Chicago Weather and Climate

Chicago, Illinois is often described as 'the Windy City' and there are occasions when strong winds do blow in from across the plains and through the skyscraper canyons of downtown. Pay a visit to the windiest intersection in Chicago at Oak Street and Michigan Avenue to see if the reputation is well deserved.

Looking beyond the nickname, Chicago enjoys a pleasant climate in keeping with its latitude and low elevation. Sunny days are common and from April to October days are warm. Extremes of temperature do occur in mid Summer, with recurrent heat waves sending sunseeking crowds to the shores of Lake Michigan.

It is the Winter that visitors should be most aware of. At any time between November and early March, bitter cold snaps can plunge temperatures to well below freezing. Snow and ice are common in these conditions and locals will mention 'lake effect snows' that add additional inches to the cover during winter storms.

The city transportation departments are well equipped to deal with severe winter conditions and Chicago is proud of its ability to continue running smoothly even during the worst of weather.