Chicago, Illinois, United States climate
Average temperatures, precipitation and all-time records for Chicago, Illinois, United States, with every day graded against ~46 years of local climate history (1980–2026). Its warmest month is July, averaging a high of 83°F, and its coldest is January, with an average low of 19°F.
Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the third-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.74 million at the 2020 census. via Wikipedia
Notable weather in Chicago
A brutal heat wave in July 1995 pushed the heat index past 120°F and caused an estimated 700 heat-related deaths in Chicago, reshaping how the city prepares for extreme heat. Read more →
Chicago average temperatures by month
Typical daily high and low, and average precipitation, for each month in Chicago, Illinois, United States, based on 1980–2026 records. The wettest month is May (0.20 in on an average day).
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Avg precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31°F | 19°F | 0.10 in |
| February | 35°F | 22°F | 0.10 in |
| March | 46°F | 31°F | 0.10 in |
| April | 57°F | 41°F | 0.10 in |
| May | 68°F | 53°F | 0.20 in |
| June | 79°F | 64°F | 0.10 in |
| July | 83°F | 69°F | 0.10 in |
| August | 81°F | 67°F | 0.10 in |
| September | 75°F | 60°F | 0.10 in |
| October | 62°F | 47°F | 0.10 in |
| November | 49°F | 36°F | 0.10 in |
| December | 36°F | 25°F | 0.10 in |
Each bar spans the 10th-percentile daily low to the 90th-percentile daily high (the range most days fall within), coloured cold → hot on a shared -10°F to 115°F scale, so the whole year's rhythm reads at a glance.
Thinking of visiting Chicago?
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Record extremes
- Hottest day on record: 100°F on 1995-07-14
- Coldest day on record: -23°F on 1994-01-19
Percentiles compare each day to Chicago, Illinois, United States's own history, so grades are relative to this location: a “Near Record” day here isn't the same temperature as elsewhere. How the grades work →