April is one of the cooler months of the year in Chicago, with average highs near 9.8°C and lows around 3.6°C (mean 6.7°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 92 mm of rainfall and 81% relative humidity across the period.
April is one of the cooler months of the year in Chicago. Across 45 years of records, the warmest Aprils in Chicago were 2006 and 2010 — when the month averaged 8.9°C — while the coldest was 2018 at 3.2°C. Typical April days reach 9.8°C with nights near 3.6°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.3°C per decade.
April is a relatively wet time of year in Chicago, averaging 92 mm of rainfall. The wettest April on record was 1999 with 183 mm, while the driest was 2005 at 31 mm.
Relative humidity in Chicago during April averages 81%. The most humid April was 1984 at 86%, and the least humid was 2006 at 76%.
April receives about 4.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Chicago. The sunniest April was 2004 at 5.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1992 at 3.7.
Average wind speed in Chicago during April is 4.3 m/s. The windiest April was 1981 at 5 m/s, while the calmest was 1989 at 3.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 6.3°C | 6.1°C | 7.2°C | 6.8°C | 7.4°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg High | 9.5°C | 9.1°C | 10.4°C | 9.9°C | 10.5°C | +1°C |
| Avg Low | 3.1°C | 3.1°C | 3.9°C | 3.7°C | 4.3°C | +1.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 85 mm | 102 mm | 85 mm | 102 mm | 80 mm | -4 mm |
April temperatures in Chicago have risen by about 1.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
April has ranged from a record low of -6.4°C (1995) to a record high of 22.9°C (2002).
Rainfall in April is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 92 mm, with a wettest year of 183 mm.
A good time to visit Chicago
April is a good time to visit Chicago, with days averaging 9.8°C and nights around 3.6°C (mean 6.7°C, cooler than Chicago's yearly average) and higher rainfall. August and July are marginally more temperate, but April still suits most travellers.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10.7°C | 7.6°C | 4.5°C | 20.0°C | -1.8°C | 62 mm | 79% | 4.5 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2024 | 11.7°C | 8.7°C | 5.8°C | 19.0°C | 1.4°C | 100 mm | 80% | 4.6 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2023 | 11.7°C | 8.0°C | 4.4°C | 20.8°C | 0.2°C | 49 mm | 77% | 4.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2022 | 8.6°C | 5.9°C | 3.2°C | 17.6°C | -0.9°C | 104 mm | 81% | 4.7 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2021 | 11.1°C | 8.0°C | 4.9°C | 19.3°C | -1.8°C | 38 mm | 78% | 3.7 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2020 | 9.2°C | 6.2°C | 3.2°C | 16.8°C | -1.5°C | 129 mm | 82% | 4.1 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2019 | 10.5°C | 7.3°C | 4.0°C | 18.1°C | -1.7°C | 140 mm | 83% | 4.5 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2018 ❄️ | 5.9°C | 3.2°C | 0.5°C | 15.7°C | -4.3°C | 59 mm | 78% | 4.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2017 | 11.7°C | 8.5°C | 5.4°C | 17.0°C | 1.5°C | 146 mm | 83% | 4.2 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2016 | 9.8°C | 6.7°C | 3.6°C | 21.8°C | -2.5°C | 77 mm | 81% | 4.5 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2015 | 10.4°C | 7.1°C | 3.7°C | 19.6°C | -1.0°C | 79 mm | 77% | 4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2014 | 9.4°C | 6.0°C | 2.6°C | 17.0°C | -2.3°C | 72 mm | 80% | 4.3 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2013 | 9.3°C | 6.1°C | 2.8°C | 18.2°C | -1.8°C | 177 mm | 81% | 4.6 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2012 | 10.8°C | 8.0°C | 5.2°C | 16.7°C | 1.7°C | 61 mm | 80% | 4.6 m/s | 5 |
| 2011 | 9.5°C | 6.5°C | 3.4°C | 17.8°C | 0.5°C | 137 mm | 85% | 4.8 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2010 | 12.1°C | 8.9°C | 5.7°C | 20.0°C | 0.3°C | 74 mm | 82% | 4.2 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2009 | 9.0°C | 6.2°C | 3.4°C | 17.8°C | -0.8°C | 128 mm | 84% | 4.6 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2008 | 10.1°C | 6.9°C | 3.6°C | 17.3°C | -1.4°C | 80 mm | 83% | 4.3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2007 | 8.9°C | 5.8°C | 2.7°C | 17.6°C | -4.4°C | 101 mm | 80% | 4.3 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2006 🔥 | 12.4°C | 8.9°C | 5.4°C | 19.8°C | 0.7°C | 83 mm | 76% | 4.4 m/s | 5 |
| 2005 | 11.6°C | 8.3°C | 4.9°C | 21.6°C | 1.7°C | 31 mm | 78% | 4.2 m/s | 5 |
| 2004 | 10.8°C | 7.5°C | 4.2°C | 19.6°C | 0.2°C | 38 mm | 79% | 4.6 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2003 | 9.5°C | 6.1°C | 2.7°C | 19.1°C | -3.1°C | 95 mm | 79% | 4.2 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2002 | 10.0°C | 7.0°C | 3.9°C | 22.9°C | -1.2°C | 109 mm | 83% | 4.3 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2001 | 11.9°C | 8.2°C | 4.5°C | 19.9°C | -1.7°C | 74 mm | 80% | 4.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2000 | 10.2°C | 7.0°C | 3.8°C | 18.6°C | 0.3°C | 107 mm | 77% | 4.1 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1999 🌧️ | 10.2°C | 7.4°C | 4.5°C | 16.8°C | 1.2°C | 183 mm | 84% | 4 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1998 | 10.3°C | 7.6°C | 4.9°C | 16.2°C | 1.6°C | 112 mm | 82% | 3.8 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1997 | 8.1°C | 5.1°C | 2.1°C | 14.6°C | -3.1°C | 52 mm | 77% | 4.1 m/s | 5 |
| 1996 | 8.4°C | 5.2°C | 2.0°C | 17.6°C | -1.6°C | 90 mm | 78% | 4.4 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1995 | 7.5°C | 4.7°C | 2.0°C | 15.6°C | -6.4°C | 138 mm | 82% | 4.3 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1994 | 9.8°C | 6.4°C | 2.9°C | 17.4°C | -1.0°C | 84 mm | 80% | 4.9 m/s | 5 |
| 1993 | 8.1°C | 5.5°C | 2.8°C | 16.2°C | -2.6°C | 129 mm | 86% | 4.2 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1992 | 8.3°C | 5.5°C | 2.7°C | 14.9°C | -2.9°C | 60 mm | 85% | 4 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1991 | 10.6°C | 7.5°C | 4.4°C | 15.9°C | -0.4°C | 116 mm | 85% | 4.4 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1990 | 9.7°C | 6.4°C | 3.1°C | 17.4°C | -2.8°C | 58 mm | 80% | 4.2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1989 | 8.4°C | 5.2°C | 2.0°C | 14.9°C | -3.1°C | 44 mm | 80% | 3.5 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1988 | 9.3°C | 6.0°C | 2.7°C | 16.1°C | -0.9°C | 74 mm | 79% | 4.3 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1987 | 10.3°C | 7.1°C | 3.9°C | 18.8°C | -2.1°C | 78 mm | 81% | 4.1 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1986 | 10.4°C | 7.0°C | 3.6°C | 19.2°C | -2.2°C | 52 mm | 82% | 4.1 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1985 | 10.9°C | 8.0°C | 5.1°C | 17.6°C | -2.0°C | 47 mm | 85% | 4.4 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1984 | 7.9°C | 5.4°C | 2.9°C | 16.0°C | -0.4°C | 103 mm | 86% | 4.8 m/s | 4 |
| 1983 | 8.0°C | 5.3°C | 2.6°C | 15.2°C | -1.3°C | 151 mm | 84% | 4.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 8.2°C | 4.6°C | 1.0°C | 13.5°C | -6.0°C | 68 mm | 78% | 4.9 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 11.9°C | 8.1°C | 4.2°C | 17.9°C | 0.0°C | 143 mm | 80% | 5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded April data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in April is around 9.8°C with lows near 3.6°C (mean 6.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
April averages 92 mm of rainfall in Chicago, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 183 mm in 1999.
The hottest April reached 22.9°C in 2002. The coldest dipped to -6.4°C in 1995.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average April temperatures have risen by about 1.3°C. Daytime highs moved from 9.4°C to 10.8°C and overnight lows from 3.2°C to 4.6°C over the same span.
April is one of the cooler months of the year in Chicago and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 9.8°C daytime highs and 3.6°C at night.
Not quite — April is the 6th coolest month in Chicago, averaging 6.7°C.
For April in Chicago, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 9.8°C and lows of 3.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in April averages 81% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in April is 4.3 m/s. The windiest April on record averaged 5 m/s (1981).
The wettest April on record was 1999 with 183 mm. On average, April sees 92 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Chicago behaves each April, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for April specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
