Chicago weather in January
In January, Chicago has an average high of 0 °C32 °F and an average low of −5 °C23 °F, with about 48 mm1.9 in of precipitation. January is the coldest month of the year and the driest.
How January compares with other months
Compared with December, January is 3 °C5.4 °F cooler on average and drier by 11 mm0.4 in. Compared with February, January is about the same temperature and drier by 6 mm0.2 in. Daylight lasts about 9.5 hours around the middle of the month. Average relative humidity is 86% and the average cloud amount 71%.
Is January a good time to visit Chicago?
January is not among the most comfortable months by our comfort score: it is cool (average high 0 °C32 °F) and nights are cold (average low −5 °C23 °F). The most comfortable months in Chicago are June and July and September.
What to wear in January
For Chicago in January, pack a winter coat, hat, gloves and warm, non-slip boots and shoes with good grip, as frost is common.
January in nearby places
| Place | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 032 | −523 | 481.9 |
| Joliet | 031 | −916 | 481.9 |
| Elgin | −130 | −1014 | 441.7 |
| Aurora | −130 | −1015 | 441.7 |
| South Bend | 032 | −818 | 622.4 |
| Rockford | −228 | −1112 | 391.5 |
| Milwaukee | −228 | −1113 | 401.6 |
| Madison | −326 | −1210 | 361.4 |
| Grand Rapids | −130 | −817 | 622.4 |
Nearby places that are more than 1 °C1.8 °F cooler: Joliet, Elgin, Aurora and South Bend.
Other months in Chicago
- January0 °C32 °F / −5 °C23 °F
- February0 °C33 °F / −5 °C23 °F
- March5 °C41 °F / −1 °C31 °F
- April10 °C50 °F / 4 °C39 °F
- May15 °C59 °F / 9 °C47 °F
- June21 °C70 °F / 15 °C59 °F
- July25 °C77 °F / 20 °C68 °F
- August25 °C77 °F / 20 °C68 °F
- September22 °C71 °F / 16 °C62 °F
- October15 °C59 °F / 10 °C49 °F
- November9 °C47 °F / 3 °C38 °F
- December3 °C37 °F / −2 °C29 °F
Frequently asked questions
How warm is Chicago in January?
In January the average high in Chicago is 0 °C (32 °F) and the average low is -5 °C (23 °F).
Does it rain a lot in Chicago in January?
On average about 48 mm (1.9 in) of precipitation falls in January; it ranks 12th of the 12 months.
Is January the warmest month in Chicago?
No. The warmest month in Chicago is July, with an average high of 25 °C (77 °F). The coldest month is February, with an average low of -5 °C (23 °F).
How long is the day in Chicago in January?
In the middle of January the day in Chicago lasts about 9.5 hours from sunrise to sunset. The value is calculated from the position of the city and the sun.
How humid is Chicago in January?
The average relative humidity in January is about 86%. This is a long-term average for the whole day.
How cloudy is Chicago in January?
On average about 71% of the sky is covered by cloud in January. This is the mean cloud amount from satellite data, not the number of sunny days.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station, so they can differ from airport records — most of all on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.