 24% | 12% |
| December 8 | 40°F | 22°F | 24% | 11% |
| December 15 | 37°F | 20°F | 24% | 11% |
| December 22 | 35°F | 18°F | 23% | 10% |
| December 31 | 33°F | 16°F | 23% | 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 | 43°F | 24°F | 24% | 12% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 2 | 42°F | 24°F | 24% | 12% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 3 | 42°F | 23°F | 24% | 12% | 9 h 30 min |
| December 4 | 41°F | 23°F | 24% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 5 | 41°F | 23°F | 24% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 6 | 41°F | 22°F | 24% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 7 | 40°F | 22°F | 24% | 12% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 8 | 40°F | 22°F | 24% | 11% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 9 | 39°F | 22°F | 24% | 11% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 10 | 39°F | 21°F | 24% | 11% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 11 | 39°F | 21°F | 24% | 11% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 12 | 38°F | 21°F | 24% | 11% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 13 | 38°F | 20°F | 24% | 11% | 9 h 20 min |
| December 14 | 38°F | 20°F | 24% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 15 | 37°F | 20°F | 24% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 16 | 37°F | 20°F | 23% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 17 | 37°F | 19°F | 23% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 18 | 36°F | 19°F | 23% | 11% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 19 | 36°F | 19°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 20 | 36°F | 19°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 21 | 35°F | 18°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 22 | 35°F | 18°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 23 | 35°F | 18°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 24 | 35°F | 18°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 25 | 34°F | 17°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 26 | 34°F | 17°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 27 | 34°F | 17°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 28 | 34°F | 17°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 29 | 33°F | 16°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 30 | 33°F | 16°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 10 min |
| December 31 | 33°F | 16°F | 23% | 10% | 9 h 20 min |
- Normal high
- 37°FDecember average
- Normal low
- 20°FDecember average
- Precipitation
- 1.44 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 70.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 4.2 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 27
- Daylight
- 9 h 30 min to 9 h 20 minDecember 1 to December 31
- Sunshine
- 66%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014950; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Ottumwa in December?
On a given December day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 23% on average, highest around December 1 (24%). In all, 1.44 in falls on 7 days of a normal December.
In a normal December in Ottumwa, 27 nights fall to freezing, 11 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 4.2 inches.
Snow falls on 3 days in a normal December, and an inch or more covers the ground on 5 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014950.
How humid and windy is Ottumwa in December?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 30°F with 65% relative humidity and a dew point of 20°F; at 6 a.m. it is 21°F with 82% humidity. The wind averages 11.6 mph, most often from the west in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 21°F | 16°F | 82% | 10.8 mph | 57% |
| 9 a.m. | 23°F | 17°F | 80% | 11.6 mph | – |
| noon | 28°F | 19°F | 69% | 12.9 mph | – |
| 3 p.m. | 30°F | 20°F | 65% | 13.2 mph | 53% |
| 6 p.m. | 27°F | 20°F | 74% | 11.1 mph | – |
| 9 p.m. | 25°F | 19°F | 77% | 11.3 mph | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00014950. 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 Ottumwa?
The warmest December temperature on this station's record (since 1948) is 75°F, on December 15, 2021; the coldest is −21°F, on December 23, 1989. The wettest December brought 4.13 in (2015); the snowiest, 19.4 inches (1961).
The December mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 28.4°F: 2021 35.5°F (+7.1), 2022 25.9°F (−2.4), 2023 37.4°F (+9.0), 2024 31.7°F (+3.3), 2025 26.5°F (−1.9). 3 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| December | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 35.5°F | +7.1°F | 0.80 in |
| 2022 | 25.9°F | −2.4°F | 1.29 in |
| 2023 | 37.4°F | +9.0°F | 2.30 in |
| 2024 | 31.7°F | +3.3°F | 3.05 in |
| 2025 | 26.5°F | −1.9°F | 1.11 in |
Source: records: ACIS, station USW00014950; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014950. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does December in Ottumwa 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; Ottumwa's is 37°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.