Skip to main content Climates to travel World climate guide Home Africa N.America S.America Antarctica Asia Caribbean Europe M.East Oceania All the countries Home Africa N.America S.America Antarctica Asia Caribbean Europe M.East Oceania All the countries Select units of measurement for the temperature and rainfall tables (metric or imperial).Celsius and millimetersFahrenheit and inches Climate in Chicago (Illinois) Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine hours You are here: Home --> North America --> United States --> ChicagoSee the climate normalsWeather by month Share this page: Facebook LinkedIn Whatsapp Email Chicago is the largest city of Illinois, and it's located in the American Midwest, at nearly 42 degrees north latitude, along the banks of Lake Michigan. Here, the climate is continental, with cold winters (when there are many periods below freezing) and hot summers. Although the city is located at a middle latitude, in winter it is cold because the North American land mass cools down a lot, and polar air outbreaks are frequent. Given the distance from the sea and the exposure to different types of air masses, temperature changes are frequent. The average temperature in January is about -3 °C (26.5 °F), and in July it is about 25 °C (77 °F). Precipitation amounts to 960 millimeters (37.9 inches) per year and is well distributed over the seasons, at least in frequency, while in terms of quantity, the winter is the driest season. In winter, and also in spring and autumn, weather fronts pass over the area, while in late spring and summer, when they become less frequent, thunderstorms can form in the afternoon or evening: it is no coincidence that the wettest period is from May to August. In winter, precipitation mainly occurs in the form of snow. An average of 98 centimeters (38.5 inches) of snow falls per year; every once in a while, a snowfall can be seen already in October, while in spring, sometimes it can snow even in April. The record belongs to the winter of 1978-79, when a total of 228 cm (90 in) of snow fell. Winter in Chicago runs from late November to early March and is very cold, to the point that the average temperature is reminiscent of Northern European cities. But at least, the days here are not as short as in the Nordic countries. Snowfall is frequent, so much so that it snows for several days in a month; sometimes, real snowstorms can occur. Polar cold spells are accompanied by the blizzard, the north wind blowing in gusts and able to heighten the feeling of cold. Particularly cold periods, with minimum temperatures dropping to -20 °C (-4 °F), occur practically every year, and sometimes they can even drop to around -30 °C (-22 °F). The coldest record is -32.8 °C (-27 °F) and was set in January 1985 at O'Hare airport. Although the temperature remains below freezing (0 °C or 32 °F) even during the day for weeks, sometimes it can exceed freezing also in winter, resulting in melting snow and possible rainfall. Every so often, the phenomenon called "ice storm" (or freezing rain) can also occur, that is, rain falling on frozen ground, freezing everything, roads, trees, light poles, cars etc. Spring, from mid-March to May, is an unstable season, characterized by different situations and temperature changes: initially cold in March, with snowfalls and frosts still quite frequent, it advances gradually, between the first warm days and the return of cold weather conditions. In early April, it can still snow; on the other hand, during the month the first warm days can occur, with highs around 30 °C (86 °F). In fine weather, a cool (or even cold) breeze in the afternoon blows from the lake, which is felt especially in the eastern districts of the city. In May, it can still be cold at night, especially at the beginning of the month, while on other occasions, it can be hot, with highs above 30 °C (86 °F). In April and May, in the first fine and warm days, the first thunderstorms in the afternoon or in the evening can occur. Summer, from June to August, is hot, humid and sunny, with some afternoon or evening thunderstorms. There may be some pleasant days, with highs around 25/27 °C (77/81 °F) and cool nights, but also real heat waves, with highs around 35 °C (95 °F) and beyond. In the worst moments, the temperature can reach as high as 40 °C (104 °F), as happened in July 2012. Autumn, from September to November, is the (relatively) quietest period of year. However, we can not rule out early cold weather periods or the return of warm temperatures, and even waves of bad weather. In early September, the weather is still often characterized by heat and humidity, with sunshine and some afternoon thunderstorms, while later, it becomes milder. In early October, particularly mild days, even warm, can occur, but in the course of the month there may be slight frosts. Between late October and early November, usually after the first night frosts, a mild period, with highs above 20 °C (68 °F), can occur: it's the so-called Indian summer. However, during the month of November it can get cold, with the first snowfalls and intense frosts. The amount of sunshine in Chicago is very good in summer, when there are several sunny days, and it's good in May and September. In the other months, the sun shines a little less often, however, some sunny days can also occur in the middle of winter. There are on average 2,500 hours of sunshine per year. Near Chicago, Lake Michigan is very cold in winter (and it can partially freeze on colder winters, and fully on the coast), while in summer it is still cool, but becomes almost acceptable for swimming, at least in August, or for those who do not suffer from the cold. However, it depends on the period: after a series of a few hot days in a row, the lake can become more temperate.
Best Time
The best period to visit Chicago is the beginning of autumn, from early September to mid-October. You can also choose the spring, from mid-April to late May, but it is a more unstable and windy season. However, in both periods, you may run into a bit of cold at night, or hot temperatures during the day, or some rainy days. Those who can stand the heat can also choose the summer, which has longer days and more hours of sunshine, but also the risk of very hot days. However, the summer can also give acceptable periods (and maybe, cool nights as well). The following data was recorded at Chicago Midway International Airport. Climate normals (expand)Climate normals (close)
Climate data - Chicago
(You can change the units of measurement by pressing the button at the top of the page)In Chicago, the average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of -3 °C, that of the warmest month (July) is of 24.8 °C. Here are the average temperatures.
Chicago - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
Temperatures (°C)
Month
Min
Max
Mean
January
-6.7
0.7
-3
February
-4.8
2.9
-1
March
0.1
9
4.6
April
5.5
15.9
10.7
May
11.5
22.3
16.9
June
17.1
27.3
22.2
July
20.1
29.5
24.8
August
19.4
28.2
23.8
September
15.2
24.7
20
October
8.5
17.8
13.2
November
2
9.8
5.9
December
-3.4
3.4
0
Year
7.1
16
11.55
Precipitation amounts to 960 millimeters per year: so, it is at an intermediate level. It ranges from 50 millimeters in the driest months (January, February) to 115 millimeters in the wettest one (May). Here is the average precipitation.
Chicago - Average precipitation
Month
Rain (mm)
Days
January
50
11
February
50
9
March
60
11
April
95
12
May
115
12
June
105
11
July
95
10
August
110
9
September
80
8
October
85
10
November
60
10
December
55
11
Year
960
126
The lake temperature ranges from 1 °C in January, February to 21 °C in August. Here are the average lake temperatures.
Chicago - Lake temperature
Month
Temperatures (°C)
January
11
February
1
March
3
April
7.5
May
12.5
June
17
July
19.5
August
21
September
20
October
16
November
9">
December
4.5
Year
11.1
There are on average around 2510 sunshine hours per year. Here are the average hours of sunshine per day.