April is one of the cooler months of the year in Des Plaines, with average highs near 14.4°C and lows around 2.5°C (mean 8.5°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 91 mm of rainfall and 76% relative humidity across the period.
April is one of the cooler months of the year in Des Plaines. Across 45 years of records, the warmest April in Des Plaines was 2010 — when the month averaged 11.6°C — while the coldest was 2018 at 3.9°C. Typical April days reach 14.4°C with nights near 2.5°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
April is a relatively wet time of year in Des Plaines, averaging 91 mm of rainfall. The wettest April on record was 2013 with 194 mm, while the driest was 2021 at 33 mm.
Relative humidity in Des Plaines during April averages 76%. The most humid April was 1993 at 83%, and the least humid was 2000 at 70%.
April receives about 4.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Des Plaines. The sunniest April was 2005 at 5.1 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1992 at 3.5.
Average wind speed in Des Plaines during April is 3.9 m/s. The windiest April was 1981 at 4.5 m/s, while the calmest was 1989 at 3.3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 8.1°C | 7.8°C | 9.2°C | 8.4°C | 8.8°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg High | 14.1°C | 13.5°C | 15.3°C | 14.3°C | 14.7°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Low | 2.2°C | 2.2°C | 3.0°C | 2.5°C | 2.8°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Rain | 84 mm | 99 mm | 86 mm | 103 mm | 80 mm | -3 mm |
April temperatures in Des Plaines have risen by about 1.2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
April has ranged from a record low of -11.1°C (1982) to a record high of 28.1°C (2003).
Rainfall in April is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 91 mm, with a wettest year of 194 mm.
A good time to visit Des Plaines
April is a good time to visit Des Plaines, with days averaging 14.4°C and nights around 2.5°C (mean 8.5°C, close to Des Plaines'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 | 15.4°C | 9.3°C | 3.1°C | 25.8°C | -5.7°C | 66 mm | 74% | 4 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2024 | 16.0°C | 10.2°C | 4.4°C | 26.1°C | -2.9°C | 97 mm | 76% | 4.1 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2023 | 15.9°C | 9.2°C | 2.6°C | 26.3°C | -2.8°C | 54 mm | 74% | 3.8 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2022 | 12.2°C | 6.8°C | 1.3°C | 25.6°C | -4.3°C | 113 mm | 77% | 4.2 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2021 | 15.6°C | 9.8°C | 3.9°C | 27.4°C | -5.6°C | 33 mm | 72% | 3.4 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2020 | 13.2°C | 7.4°C | 1.6°C | 23.5°C | -4.5°C | 117 mm | 79% | 3.5 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2019 | 14.5°C | 8.7°C | 2.9°C | 24.5°C | -3.6°C | 127 mm | 79% | 4 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2018 ❄️ | 9.3°C | 3.9°C | -1.5°C | 22.8°C | -7.4°C | 50 mm | 75% | 3.5 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2017 | 16.2°C | 10.5°C | 4.8°C | 25.0°C | -2.0°C | 157 mm | 79% | 4 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2016 | 13.7°C | 7.9°C | 2.1°C | 27.3°C | -5.9°C | 70 mm | 77% | 3.8 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2015 | 15.5°C | 9.0°C | 2.6°C | 24.2°C | -4.0°C | 87 mm | 71% | 3.7 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2014 | 14.0°C | 8.0°C | 1.9°C | 22.6°C | -5.5°C | 78 mm | 76% | 3.9 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2013 🌧️ | 13.2°C | 7.2°C | 1.3°C | 26.4°C | -5.1°C | 194 mm | 79% | 4.1 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2012 | 14.9°C | 9.1°C | 3.3°C | 23.9°C | -3.0°C | 64 mm | 74% | 3.9 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2011 | 13.3°C | 8.0°C | 2.6°C | 26.6°C | -2.5°C | 127 mm | 81% | 4.4 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2010 🔥 | 18.0°C | 11.6°C | 5.3°C | 26.1°C | -3.5°C | 74 mm | 75% | 4 m/s | 5 |
| 2009 | 12.8°C | 7.4°C | 2.0°C | 26.1°C | -3.8°C | 128 mm | 81% | 4 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2008 | 14.6°C | 8.9°C | 3.1°C | 24.1°C | -2.2°C | 85 mm | 79% | 4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2007 | 12.7°C | 7.1°C | 1.5°C | 25.5°C | -6.4°C | 92 mm | 77% | 3.9 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2006 | 17.3°C | 10.9°C | 4.4°C | 27.0°C | -2.8°C | 92 mm | 72% | 4.1 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2005 | 16.8°C | 10.5°C | 4.2°C | 27.1°C | -1.1°C | 44 mm | 71% | 3.8 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2004 | 16.0°C | 9.4°C | 2.8°C | 26.9°C | -3.3°C | 45 mm | 73% | 4.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2003 | 15.7°C | 8.9°C | 2.2°C | 28.1°C | -5.4°C | 89 mm | 71% | 3.9 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2002 | 14.8°C | 9.1°C | 3.4°C | 28.0°C | -4.5°C | 107 mm | 78% | 3.8 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2001 | 17.4°C | 10.7°C | 4.0°C | 27.6°C | -4.2°C | 78 mm | 74% | 4.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2000 | 15.0°C | 8.7°C | 2.3°C | 23.8°C | -3.5°C | 104 mm | 70% | 3.6 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1999 | 14.9°C | 9.3°C | 3.7°C | 22.6°C | -0.8°C | 173 mm | 78% | 3.8 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1998 | 14.5°C | 9.1°C | 3.7°C | 23.4°C | -2.7°C | 110 mm | 77% | 3.5 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1997 | 12.2°C | 6.3°C | 0.5°C | 22.0°C | -5.5°C | 54 mm | 73% | 3.5 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1996 | 12.7°C | 6.7°C | 0.8°C | 23.8°C | -4.7°C | 82 mm | 72% | 4 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1995 | 11.5°C | 6.3°C | 1.0°C | 22.8°C | -9.3°C | 140 mm | 77% | 4 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1994 | 14.6°C | 8.3°C | 2.1°C | 26.4°C | -4.7°C | 74 mm | 74% | 4.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1993 | 12.1°C | 6.8°C | 1.4°C | 21.2°C | -7.2°C | 134 mm | 83% | 3.7 m/s | 4 |
| 1992 | 12.5°C | 7.2°C | 1.8°C | 22.1°C | -4.8°C | 61 mm | 80% | 3.5 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1991 | 15.6°C | 9.9°C | 4.1°C | 24.2°C | -3.2°C | 107 mm | 79% | 4.2 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1990 | 14.5°C | 8.5°C | 2.5°C | 26.0°C | -5.6°C | 53 mm | 73% | 3.9 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1989 | 13.2°C | 7.1°C | 1.0°C | 22.0°C | -5.5°C | 38 mm | 74% | 3.3 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1988 | 14.1°C | 7.7°C | 1.3°C | 23.9°C | -4.6°C | 73 mm | 74% | 3.9 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1987 | 15.8°C | 9.5°C | 3.2°C | 26.9°C | -4.7°C | 86 mm | 74% | 3.6 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1986 | 16.1°C | 9.6°C | 3.2°C | 27.8°C | -5.0°C | 48 mm | 76% | 4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1985 | 15.9°C | 10.7°C | 5.4°C | 24.9°C | -5.0°C | 43 mm | 79% | 4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1984 | 11.8°C | 7.1°C | 2.4°C | 25.2°C | -3.4°C | 100 mm | 82% | 4.4 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1983 | 11.4°C | 6.2°C | 1.1°C | 20.1°C | -4.8°C | 146 mm | 82% | 3.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 12.0°C | 5.6°C | -0.8°C | 20.8°C | -11.1°C | 82 mm | 75% | 4.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 16.5°C | 9.7°C | 3.0°C | 26.0°C | -4.9°C | 137 mm | 75% | 4.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded April data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in April is around 14.4°C with lows near 2.5°C (mean 8.5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
April averages 91 mm of rainfall in Des Plaines, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 194 mm in 2013.
The hottest April reached 28.1°C in 2003. The coldest dipped to -11.1°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average April temperatures have risen by about 1.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 13.5°C to 15°C and overnight lows from 2.2°C to 3.1°C over the same span.
April is one of the cooler months of the year in Des Plaines and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 14.4°C daytime highs and 2.5°C at night.
Not quite — April is the 6th coolest month in Des Plaines, averaging 8.5°C.
For April in Des Plaines, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 14.4°C and lows of 2.5°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in April averages 76% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in April is 3.9 m/s. The windiest April on record averaged 4.5 m/s (1981).
The wettest April on record was 2013 with 194 mm. On average, April sees 91 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 Des Plaines 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.
