Chicago weather by month & the best time to visit
United States · major city break · hot-summer continental climate
The best time to visit Chicago is September — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 75/100), with July and August close behind. Chicago averages about 2,095 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 24°C / 75°F and roughly 87 mm of rain in September.
When is the best time to visit Chicago?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Chicago is September, then July and August. The dullest month is January (0/100, 44 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Chicago?
Chicago gets a moderate 2,095 hours of sunshine a year. 75 Sunshine Score points separate September (75) from January (0), so the month you pick matters. It ranks #362 of 580 destinations in United States for annual sunshine, below the national median of 2,279 hours. The year's 984 mm of rain spreads fairly evenly across the months, with no pronounced dry season.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | -1° / 30°F | -10° / 14°F | 44 mm | 1 |
| February | 0 | 1° / 34°F | -9° / 16°F | 51 mm | 2 |
| March | 0 | 7° / 45°F | -3° / 27°F | 63 mm | 3 |
| April | 43 | 15° / 59°F | 3° / 37°F | 95 mm | 5 |
| May | 69 | 21° / 70°F | 9° / 48°F | 120 mm | 6 |
| June | 70 | 26° / 79°F | 15° / 59°F | 112 mm | 7 |
| July | 73 | 29° / 84°F | 18° / 64°F | 100 mm | 7 |
| August | 72 | 28° / 82°F | 17° / 63°F | 106 mm | 6 |
| September | 75 | 24° / 75°F | 13° / 55°F | 87 mm | 5 |
| October | 50 | 16° / 61°F | 6° / 43°F | 91 mm | 3 |
| November | 0 | 8° / 46°F | -1° / 30°F | 58 mm | 2 |
| December | 0 | 1° / 34°F | -6° / 21°F | 57 mm | 1 |
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
How Chicago compares month by month: Chicago vs Milwaukee · Chicago vs Madison · Chicago vs South Bend · Chicago vs Peoria · all comparisons
Chicago: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Chicago?
Chicago is a major city break in United States with a hot-summer continental climate.
How many hours of sunshine does Chicago get a year?
Chicago gets about 2,095 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around September.
When is the best time to visit Chicago?
The sunniest time to visit Chicago is September, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 75/100 (with July and August close behind). Expect daytime highs around 24°C / 75°F.
What is the least sunny month in Chicago?
January is the least sunny month in Chicago, scoring 0/100 with about 44 mm of rain.
How strong is the sun in Chicago?
The typical midday UV index in Chicago peaks around 7 (high) in June, easing to about 1 (low) in January. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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