Weather by month
Chicago
Illinois
Four full seasons, every one of them negotiated with the lake: it cools the summer afternoons and puts the teeth in winter.
The best time to come
September is the month locals guard — summer warmth still in the water, the beaches emptied out, the heat gone. June and October bracket it well, and if you want the loud, festival-packed version of the city, take July and accept the crowds.
The year at a glance
| Month | Highs / lows | Temperature range | Wet days | Snow | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° / 19° | 9 | 11.3 in | — | |
| February | 36° / 22° | 6 | 10.7 in | — | |
| March | 47° / 31° | 4 | 5.5 in | — | |
| April | 59° / 40° | 7 | 1.3 in | — | |
| May | 71° / 51° | 8 | — | — | |
| June ● | 80° / 61° | 7 | — | 63° | |
| July | 85° / 66° | 6 | — | 72° | |
| August | 83° / 65° | 7 | — | 73° | |
| September ● | 76° / 57° | 6 | — | 69° | |
| October ● | 63° / 45° | 6 | — | — | |
| November | 48° / 34° | 5 | 1.8 in | — | |
| December | 37° / 24° | 6 | 7.6 in | — |
Chicago facts
- Sits at about 660 ft above sea level.
- 37.9 in of rain and melted snow in a typical year, with May the wettest month.
- 38.4 in of snow in a typical winter.
- July runs hottest (85° afternoons); January nights are the coldest (19°).