Best time to visit Chicago
By our rule, the best months to visit Chicago are May and June, and September. Daily highs then run from 21.4 °C (70.5 °F) in May to 26.9 °C (80.4 °F) in June, and rain from 81.0 mm in September to 114.0 mm in May, as 1991-2020 means; figures in brackets are converted.
Rule: daily high over 16 °C and up to 28 °C, low 8 °C or more, rain 150 mm or less. Means hide hot, cold and wet days. No data on crowds, prices or events. How we test each month
Last updated : why a month misses our rule; near misses.
Each month against the rule
| Month | Meets the rule | High, °C | Low, °C | Rain, mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | No: days average -0.2 °C, under our 16 °C; nights average -7.3 °C, under our 8 °C | -0.2 | -7.3 | 50.5 |
| Feb | No: days average 2.1 °C, under our 16 °C; nights average -5.7 °C, under our 8 °C | 2.1 | -5.7 | 50.0 |
| Mar | No: days average 8.3 °C, under our 16 °C; nights average -0.6 °C, under our 8 °C | 8.3 | -0.6 | 62.2 |
| Apr | No: days average 15.0 °C, under our 16 °C; nights average 4.6 °C, under our 8 °C | 15.0 | 4.6 | 95.3 |
| May | Yes | 21.4 | 10.3 | 114.0 |
| Jun | Yes | 26.9 | 16.0 | 104.1 |
| Jul | No: days average 29.2 °C, over our 28 °C | 29.2 | 19.1 | 94.2 |
| Aug | No, a near miss: days average 28.1 °C, just over our 28 °C | 28.1 | 18.4 | 108.0 |
| Sep | Yes | 24.2 | 13.9 | 81.0 |
| Oct | No, a near miss: nights average 7.4 °C, just under our 8 °C | 17.1 | 7.4 | 87.1 |
| Nov | No: days average 9.1 °C, under our 16 °C; nights average 1.2 °C, under our 8 °C | 9.1 | 1.2 | 61.5 |
| Dec | No: days average 2.6 °C, under our 16 °C; nights average -4.2 °C, under our 8 °C | 2.6 | -4.2 | 53.6 |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, checked .
Notes. High and low: changed: source gives °F; converted to °C, rounded to 0.1. Rain: changed: source gives inches; converted to mm (x 25.4), rounded to 0.1. Sunshine: the NOAA U.S. monthly normals have no sunshine measure.
Months by what matters to you
- Warmest daily highs: July 29.2 °C, August 28.1 °C, June 26.9 °C.
- Coolest daily highs: January -0.2 °C, February 2.1 °C, December 2.6 °C.
- Driest: February 50.0 mm, January 50.5 mm, December 53.6 mm.
- Sunniest: no data.
- Longest days: June 15 h 13 min, July 14 h 55 min, May 14 h 34 min.
Top three months by each mean. Equal values share a place. Day length on the 15th of each month, 2026.
Day length: NOAA solar equations, checked .
Sources
- Attribution: Palecki, Michael; Durre, Imke; Applequist, Scott; Arguez, Anthony; Lawrimore, Jay (2021). U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). Station files named in each record. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/wck8-er13. Accessed on the check date shown. Licence: No licence stated; citation requested. Checked .
- NOAA Solar Calculator equations, computed locally, NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory (method); City by Month (computation). Attribution: Computed with the NOAA Solar Calculator method (no NOAA endorsement implied). Licence: Method, not data. Checked .
Cite this page: City by Month. "Best time to visit Chicago, month by month". https://citybymonth.com/cities/united-states/chicago/best-time/. Last updated 5 November 2026.