Climate Comfort Score
64/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 51°F annual avg 2 stations
Champaign, IL Climate
Annual temperature, rainfall, and a comfort score, sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →
- 51°F
- Avg annual temp
- 64/100
- Comfort score
- 39.6"
- Annual precip
- 173d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 2 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Champaign
Champaign, Illinois averages 51°F a year and scores 64/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 51% of U.S. cities.
- 51°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 64/100
- comfort score, milder than 51% of U.S. cities
- 39.6"
- annual precipitation
- 173 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
51°F (11°C)
Avg High
61°F
Avg Low
41°F
Annual Precip
39.6"
Comfort Score
64/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
51°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
39.6"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Champaign) 64.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Champaign area.
How Champaign compares to every U.S. city
Champaign's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
64 Top 49% higher than 51% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Champaign
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For Champaign, the NOAA 1991-2020 normal captures average conditions across that spread - notably, the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean itself.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33°F (1°C) | 17°F (-8°C) | 25°F (-4°C) | 2.3" | N/A | 27.9 | 0.0 |
| February | 38°F (3°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 2.0" | N/A | 25.3 | 0.0 |
| March | 50°F (10°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 40°F (5°C) | 2.9" | N/A | 18.5 | 0.0 |
| April | 63°F (17°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 3.7" | N/A | 6.7 | 0.0 |
| May | 74°F (23°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 4.6" | N/A | 0.4 | 0.8 |
| June | 82°F (28°C) | 60°F (15°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 4.9" | N/A | 0.0 | 3.7 |
| July | 84°F (29°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 4.3" | N/A | 0.0 | 4.8 |
| August | 82°F (28°C) | 60°F (15°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 3.3" | N/A | 0.0 | 2.8 |
| September | 77°F (25°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 3.1" | N/A | 0.1 | 2.4 |
| October | 65°F (19°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 3.1" | N/A | 6.1 | 0.0 |
| November | 50°F (10°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 3.1" | N/A | 17.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 38°F (3°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 2.3" | N/A | 25.5 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 2.3"
11.8 days with precipitation
February 2.0"
11.2 days with precipitation
March 2.9"
13.4 days with precipitation
April 3.7"
12.8 days with precipitation
May 4.6"
13.8 days with precipitation
June 4.9"
12.0 days with precipitation
July 4.3"
10.0 days with precipitation
August 3.3"
9.7 days with precipitation
September 3.1"
9.1 days with precipitation
October 3.1"
10.8 days with precipitation
November 3.1"
9.5 days with precipitation
December 2.3"
10.9 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 13
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 23
50% probability date
Growing Season
173 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
5,858
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
822
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Champaign's climate means for you
Champaign runs 51°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 173 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 23 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 5,858 heating and 822 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Champaign, IL
Champaign, Illinois runs an annual average of 51°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 61°F to a mean daily low of 41°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Drawn from 2 weather stations, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Beyond temperature, Champaign averages 39.6 inches of precipitation annually, with seasonal snowfall possible - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 173 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 23 and the first fall freeze near October 13. Turning to energy use, 5,858 heating degree days and 822 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Champaign scores 64/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above turn that into a planning tool: expect the mildest highs and lows in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat at the peak of summer, and January-driven cold at the depth of winter. Every number here is a thirty-year average, not a forecast, so any given year can and does run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Champaign, IL? ▼
The average annual temperature in Champaign, Illinois is 51°F. The warmest month averages 84°F (29°C) and the coldest averages 17°F (-8°C).
How much rain does Champaign get? ▼
Champaign receives 39.6 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Champaign? ▼
Champaign has a climate comfort score of 64/100 (Good), milder than 51% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Champaign? ▼
Champaign has approximately 173 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 23 and the first fall freeze around October 13.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Champaign? ▼
Champaign has 5,858 heating degree days and 822 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Champaign climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 2 weather stations near Champaign.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00054808. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.