Des Plaines, IL Climate


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Des Plaines, IL has a humid continental climate characterized by hot, humid summers and cold winters. The city experiences four distinct seasons with average temperatures ranging from lows of 20°F in winter to highs of 83°F in summer. Rainfall is plentiful throughout the year, peaking during the summer months and gradually decreasing through late autumn. Snowfall is also common during the winter months, providing for a picturesque landscape. Overall, Des Plaines enjoys a mild climate that is ideal for outdoor activities all year round.

Des Plaines, Illinois gets 36 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Des Plaines averages 36 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 187 sunny days per year in Des Plaines. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Des Plaines gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 125 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.


Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 84 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 17
Rain: averages 36 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 36 inches of snow a year


Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Des Plaines is 6.9 (10=best), which means it is less comfortable than most places in Illinois.

9.1 Summer - 4.5 Winter
June, September and August are the most pleasant months in Des Plaines, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

  ClimateDes Plaines, IllinoisUnited States
  36.0 in.38.1 in.
  36.0 in.27.8 in.
  125.3 days106.2 days
  187 days205 days
  83.6°85.8°
  16.9°21.7°
  6.97
  3.64.3
  633 ft.2443 ft.
Climate
YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for Des Plaines with an average high temperature of 83.6°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in Illinois. In Des Plaines, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Des Plaines are June, September and August.
In Des Plaines, there are 14.0 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most places in Illinois.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Des Plaines with an average of 16.9°. This is about average compared to other places in Illinois.
In Des Plaines, there are 121.4 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is about average compared to other places in Illinois.
In Des Plaines, there are 6.1 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is about average compared to other places in Illinois.
The humidity is usually comfortable in Des Plaines but some summer months can be sticky or muggy. July is the most humid month, though humidity is low for most of the year. The most humid months are July, August and June.
August is the wettest month in Des Plaines with 4.4 inches of rain, and the driest month is February with 1.6 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 33% of yearly precipitation and 15% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 36.0 inches in Des Plaines means that it is one of the driest places in Illinois.
April is the rainiest month in Des Plaines with 12.2 days of rain, and February is the driest month with only 8.3 rainy days. There are 125.3 rainy days annually in Des Plaines, which is one of the rainiest places in Illinois. The rainiest season is Summer when it rains 28% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 23% chance of a rainy day.
An annual snowfall of 36.0 inches in Des Plaines means that it is one of the snowiest places in Illinois. January is the snowiest month in Des Plaines with 11.3 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.
Reviews for Des Plaines
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Over 14 years ago

low  More

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Over 15 years ago

The historic center of des plaines is also downtown. Fairly easy commute to Chicago. The metra is right there. Also there is the Des Plaines public library with a great  More

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Over 17 years ago

Changing of the seasons is good. But it's too cold for too  More

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