Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Champaign, Illinois Weather

Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night. Day 43 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Champaign weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Champaign, IL
Sunday, August 2 at 11:02 AM
73
°
Mostly Clear
Feels like
74°
Humidity
81%
Wind
14 mph
Sunrise
12:52 AM
Sunset
3:06 PM
Champaign, IL
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastChampaign, IL: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 63 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 63°H 79°
Champaign, IL
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Light Drizzle
    36%
    0.01″
    79°67°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Mostly Clear
    —
    —
    83°63°+4°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Clear
    —
    —
    79°62°-4°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Overcast
    17%
    —
    81°63°+2°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Thunderstorm
    46%
    —
    83°66°+2°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Light Drizzle
    21%
    —
    84°66°+1°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Light Drizzle
    19%
    0.01″
    87°72°+3°
Champaign, IL
Next 24 hours · Mild now
60°71°82°12p6p12a6anow 73°high 79°low 63°
Champaign, IL
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NNE
014° · veering 142°
Direction
NNE
014°
Sustained
14
mph
Gust
24
mph
Peak 24h
35
avg 10 mph
Beaufort · 4 · MOD BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 10 mph · pk 35 mph @ 1:00a
0102030MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 243SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Sustained 14 mph with gusts pulsing to 24 — flags snap, branches bend.
Champaign, IL
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
982.0
+1.2 mb in 3h · rising · 29.00 inHg
Now
982.0
mb
3h
+1.2
mb
12h
+3.8
mb
24h
+5.8
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 976–982
970975980985990-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW982.0976.0982.0
The low is filling — pressure climbing out of storm territory.
Champaign, IL
Air quality
30
AQI
Good
→-1 in 6h▲Peak ~40 @ 10 PM

AQI 30 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). PM2.5 at 9.0 µg/m³, PM10 at 9.3 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion during the projected peak around 10 PM.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
9.0μg/m³
PM 10Good
9μg/m³
NO₂Good
2μg/m³
OzoneModerate
80μg/m³
UV IndexModerate
4.0

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 38 now. With UV 4.6 peaking around 1 PM under partly cloudy skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 17.

Present
AQI 38
UV peak
4.6 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
partly cloudy
Projected peak
AQI 17

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 9.0 µg/m³, PM10 at 9.3 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.97
Wind
breezy
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
background

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³370
Champaign, IL
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
24%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
38.1mi
UNLIMITED
40 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
16:02 UTC · Champaign, IL · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
16:02 UTC · Champaign, IL · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Champaign, IL
Satellite · infrared · animated
Champaign, IL
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Champaign, IL
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
5:23 AM
Sunrise
12:52 AM
Daylight
14h 14m
Sunset
3:06 PM
Civil dusk
8:38 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Champaign, IL
The moon
Waning Gibbous
84% illuminated
Moonrise
9:37 PM
Moonset
9:58 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Champaign, IL
Microseason
Aug 1–5

Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night

celestial
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Champaign at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 11°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: April 17 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 61820, 61821, 61822

16-Day Forecast — Champaign

  1. Sun79°67°36%
  2. Mon83°63°0%
  3. Tue79°62°0%
  4. Wed81°63°17%
  5. Thu83°66°46%
  6. Fri84°66°21%
  7. Sat87°72°19%
  8. Sun89°73°13%
  9. Mon89°69°19%
  10. Tue85°69°21%
  11. Wed86°73°19%
  12. Thu87°71°33%
  13. Fri89°71°29%
  14. Sat84°72°42%
  15. Sun81°65°29%
  16. Mon84°71°26%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near Champaign

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of August 2, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

Sun & seasons in Champaign

Champaign sits in Champaign County, where the year’s longest day runs 15h 2m of daylight and its shortest just 9h 19m — a swing of +5h 43m between the June and December solstices. Clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Chicago, the state’s largest city, lies about 123 miles to the NNE. The nearest town Champaign tracks is Rankin, roughly 31 miles to the NE.

Air quality in Champaign’s county has held roughly steady since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2025 (median AQI 43). See the full air-quality history for Champaign.

January 1–5: Frost quiets the live oaks.January 6–10: Still water thickens with ice.January 11–15: Springs begin to move beneath ice.January 16–20: Cardinal dawn calls grow bolder.January 21–25: Late January thaw pulses.January 26–31: Last freeze locks the land.February 1–5: February's lengthening light.February 6–10: Warming winds thaw the margin.February 11–15: Magnolia blooms break the gray.February 16–20: Mockingbirds resume the dawn chorus.February 21–25: Rain replaces the last snow.February 26–28: Mist clings to greening valleys.March 1–5: The green pulse awakens.March 6–10: Hibernators emerge to call.March 11–15: Dogwood and redbud ignite.March 16–20: Swallowtails emerge from winter silk.March 21–25: Light crowns the dogwood canopy.March 26–31: Redbud cascades over the thaw.April 1–5: Thunder announces the wet season.April 6–10: Barn swallows carve the warming sky.April 11–15: Magnolia blooms and falls in a breath.April 16–20: First rainbows arch over thunderheads.April 21–25: Reeds push through marsh water.April 26–30: Frost retreats; seedlings rise free.May 1–5: Warblers flood the canopy in waves.May 6–10: Tulip poplar lights the forest crown.May 11–15: Shad pulse upstream through rapids.May 16–20: Roses open on the Piedmont edge.May 21–25: Fireflies scout the humid dusk.May 26–31: Frog choruses rise from every wetland.June 1–5: Fireflies pulse through the magnolias.June 6–10: Kudzu climbs deeper into green.June 11–15: Sun climbs to its northern throne.June 16–20: Heat settles and the rain begins.June 21–25: The longest day turns toward shadow.June 26–30: Fireflies drift through Spanish moss.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon.July 6–10: Thunderheads boil and break at dusk.July 11–15: Thunder builds each drowsy afternoon.July 16–20: Cicadas claim the long noon.July 21–25: Dog days drape the earth in haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their rasping chorus.August 1–5: Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night.August 6–10: Meteorological summer's turning page.August 11–15: Cool winds gather at the margins.August 16–20: Dog-day cicadas rise.August 21–25: Heat breaks in creek beds.August 26–31: Monarchs gather strength.September 1–5: Harvests begin in earnest.September 6–10: Dew beads on resurrection fern.September 11–15: Raptors trail the thermals.September 16–20: Day and dark find balance.September 21–25: Thunder quiets the land.September 26–30: Insects retreat below.October 1–5: Swamp waters recede.October 6–10: Maples ignite the ridge.October 11–15: Asters crown the meadows.October 16–20: Crickets sing at dusk.October 21–25: Frost paints the garden.October 26–31: Light rains whisper down.November 1–5: Sweetgum Turns Crimson.November 6–10: Camellia Blooms Break Through.November 11–15: Earth Stiffens Underfoot.November 16–20: Bare Limbs Hold the Light.November 21–25: First Frost Grips the High Ground.November 26–30: North Wind Strips the Last Leaves.December 1–5: Darkness Falls Before Dinner.December 6–10: Winter Locks the Land.December 11–15: Wildlife Retreats to Shelter.December 16–20: Ice Edges Deepen Inward.December 21–25: The Sun Begins its Return.December 26–31: The Year Turns in Silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · August 1–5

Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night

Sunset slides back toward 8 PM; darkness creeps in, signaling summer's decline though heat persists.

Day 214 of 365 · Wedge 43 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
March——
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

Champaign's warmest month is July (~75°F mean) and its coldest is January (~26°F). Rainfall peaks in May (4.8 inches) and bottoms out in February (2.2 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January26°2.3″5
February30°2.2″5
March41°2.8″6
April52°3.9″8
May63°4.8″9
June72°4.6″7
July75°4.5″7
August74°3.5″6
September67°3.4″5
October55°3.4″6
November41°3.2″6
December31°2.4″5

Regional context

Champaign swings from 26°F in January to 75°F in July (50°F) per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals; precipitation in Champaign runs about 40.9 inches on roughly 74 measurable days.

Summer convection drives Champaign's precipitation: May logs 4.8 inches on 8.6 rainy days, against February's 2.2 inches on 4.6 — warm-season storms carry Champaign's moisture. That summer-storm rhythm groups Champaign with places like Savoy, IL, Urbana, IL and Bondville, IL.

Around mid-April, Champaign sheds its freezing nights — kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips go into Champaign's beds. Heat-demanding starts go out a fortnight on in Champaign, after the soil warms and cold snaps clear. Frost returns to Champaign near mid-November, ending the tender-crop season. Champaign's low ground holds frost later into spring than Champaign's benches, which run 3-5 days ahead.

Similar climates: Savoy, IL, Urbana, IL, Bondville, IL, Mahomet, IL, Seymour, IL.

Naturalist notes

Red-winged blackbirds return to cattail marshes around Champaign in mid-March, their territorial calls marking spring's arrival.

Wild bergamot begins blooming in late May, attracting native bees to prairie remnants throughout the area.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Champaign?
Champaign's last spring frost lands near mid-April, and in Champaign the first fall frost follows around mid-November.
What is the rainy season in Champaign?
May is the wettest month in Champaign, about 4.8 inches on average; the year totals roughly 41 inches.
What is the warmest month in Champaign?
On average July tops the year in Champaign at about 75°F.
What is the coldest month in Champaign?
The coldest stretch in Champaign falls in January, around 26°F on average.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Champaign?
In Champaign, sow peas and hardy greens around mid-April; Champaign's tomatoes and peppers wait two weeks more.
How many rainy days does Champaign get?
Expect roughly 74 wet days a year in Champaign.
What hardiness zone is Champaign?
Because Champaign bottoms near 26°F in January, that winter low sets Champaign's USDA zone — verify by ZIP.
What is the 10-day forecast for Champaign?
Champaign's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Champaign?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Champaign in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Champaign?
Current conditions for Champaign and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Champaign forecast updated?
The Champaign forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Champaign?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Champaign are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Champaign?
The next few days in Champaign's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

The humid subtropical climate of Champaign, Illinois carries typical Januarys near 26°F and Julys around 75°F — 49°F of seasonal travel.

Yearly precipitation in Champaign totals around 41 inches, spread over about 74 days of rain or snow.

From 40.1°N, Champaign sees a 49°F seasonal swing that governs Champaign's planting and frost windows.

All cities in Illinois →

Indianapolis, IN weather →

ZIP codes in Champaign

  • 61822
  • 61820
  • 61821
  • 61824
  • 61825
  • 61826

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.