West Chicago weather in January

In January, West Chicago sees average daytime highs of 30°F and overnight lows near 16°F, with 2.1 in of precipitation across 7.9 wet days and about 9.3 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 hours at the start of January to 9 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is West Chicago's 12th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see West Chicago's year-round climate.

Daytime high
30°
12th warmest
Overnight low
16°
1st coldest
Precipitation
2.1 in
7.9 wet days
Daylight
9 h 18 min
7:24 AM – 4:40 PM
Cloud cover
70%
12th clearest
Wind
8 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
1.91 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

West Chicago is city in DuPage County, Illinois, United States.

Density
700/km²
people per km²
Founded
1873

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

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 30°F through the month.

A typical January day in West Chicago reaches about 30°F in the afternoon and slips back to 16°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 15°F and 44°F. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 5°F cooler than December and about 4°F cooler than February.

20°40°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13219
23219
33219
43218
53118
63118
73117
83117
93117
103117
113017
123016
133016
143016
153016
162916
172915
182915
192915
202915
212915
222915
232915
242915
252915
263015
273016
283016
293016
303016
313016

How January really feels in West Chicago

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 31 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
31
31 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

The story in January is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

West Chicago weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 16°2.17.95.79.30.0
Feb34° / 20°1.974.910.30.0
Mar46° / 29°2.69.63.111.71.4
Apr58° / 39°4.512113.14.1
May69° / 50°4.612.5014.36.0
Jun79° / 60°4.212.30156.3
Jul82° / 65°3.711.2014.76.1
Aug80° / 62°3.710.6013.76.5
Sep74° / 55°3.18.4012.37.1
Oct61° / 43°3.190.210.95.2
Nov47° / 32°2.481.59.61.5
Dec35° / 22°2.284.490.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in January, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 11% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 67%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13169
23169
33169
43169
53169
63070
73169
83169
93169
103169
113268
123367
133367
143466
153367
163466
173466
183565
193565
203565
213565
223565
233565
243466
253466
263466
273466
283367
293466
303466
313466

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

West Chicago gets around 2.1 in of rain and snow over 7.9 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 25% and peaks near 27% on the wettest days, and about 6 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12515
22515
32516
42616
52617
62617
72617
82718
92718
102718
112718
122619
132719
142719
152719
162619
172619
182620
192620
202520
212519
222519
232519
242419
252419
262419
272319
282319
292318
302318
312218

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, January lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in January

Winds average 8 mph in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 hours at the start of January to 9 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:26 AM to 7:14 AM, and sunset from 4:26 PM to 4:58 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.07:264:26
29.07:264:27
39.07:264:28
49.07:264:28
59.17:264:29
69.17:264:30
79.17:264:31
89.17:264:32
99.17:264:33
109.17:264:34
119.27:254:35
129.27:254:36
139.27:254:37
149.27:254:38
159.27:244:39
169.37:244:40
179.37:244:41
189.37:234:42
199.37:234:44
209.47:224:45
219.47:224:46
229.47:214:47
239.57:204:48
249.57:204:49
259.57:194:51
269.67:184:52
279.67:184:53
289.67:174:54
299.77:164:55
309.77:154:57
319.77:144:58

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 1.91 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.62 kWh/m² to a high of 6.3 kWh/m² in June across the year — January's 1.91 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.6Dim
21.6Dim
31.6Dim
41.7Dim
51.7Dim
61.7Dim
71.7Dim
81.7Dim
91.8Dim
101.8Dim
111.8Dim
121.8Dim
131.8Dim
141.9Dim
151.9Dim
161.9Dim
171.9Dim
182.0Dim
192.0Dim
202.0Moderate
212.0Moderate
222.1Moderate
232.1Moderate
242.1Moderate
252.2Moderate
262.2Moderate
272.2Moderate
282.3Moderate
292.3Moderate
302.3Moderate
312.4Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Is January a good time to visit West Chicago?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in West Chicago.

What to pack for West Chicago in January

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

In January, West Chicago sees daytime highs around 30°F and nights near 16°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coat

Sea temperature near West Chicago in January

The nearest coast averages about 38°F in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 30 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in February near 36°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 13 to Sep 15 — about 2.1 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan38Bracing
Feb36Bracing
Mar36Bracing
Apr39Bracing
May45Bracing
Jun57Bracing
Jul70Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Refreshing
Oct58Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec42Bracing

UV index in West Chicago in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in West Chicago peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 20UV 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in West Chicago in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in West Chicago is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJul 1817 µg/m³Oct 229 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar16Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov10Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is West Chicago?

West Chicago sits at 41.9°N, 88.2°W, 784 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Carol Stream, 4.3 mi away.

Topography around West Chicago

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around West Chicago has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 138 ft around an average of 758 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 341 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 892 ft.

The land around West Chicago is covered by trees (48%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 2 miles, trees (38%), artificial surfaces (29%) and grassland (25%) within 10 miles, and cropland (40%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
138 ft
10 miles
341 ft
50 miles
892 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Carol Stream 4.3 mi · Wheaton 5.0 mi · Geneva 5.0 mi · St. Charles 5.6 mi · Batavia 6.2 mi · Glen Ellyn 6.8 mi · Naperville 7.5 mi · Glendale Heights 7.5 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 West Chicago (41.8847°, -88.204°, elevation 784 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).