Waukegan weather in October

In October, Waukegan sees average daytime highs of 58°F and overnight lows near 51°F, with 4.0 in of precipitation across 10.5 wet days and about 10.8 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 64°F in the first days to 53°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of October to 10 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Waukegan's 5th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Waukegan's year-round climate.

Daytime high
58°
5th warmest
Overnight low
51°
8th coldest
Precipitation
4.0 in
10.5 wet days
Daylight
10 h 48 min
6:12 AM – 5:01 PM
Cloud cover
58%
5th clearest
Wind
14 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
3.03 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.4
out of 10

Waukegan is county seat of Lake County, Illinois, United States.

Density
1,430/km²
people per km²
Founded
1859

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 64°F in the first days to 53°F by the end.

A typical October day in Waukegan reaches about 58°F in the afternoon and slips back to 51°F overnight — a 8°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 50°F and 67°F. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 12°F cooler than September and about 13°F warmer than November.

30°40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16557
26456
36456
46456
56355
66355
76255
86254
96254
106153
116153
126053
136052
145952
155951
165851
175851
185850
195750
205749
215649
225648
235548
245548
255547
265447
275446
285346
295346
305245
315245

How October really feels in Waukegan

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

October sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Waukegan weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 5th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 21°2.99.879.30.0
Feb31° / 21°2.47.75.110.30.0
Mar37° / 29°3.09.83.211.60.0
Apr46° / 39°4.8121.413.11.3
May58° / 50°4.111.7014.44.1
Jun71° / 64°3.510.50156.5
Jul78° / 70°3.110.5014.86.8
Aug77° / 70°3.810.7013.77.0
Sep71° / 63°3.39.5012.36.8
Oct58° / 51°4.010.50.110.84.4
Nov46° / 39°3.4101.39.61.2
Dec36° / 28°3.1104.990.0

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 52%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15545
25545
35545
45446
55446
65347
75347
85347
95347
105248
115248
125149
135149
145050
154951
164951
174753
184753
194654
204456
214456
224357
234258
244159
254159
264060
274060
284060
294060
304060
314060

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Waukegan gets around 4.0 in of rain and snow over 10.5 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 33% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
133
232
332
432
531
631
731
831
931
1031
1131
1231
1331
1431
1532
1632
1733
1834
1934
2035
2135
2235
2335
2436
2536
2636
2736
2836
2935
3035
3135

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of October feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, October lands in the dry band about 84% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
16620104
2672094
3681994
4701983
5711883
6721873
7731773
8761662
9761662
10781552
11791452
12811441
13821341
14841231
15841231
16871120
17881020
18881020
1990910
2091810
2192710
2292710
2393610
2493610
2594510
2694510
2794510
2896400
2996400
3096400
3197300

Wind in October

Winds average 14 mph in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 13 mph on the calmest days to 14 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
113breezy
213breezy
313breezy
413breezy
513breezy
613breezy
713breezy
813breezy
913breezy
1013breezy
1113breezy
1213breezy
1313breezy
1414breezy
1514breezy
1614breezy
1714breezy
1814breezy
1914breezy
2014breezy
2114breezy
2214breezy
2314breezy
2414breezy
2514breezy
2614breezy
2714breezy
2814breezy
2914breezy
3014breezy
3114breezy

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of October to 10 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 78 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 5:54 AM to 6:30 AM, and sunset from 5:27 PM to 4:40 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.55:545:27
211.55:555:25
311.45:565:23
411.45:575:21
511.45:595:20
611.36:005:18
711.36:015:16
811.26:025:15
911.26:035:13
1011.16:045:11
1111.16:065:09
1211.06:075:08
1311.06:085:06
1410.96:095:05
1510.96:105:03
1610.86:125:01
1710.86:135:00
1810.76:144:58
1910.76:154:57
2010.66:164:55
2110.66:184:54
2210.66:194:52
2310.56:204:51
2410.56:214:49
2510.46:234:48
2610.46:244:46
2710.36:254:45
2810.36:264:44
2910.26:284:42
3010.26:294:41
3110.26:304:40

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 3.03 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.48 kWh/m² to a high of 6.5 kWh/m² in June across the year — October's 3.03 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.7Moderate
23.7Moderate
33.6Moderate
43.6Moderate
53.6Moderate
63.5Moderate
73.5Moderate
83.4Moderate
93.4Moderate
103.3Moderate
113.3Moderate
123.2Moderate
133.2Moderate
143.1Moderate
153.1Moderate
163.0Moderate
173.0Moderate
183.0Moderate
192.9Moderate
202.9Moderate
212.8Moderate
222.8Moderate
232.7Moderate
242.7Moderate
252.6Moderate
262.6Moderate
272.5Moderate
282.5Moderate
292.5Moderate
302.4Moderate
312.4Moderate
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Waukegan?

Our two travel scores rate October for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

4.4
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
0.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Waukegan for sightseeing.

What to pack for Waukegan in October

From October's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In October, Waukegan sees daytime highs around 58°F and nights near 51°F. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and a windbreaker. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Waukegan in October

The nearest coast averages about 57°F in October — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 71°F and coldest in March near 36°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 18 to Sep 8 — about 1.7 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan38Bracing
Feb36Bracing
Mar36Bracing
Apr38Bracing
May43Bracing
Jun55Bracing
Jul68Refreshing
Aug71Refreshing
Sep67Cool
Oct57Bracing
Nov47Bracing
Dec42Bracing

UV index in Waukegan in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Waukegan peaks around June 22 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 22UV 9Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Waukegan in October

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where October falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Waukegan is worst in July — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 10 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJul 921 µg/m³Oct 2410 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar18Moderate
Apr19Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul21Moderate
Aug18Moderate
Sep15Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is Waukegan?

Waukegan sits at 42.4°N, 87.8°W, 653 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is North Chicago, 2.5 mi away.

Topography around Waukegan

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Waukegan.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Waukegan has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 194 ft around an average of 653 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 318 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 787 ft.

The land around Waukegan is covered by artificial surfaces (43%) and trees (31%) within 2 miles, water (41%) and trees (25%) within 10 miles, and water (45%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
194 ft
10 miles
318 ft
50 miles
787 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: North Chicago 2.5 mi · Gurnee 3.1 mi · Zion 5.6 mi · Lake Forest 7.5 mi · Libertyville 8.1 mi · Grayslake 9.9 mi · Mundelein 11 mi · Vernon Hills 12 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Waukegan (42.3636°, -87.8448°, elevation 653 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).