Weather in Chicago in October
October in Chicago is mild enough that walking is the default. This is a city-break month more than a sea-holiday month.
In United States, this is how Chicago actually wears October, not how a country centroid would. Compared with August and January, October sits in the middle of Chicago's year.
- Average temp
- 13°C
8–17°C
- Rainfall
- 98 mm
Showers likely
- Sunshine
- —
- Wind
- 16 km/h
What to expect
Daytime
Mild afternoons in Chicago are the prize in October. You can eat outside on the good days. You still want something for the breeze.
This is walking weather. Shade is useful, not essential the way it is in the hot months. A long outdoor day is a reasonable plan.
Rain
Mixed skies in Chicago in October. Dry days and wet days share the month. Outdoor plans need a backup, not a cancellation policy.
Pack a shell you will actually carry. The monthly table is the place for totals. This is the feel: usable, interrupted.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What to pack
Rain jacket
A layer for cooler evenings
Where to stay in Chicago
Dates are a starting point for October.
Travel guides for Chicago
What to read before you book.
Average weather in Chicago
TemperatureRainfall
Similar weather in October
Other destinations whose October averages sit close to this one.
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FAQs about Chicago
Climate averages for Chicago, 1991–2020.
The best time to visit Chicago is between May and October, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.
July is the hottest month, with an average around 25°C.
May is the wettest month, with about 121 mm of rain.
No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.
