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

Chicago, Illinois Weather

Night falls a minute earlier. Day 43 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

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

Chicago, IL
Sunday, August 2 at 2:55 AM
68
°
Mostly Clear
Feels like
69°
Humidity
87%
Wind
9 mph
Sunrise
12:46 AM
Sunset
3:07 PM
Chicago, IL
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastChicago, IL: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 67 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 67°H 73°
Chicago, IL
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Overcast
    —
    —
    73°67°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Clear
    —
    —
    77°65°+4°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Clear
    —
    —
    85°65°+8°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Heavy Showers
    51%
    0.42″
    87°66°+2°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Heavy Rain
    51%
    0.35″
    81°66°-6°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Drizzle
    18%
    —
    85°69°+4°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Drizzle
    18%
    —
    87°69°+2°
Chicago, IL
Next 24 hours · Mild now
64°70°76°6a12p6p12anow 68°high 73°low 67°
Chicago, IL
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NE
035° · backing 37°
Direction
NE
035°
Sustained
9
mph
Gust
25
mph
Peak 24h
31
avg 11 mph
Beaufort · 3 · GENTLE 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 11 mph · pk 31 mph @ 5:00p
0102030MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 264SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze backing 37° from the ne.
Chicago, IL
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
987.0
+0.4 mb in 3h · steady · 29.15 inHg
Now
987.0
mb
3h
+0.4
mb
12h
+2.0
mb
24h
+1.1
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 985–988
9809859909951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW987.6985.0987.4
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Chicago, IL
Air quality
57
AQI
Moderate
→+1 in 6h

AQI 57 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). PM2.5 at 16.1 µg/m³, PM10 at 16.4 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.

PM 2.5DRIVERModerate
16.1μg/m³
PM 10Good
16μg/m³
NO₂Good
3μg/m³
OzoneModerate
78μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.0

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 37 now. With UV 3.3 peaking around 1 PM under partly cloudy skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 12.

Present
AQI 37
UV peak
3.3 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
partly cloudy
Projected peak
AQI 12

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 16.1 µg/m³, PM10 at 16.4 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.98
Wind
light
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/m³420
Chicago, IL
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
28%
MOSTLY CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
31.2mi
UNLIMITED
33 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
07:55 UTC · Chicago, 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
07:55 UTC · Chicago, IL · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Chicago, IL
Satellite · infrared · animated
Chicago, IL
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Chicago, IL
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
5:15 AM
Sunrise
12:46 AM
Daylight
14h 21m
Sunset
3:07 PM
Civil dusk
8:41 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Chicago, IL
The moon
Waning Gibbous
87% illuminated
Moonrise
9:35 PM
Moonset
9:56 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Chicago, IL
Microseason
Aug 1–5

Night falls a minute earlier

celestial
Jan 158% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Chicago at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 7°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: April 27 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 60601, 60602, 60603, 60604, 60605, 60606, 60607, 60608 +48 more

15-Day Forecast — Chicago

  1. Sun74°67°2%
  2. Mon77°65°1%
  3. Tue85°65°0%
  4. Wed87°66°51%
  5. Thu81°66°51%
  6. Fri85°69°18%
  7. Sat87°69°18%
  8. Sun82°70°24%
  9. Mon91°73°24%
  10. Tue93°71°21%
  11. Wed74°70°26%
  12. Thu84°68°33%
  13. Fri88°77°27%
  14. Sat83°68°23%
  15. Sun72°67°14%

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

Live wind & temperature near Chicago

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 Chicago

Chicago sits in Cook County, where the year’s longest day runs 15h 13m of daylight and its shortest just 9h 8m — a swing of +6h 6m between the June and December solstices. Clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Rockford, the state’s largest city, lies about 76 miles to the WNW. The nearest town Chicago tracks is Willow Springs, roughly 13 miles to the SW.

Air quality in Chicago’s county has trended cleaner since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2025 (median AQI 53). See the full air-quality history for Chicago.

January 1–5: The year turns in silence.January 6–10: Ice thickens on still water.January 11–15: Shortest shadows lengthen.January 16–20: Pheasants begin to call.January 21–25: Springs begin to thaw.January 26–31: Chickadees announce dawn.February 1–5: East wind softens the frost.February 6–10: Sap begins to rise.February 11–15: First snowdrops appear.February 16–20: Red-winged blackbirds return.February 21–25: Rain begins to replace snow.February 26–28: Skunk cabbage pushes through ice.March 1–5: Ice withdraws from the reservoir.March 6–10: Crocuses open to weak sun.March 11–15: Peepers call from the marsh.March 16–20: Woodcocks spiral at dusk.March 21–25: Equinox — light overtakes dark.March 26–31: Forsythia opens along the fences.April 1–5: Cherry blossoms drift like snow.April 6–10: Warblers appear in the understory.April 11–15: Magnolias bloom and fall in a day.April 16–20: Dogwoods float above the forest.April 21–25: Lilacs perfume the evening.April 26–30: Last frost releases the garden.May 1–5: Warblers flood the Ramble.May 6–10: Tulip poplars light their candles.May 11–15: Shad run up the rivers.May 16–20: Roses open along the stoops.May 21–25: Firefly scouts appear at dusk.May 26–31: Strawberries ripen in the sun.June 1–5: Fireflies rise from the lawn.June 6–10: Elderflowers open in hedgerows.June 11–15: Solstice approaches — longest light.June 16–20: Honeysuckle sweetens the night.June 21–25: Solstice — the sun stands still.June 26–30: Lightning bugs drift through oaks.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the afternoon.July 6–10: Queen Anne's lace lines the roads.July 11–15: Thunder builds each afternoon.July 16–20: Corn reaches for the tassels.July 21–25: Dog days settle in the haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their chorus.August 1–5: Night falls a minute earlier.August 6–10: Sunflowers face the morning.August 11–15: Goldenrod begins to bloom.August 16–20: Crickets pulse through warm nights.August 21–25: First cool morning surprises.August 26–31: Monarchs stage for flight.September 1–5: School buses reappear.September 6–10: Asters purple the roadsides.September 11–15: Hawk migration over the Hudson.September 16–20: Equinox — dark overtakes light.September 21–25: Apples hang heavy on the branch.September 26–30: Geese begin to chevron south.October 1–5: Witch hazel blooms as others fade.October 6–10: Maples begin to blaze.October 11–15: Frost paints the garden black.October 16–20: Oaks turn bronze and russet.October 21–25: Leaves rattle down the gutters.October 26–31: Clocks fall back — dusk at five.November 1–5: Ginkgos drop overnight.November 6–10: Last leaves cling stubbornly.November 11–15: Juncos arrive from the north.November 16–20: Bare branches reveal the sky.November 21–25: First flurries dust the rooftops.November 26–30: Woodsmoke curls through the block.December 1–5: Darkness settles before dinner.December 6–10: Holly and winterberry persist.December 11–15: Shortest day approaches.December 16–20: Ice begins to form at the edges.December 21–25: Solstice — the sun begins 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

Night falls a minute earlier

Sunset retreats perceptibly — daylight shortening speeds up.

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

Chicago peaks at about 76°F in July and bottoms near 24°F in January; May brings the heaviest rain (4.2 inches) and January the least (2.0 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January24°2.0″16
February27°2.1″14
March37°3.0″16
April50°3.8″17
May59°4.2″18
June70°4.0″17
July76°2.9″15
August75°3.0″14
September68°3.1″14
October55°3.0″13
November40°3.2″16
December28°2.5″15

Regional context

Chicago swings from 24°F in January to 76°F in July (53°F) per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals; precipitation in Chicago runs about 36.8 inches on roughly 184 measurable days.

No season owns Chicago's rain: May reaches 4.2 inches across 18.2 days and January keeps 2.0 inches on 15.7, an even spread through Chicago's year. That lines Chicago up with places like Cicero, IL, Stickney, IL and Forest View, IL, fed by overlapping storm tracks.

Around mid-April, Chicago sheds its freezing nights — kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips go into Chicago's beds. Chicago's heat-lovers — tomatoes, peppers, squash — hold off until Chicago's frost risk clears, 10-14 days on. The season ends by mid-November in Chicago, once hard frosts set back in. Chicago's low ground holds frost later into spring than Chicago's benches, which run 3-5 days ahead.

Similar climates: Cicero, IL, Stickney, IL, Forest View, IL, Berwyn, IL, Oak Park, IL.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the peak migration of warblers through Chicago's parks and lakefront areas.

Oak trees typically begin leafing out in early May as soil temperatures warm consistently above 45°F.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Chicago?
Chicago's last spring frost lands near mid-April, and in Chicago the first fall frost follows around mid-November.
What is the rainy season in Chicago?
Rainfall in Chicago peaks in May near 4.2 inches, out of about 37 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Chicago?
On average July tops the year in Chicago at about 76°F.
What is the coldest month in Chicago?
The coldest stretch in Chicago falls in January, around 24°F on average.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Chicago?
Around mid-April, start frost-hardy crops in Chicago; tomatoes and basil belong a fortnight later.
How many rainy days does Chicago get?
Expect roughly 184 wet days a year in Chicago.
What hardiness zone is Chicago?
Since January in Chicago averages 24°F, Chicago's USDA zone follows that floor — confirm it by ZIP.
What is the 10-day forecast for Chicago?
Chicago'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 Chicago?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Chicago in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Chicago?
Current conditions for Chicago and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Chicago forecast updated?
The Chicago forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Chicago?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Chicago 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 Chicago?
The next few days in Chicago's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Set in a warm-summer humid continental zone, Chicago, Illinois swings from 24°F in the heart of winter to 76°F at midsummer — a 52°F arc.

Chicago sees close to 37 inches of precipitation annually, falling across some 184 wet days.

Chicago sits at 41.8°N; that 52°F seasonal swing frames planting windows and frost dates across Chicago.

All cities in Illinois →

ZIP codes in Chicago

  • 60018
  • 60649
  • 60641
  • 60640
  • 60643
  • 60642
  • 60645
  • 60644
  • 60647
  • 60646
  • 60616
  • 60617
  • 60614
  • 60615
  • 60612
  • 60613
  • 60610
  • 60611
  • 60618
  • 60619
  • 60631
  • 60827
  • 60661
  • 60660
  • 60638
  • 60639
  • 60634
  • 60636
  • 60637
  • 60630
  • 60632
  • 60633
  • 60605
  • 60604
  • 60607
  • 60606
  • 60601
  • 60603
  • 60602
  • 60609
  • 60608
  • 60106
  • 60659
  • 60652
  • 60653
  • 60656
  • 60657
  • 60654
  • 60655
  • 60651
  • 60623
  • 60622
  • 60621
  • 60620
  • 60626
  • 60625
  • 60624
  • 60629
  • 60628
  • 60707
  • 60499
  • 60664
  • 60666
  • 60668
  • 60669
  • 60670
  • 60673
  • 60674
  • 60675
  • 60677
  • 60678
  • 60680
  • 60681
  • 60684
  • 60685
  • 60686
  • 60687
  • 60688
  • 60689
  • 60690
  • 60694
  • 60695
  • 60696
  • 60699

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.