Chicago, IL

Climate overview — based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals from CHICAGO NORTHERLY IS, IL US.

BWk Desert (cold) climate 7b USDA hardiness Zone 7b

Year-round temperatures (°F)

20° 40° 60° 80° J F M A M J J A S O N D
Avg high Avg low

Climate summary

Chicago has an annual average temperature of 50.8°F with about 0 inches of precipitation per year. The warmest month is July (average high 81.0°F), and the coldest is January (average low 20.1°F).

Pleasant months
4 / 12
avg high 65–80°F, low ≥ 50°F
Annual swing
48.1°F
warmest to coldest month
Heating need
5,799
Cooling need
672

Best time to visit Chicago

Full guide →

Climate change signal

All-time records →

178 of 366 (48.6%) of Chicago's all-time daily heat records have been set since 2015. If records were spread evenly across the station's history, only about 5% would fall in any given decade.

2000s
82
2010s
187
2020s
97

Bars: number of all-time daily heat records still standing that were set in each decade.

Monthly averages

Month Avg High Avg Low Avg Temp Precipitation Snow Rainy days
January 31.9°F 20.1°F 26.0°F in
February 35.7°F 23.1°F 29.4°F in
March 44.9°F 30.9°F 37.9°F in
April 55.2°F 40.4°F 47.8°F in
May 65.7°F 50.1°F 57.9°F in
June 75.8°F 60.0°F 67.9°F in
July 81.0°F 67.3°F 74.1°F in
August 80.0°F 67.4°F 73.7°F in
September 73.2°F 60.2°F 66.7°F in
October 60.9°F 47.7°F 54.3°F in
November 48.5°F 36.4°F 42.5°F in
December 36.6°F 25.2°F 30.9°F in
Frost dates
Last spring / first fall frost
All-time records
Hottest, coldest, wettest
Planting calendar
What to plant, and when

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