Climate Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 49°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Elgin, IL Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 49°F
- Avg annual temp
- 59/100
- Comfort score
- 39.9"
- Annual precip
- 175d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Elgin
Elgin, Illinois averages 49°F a year and scores 59/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 39% of U.S. cities.
- 49°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 59/100
- comfort score, milder than 39% of U.S. cities
- 39.9"
- annual precipitation · 32" snow
- 175 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
49°F (9°C)
Avg High
59°F
Avg Low
39°F
Annual Precip
39.9"
Annual Snow
32.1"
Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
49°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
39.9"
Plus 32.1" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Elgin) 59.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Elgin area.
How Elgin compares to every U.S. city
Elgin's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
59 Top 61% higher than 39% 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 Elgin
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For Elgin, 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 | 30°F (-1°C) | 14°F (-10°C) | 22°F (-5°C) | 2.0" | 9.5" | 29.1 | 0.0 |
| February | 34°F (1°C) | 17°F (-8°C) | 26°F (-4°C) | 1.9" | 8.0" | 26.2 | 0.0 |
| March | 46°F (8°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 2.4" | 3.7" | 23.3 | 0.0 |
| April | 59°F (15°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 4.0" | 0.8" | 9.1 | 0.0 |
| May | 70°F (21°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 5.1" | 0.0" | 0.4 | 0.6 |
| June | 80°F (27°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 4.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.7 |
| July | 84°F (29°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 4.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 5.8 |
| August | 82°F (28°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 4.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.3 |
| September | 76°F (24°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 3.5" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 1.6 |
| October | 63°F (17°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 3.3" | 0.0" | 5.3 | 0.0 |
| November | 48°F (9°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 2.7" | 1.4" | 18.3 | 0.0 |
| December | 36°F (2°C) | 20°F (-7°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 2.2" | 8.7" | 27.5 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 2.0"
Snow: 9.5"
10.0 days with precipitation
February 1.9"
Snow: 8.0"
7.9 days with precipitation
March 2.4"
Snow: 3.7"
9.6 days with precipitation
April 4.0"
Snow: 0.8"
12.5 days with precipitation
May 5.1"
13.1 days with precipitation
June 4.5"
11.1 days with precipitation
July 4.0"
9.4 days with precipitation
August 4.3"
10.1 days with precipitation
September 3.5"
9.1 days with precipitation
October 3.3"
10.8 days with precipitation
November 2.7"
Snow: 1.4"
9.9 days with precipitation
December 2.2"
Snow: 8.7"
10.4 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 18
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 26
50% probability date
Growing Season
175 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
6,592
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
807
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Elgin's climate means for you
Elgin runs 49°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 175 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 26 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 6,592 heating and 807 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: Elgin, IL
An annual average temperature of 49°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 59°F to a mean daily low of 39°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Elgin, Illinois. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00112736 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Elgin should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 39.9 inches, with 32.1 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 175 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 26 and the first fall freeze near October 18. And on the energy front, 6,592 heating degree days and 807 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Elgin scores 59/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Use the monthly tables above to plan around specific windows, shoulder seasons for mild highs and lows, peak summer for July-driven heat, or deep winter for January-driven cold. All figures here are thirty-year averages: any single year may run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal, so treat them as planning guidance rather than forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Elgin, IL? ▼
The average annual temperature in Elgin, Illinois is 49°F. The warmest month averages 84°F (29°C) and the coldest averages 14°F (-10°C).
How much rain does Elgin get? ▼
Elgin receives 39.9 inches of precipitation annually, including 32.1 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Elgin? ▼
Elgin has a climate comfort score of 59/100 (Moderate), milder than 39% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Elgin? ▼
Elgin has approximately 175 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 26 and the first fall freeze around October 18.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Elgin? ▼
Elgin has 6,592 heating degree days and 807 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 Elgin climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00112736 near Elgin.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00112736. 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.