Best time to visit Chicago
The best time to visit Chicago is May–September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Chicago, Illinois, United States
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -0.1 °C / 32 °F | -6.6 °C / 20 °F | 62 mm / 2.4 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 1.2 °C / 34 °F | -6.1 °C / 21 °F | 60 mm / 2.4 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 7.6 °C / 46 °F | 0 °C / 32 °F | 81 mm / 3.2 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 13.5 °C / 56 °F | 5.1 °C / 41 °F | 117 mm / 4.6 in | good month |
| May | 19.8 °C / 68 °F | 11.4 °C / 53 °F | 111 mm / 4.4 in | best month |
| June | 25.4 °C / 78 °F | 17.2 °C / 63 °F | 117 mm / 4.6 in | best month |
| July | 27.5 °C / 82 °F | 19.8 °C / 68 °F | 88 mm / 3.5 in | best month |
| August | 26.7 °C / 80 °F | 19 °C / 66 °F | 92 mm / 3.6 in | best month |
| September | 23.4 °C / 74 °F | 15.2 °C / 59 °F | 78 mm / 3.1 in | best month |
| October | 16.6 °C / 62 °F | 8.7 °C / 48 °F | 100 mm / 3.9 in | good month |
| November | 9.1 °C / 48 °F | 2.1 °C / 36 °F | 60 mm / 2.4 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 3 °C / 37 °F | -3.1 °C / 26 °F | 75 mm / 2.9 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: good
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May–September
- Good
- April, October
Late spring through early fall (May-September) is prime for exploring Chicago on foot, with warm days and plenty of sunshine, though June brings the year's heaviest rain and midsummer turns hot and humid. April and October are decent but cooler and rainier shoulder months, while December through March are bitterly cold and dark, better suited to time indoors.
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 70%, average daily high 13.5 °C / 56 °F, relative humidity 66%.
Against: precipitation 117 mm / 4.6 in, wet days 12.3 days, days with heavy rain 4 days, average daily low 5.1 °C / 41 °F, feels like (high) 10.6 °C / 51 °F.
Also on: Baseball season, Bulls and Blackhawks season.
Watch out for: Easter, Good Friday.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 19 °C / 66 °F, average daily high 19.8 °C / 68 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, average daily low 11.4 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 69%.
Against: wet days 12.3 days, precipitation 111 mm / 4.4 in, days with heavy rain 3.6 days.
Also on: Baseball season, Beach season, Sueños Chicago.
Watch out for: Memorial Day.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 26.7 °C / 80 °F, average daily high 25.4 °C / 78 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 79%, average daily low 17.2 °C / 63 °F, relative humidity 70%.
Against: precipitation 117 mm / 4.6 in, wet days 12.2 days, days with heavy rain 4.1 days.
Also on: Baseball season, Beach season, Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago Gospel Music Festival, Chicago Pride Parade, Chicago SummerDance.
Watch out for: Juneteenth.
July · best
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 82%, precipitation 88 mm / 3.5 in, average daily high 27.5 °C / 82 °F, days with heavy rain 2.8 days, average daily low 19.8 °C / 68 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 30.1 °C / 86 °F, wet days 11.4 days, relative humidity 71%.
Also on: Baseball season, Beach season, Fireflies, Lollapalooza, Taste of Chicago.
Watch out for: Independence Day.
August · best
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 85%, average daily high 26.7 °C / 80 °F, precipitation 92 mm / 3.6 in, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, average daily low 19 °C / 66 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 28.9 °C / 84 °F, wet days 10.8 days, relative humidity 73%.
Also on: Baseball season, Beach season, Chicago Air and Water Show.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.5 °C / 74 °F, average daily high 23.4 °C / 74 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, precipitation 78 mm / 3.1 in, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, wet days 9.2 days, average daily low 15.2 °C / 59 °F, relative humidity 72%.
Also on: Baseball season, Beach season, Bears football season, Chicago Jazz Festival, Riot Fest.
Watch out for: Labor Day.
October · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 71%, feels like (high) 14 °C / 57 °F, average daily high 16.6 °C / 62 °F, average daily low 8.7 °C / 48 °F, relative humidity 70%.
Against: wet days 10.8 days, precipitation 100 mm / 3.9 in, days with heavy rain 3.4 days, sunshine per day 7.9 h.
Also on: Baseball season, Bears football season, Bulls and Blackhawks season, Chicago Marathon, Open House Chicago.
Watch out for: Columbus Day, Halloween.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Snowshoe Mountain, 754 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -5.1 °C | -3.6 °C | 3.6 °C | 10.6 °C | 19 °C | 26.7 °C | 30.1 °C | 28.9 °C | 23.5 °C | 14 °C | 5.1 °C | -1.5 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.9 days | 1.9 days | 2.3 days | 4 days | 3.6 days | 4.1 days | 2.8 days | 3.1 days | 2.5 days | 3.4 days | 2.1 days | 2.3 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 2 am | 10 pm | 1 am | 11 pm | 12 am | 5 pm | 1 am | 4 pm | 3 pm | 4 am | 8 pm | 7 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 5.7 h | 7.2 h | 8.5 h | 9.3 h | 10.7 h | 11.9 h | 12.2 h | 11.7 h | 9.9 h | 7.9 h | 6.3 h | 5.1 h |
| Relative humidity | 74% | 71% | 69% | 66% | 69% | 70% | 71% | 73% | 72% | 70% | 70% | 75% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 10.6 µg/m³ | 12.3 µg/m³ | 10.9 µg/m³ | 10.7 µg/m³ | 13.9 µg/m³ | 18.9 µg/m³ | 15.2 µg/m³ | 12.4 µg/m³ | 10.8 µg/m³ | 8.4 µg/m³ | 8.8 µg/m³ | 9.9 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 18.6 µg/m³ | 20.4 µg/m³ | 18.7 µg/m³ | 17.5 µg/m³ | 22.8 µg/m³ | 27.6 µg/m³ | 23.4 µg/m³ | 18.7 µg/m³ | 17.2 µg/m³ | 14.1 µg/m³ | 15 µg/m³ | 18.3 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Chinese New Year Parade
January and February, dates vary from year to year
- Bulls and Blackhawks season
January, February, March, April, October, November and December
- Bears football season
January, September, October, November and December
- Cupid's Undie Run
February
- Chicago Theater Week
February
- Fat Tuesday pączki
February, dates vary from year to year
- St Patrick's Day parade
March
- Baseball season
April, May, June, July, August, September and October
- Sueños Chicago
May
- Beach season
25 May–7 September, dates vary from year to year
- Chicago SummerDance
June
- Chicago Gospel Music Festival
June
- Chicago Blues Festival
June
- Chicago Pride Parade
June
- Taste of Chicago
July
- Lollapalooza
July
- Fireflies
July
- Chicago Air and Water Show
August
- Chicago Jazz Festival
1–7 September, dates vary from year to year
- Riot Fest
September
- Open House Chicago
11–20 October, dates vary from year to year
- Chicago Marathon
October
- Holiday season lights, markets and ice rinks
November and December
- Chicago Christkindlmarket
November and December
Worth knowing before you go
- New Year's Day
1 January
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
15–21 January, dates vary from year to year
- Presidents' Day
15–21 February, dates vary from year to year
- Good Friday
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Easter
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Memorial Day
25–31 May, dates vary from year to year
- Juneteenth
19 June
- Independence Day
4 July
- Labor Day
1–7 September, dates vary from year to year
- Columbus Day
8–14 October, dates vary from year to year
- Halloween
31 October
- Veterans Day
11 November
- Thanksgiving
21–30 November, dates vary from year to year
- Christmas
24–25 December