Winter temperatures · Illinois
How cold does Chicago get in winter?
In a typical winter, December to February, Chicago averages highs around 35°F and lows around 22°F.
About 43 days a year never get above freezing. About 21 nights a year drop to 10°F or colder, and about 7 go below zero. That makes it the 35th coldest winter of the 129 US cities we track.
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The coldest low in the forecast for the next 48 hours is about 32°F.
Chicago’s winter highs average about 35°F, and the wind off the lake makes every one of them feel like a personal remark.
Live 48-hour forecast from OpenWeatherMap, refreshed about every half hour. Alerts from the National Weather Service.
More about the weather here
Winter at a glance
| Average winter high | 35°F |
|---|---|
| Average winter low | 22°F |
| Days a year that stay below freezing | 43 |
| Nights a year at 32°F or colder | 121 |
| Nights a year at 10°F or colder | 21 |
| Nights a year below zero | 7 |
| Average summer high, for comparison | 83°F |
Winter here is December to February. Counts are averages a year.
Cities with about the same winter
- Billings, Montana: highs around 37°F, lows around 19°F
- Detroit, Michigan: highs around 35°F, lows around 22°F
- Fort Wayne, Indiana: highs around 36°F, lows around 21°F
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991 to 2020, station USW00094846.