Chicago, IL weather in July
Chicago is warm and often humid in July, with frequent rain: highs average 85°F and nights drop to about 68°F. Rain falls on about 10 days. This is the peak of the warm season in Chicago.
- Normal high
- 85°F
- Normal low
- 68°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 4.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 12
- dew point 65°F+
How July changes from start to finish
| July 1 | July 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 85°F | 85°F |
| Normal low | 67°F | 68°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:19 am / 8:29 pm | 5:43 am / 8:10 pm |
| Daylight | 15.2 h | 14.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical July day
- 6 am71°Fdew point 63°F
- 9 am77°Fdew point 63°F
- Noon82°Fdew point 62°F
- 3 pm83°Fdew point 62°F
- 6 pm80°Fdew point 61°F
- 9 pm75°Fdew point 62°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Chicago Midway Airport (7 mi away); average wind 9 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F6 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph14 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more8 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more12 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per July, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in July
Normal precipitation is 4.0 in; a dry July brings about 2.3 in and a wet one about 4.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How July varies from year to year
- Warmest July, 1991-20202012: average high 92°F
- Coolest July2009: average high 79°F
- Wettest July1996: 10.3 in
- Driest July2002: 1.1 in
- Highest reading106°F (July 13, 1995)
- Lowest reading54°F (July 10, 1997)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
July compared with June and August
| June | July | August | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 81°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Normal low | 63°F | 68°F | 67°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 10 | 6 | 7 |
| Daylight | 15.2 h | 14.9 h | 13.8 h |
Highs change by +4°F from June and -2°F into August.
Nearby alternatives in July
- Cooler: Sister Bay, WI232 mi · high 76°F · 10 wet days
How Chicago ranks in July
- Normal high228th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days223rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days97th most of 340
What to pack for Chicago in July
- Light, breathable clothing – highs near 85°F and about 12 muggy days
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
- A swimsuit – about 14 beach days
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.9 hours of daylight and highs near 85°F
Heating and cooling
July has 1 heating degree days and 362 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Chicago in July?
The normal high is 85°F and the normal low is 68°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest July reading was 106°F (July 13, 1995).
Does it rain a lot in Chicago in July?
About 10 days in July have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.0 in. The wettest July in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (10.3 in); the driest was in 2002 (1.1 in).
Is July a good time to visit Chicago?
July ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Chicago (57 out of 100). It has about 6 comfortable days and about 8 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are May and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Chicago Midway Airport 3SW (USC00111577), 10 mi SW of the city center, 620 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Chicago Midway Airport (USW00014819), 6.9 mi SW of the city center, 612 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Chicago Midway Intl Arpt (725340-14819), 7.1 mi SW of the city center, 610 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).