Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Machesney Park, Illinois Weather

Cicadas claim the afternoon. Day 14 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Machesney Park weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Machesney Park, IL
Saturday, July 4 at 9:53 AM
73
°
Light Rain
Feels like
78°
Humidity
91%
Wind
6 mph
Sunrise
12:25 AM
Sunset
3:36 PM
Machesney Park, IL
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastMachesney Park, IL: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 64 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 64°H 81°
Machesney Park, IL
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Heavy Showers
    57%
    0.98″
    81°69°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Overcast
    14%
    —
    84°64°+3°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Overcast
    —
    —
    80°62°-4°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Overcast
    —
    —
    81°58°+1°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Overcast
    26%
    —
    81°61°0°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Light Showers
    30%
    0.17″
    76°66°-5°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Overcast
    24%
    —
    79°61°+3°
Machesney Park, IL
Next 24 hours · Mild now
60°73°86°6a12p6p12anow 73°high 81°low 64°PRECIP %
Machesney Park, IL
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NNE
017° · veering 157°
Direction
NNE
017°
Sustained
6
mph
Gust
9
mph
Peak 24h
21
avg 5
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 5 · pk 21 @ 12:00p
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 226SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Machesney Park, IL
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
988.3
-0.6 mb in 3h · falling · 29.18 inHg
Now
988.3
mb
3h
-0.6
mb
12h
-0.9
mb
24h
-3.3
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 988–992
9809859909951000STORM|RAIN-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW991.6988.1988.3
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Machesney Park, IL
Air quality
28
AQI
Good
→0 in 6h▲Peak ~38 @ 9 PM

AQI 28 (Good), driven by Ozone. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). Ozone at AQI 32. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~61%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion during the projected peak around 9 PM.

PM 2.5Good
5.5μg/m³
PM 10Good
8μg/m³
NO₂Good
4μg/m³
OzoneDRIVERModerate
68μg/m³
UV IndexLow
1.6

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 32. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~61%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

Present
AQI 32
UV peak
3.2 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
overcast
Projected peak
AQI 7

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 5.5 µg/m³, PM10 at 7.5 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.73
Wind
light
Recent rain
1h in last 6h
Pattern
background

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SATSUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Machesney Park, IL
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
100%
OVERCAST
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
15.7mi
UNLIMITED
53 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
14:53 UTC · Machesney Park, IL · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
14:53 UTC · Machesney Park, IL · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Machesney Park, IL
Satellite · infrared · animated
Machesney Park, IL
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Machesney Park, IL
Almanac · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
4:51 AM
Sunrise
12:25 AM
Daylight
15h 11m
Sunset
3:36 PM
Civil dusk
9:11 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Machesney Park, IL
The moon
Waning Gibbous
81% illuminated
Moonrise
10:54 PM
Moonset
10:00 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Machesney Park, IL
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the afternoon

plant
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Machesney Park at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 4°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: April 30 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP code: 61115

16-Day Forecast — Machesney Park

  1. Sat81°69°57%
  2. Sun84°64°14%
  3. Mon80°62°2%
  4. Tue81°58°2%
  5. Wed81°61°26%
  6. Thu76°66°30%
  7. Fri79°61°24%
  8. Sat81°61°11%
  9. Sun67°58°7%
  10. Mon74°55°8%
  11. Tue75°59°8%
  12. Wed79°61°25%
  13. Thu82°66°14%
  14. Fri83°67°26%
  15. Sat85°69°30%
  16. Sun84°71°29%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 4, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — Machesney Park

SPC includes Machesney Park in the general thunderstorm area today — no severe risk, but storms are possible.

  • TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3NONENo severe risk

Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.

January 1–5: The year turns in silence.January 6–10: Ice thickens on still water.January 11–15: Shortest shadows lengthen.January 16–20: Pheasants begin to call.January 21–25: Springs begin to thaw.January 26–31: Chickadees announce dawn.February 1–5: East wind softens the frost.February 6–10: Sap begins to rise.February 11–15: First snowdrops appear.February 16–20: Red-winged blackbirds return.February 21–25: Rain begins to replace snow.February 26–28: Skunk cabbage pushes through ice.March 1–5: Ice withdraws from the reservoir.March 6–10: Crocuses open to weak sun.March 11–15: Peepers call from the marsh.March 16–20: Woodcocks spiral at dusk.March 21–25: Equinox — light overtakes dark.March 26–31: Forsythia opens along the fences.April 1–5: Cherry blossoms drift like snow.April 6–10: Warblers appear in the understory.April 11–15: Magnolias bloom and fall in a day.April 16–20: Dogwoods float above the forest.April 21–25: Lilacs perfume the evening.April 26–30: Last frost releases the garden.May 1–5: Warblers flood the Ramble.May 6–10: Tulip poplars light their candles.May 11–15: Shad run up the rivers.May 16–20: Roses open along the stoops.May 21–25: Firefly scouts appear at dusk.May 26–31: Strawberries ripen in the sun.June 1–5: Fireflies rise from the lawn.June 6–10: Elderflowers open in hedgerows.June 11–15: Solstice approaches — longest light.June 16–20: Honeysuckle sweetens the night.June 21–25: Solstice — the sun stands still.June 26–30: Lightning bugs drift through oaks.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the afternoon.July 6–10: Queen Anne's lace lines the roads.July 11–15: Thunder builds each afternoon.July 16–20: Corn reaches for the tassels.July 21–25: Dog days settle in the haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their chorus.August 1–5: Night falls a minute earlier.August 6–10: Sunflowers face the morning.August 11–15: Goldenrod begins to bloom.August 16–20: Crickets pulse through warm nights.August 21–25: First cool morning surprises.August 26–31: Monarchs stage for flight.September 1–5: School buses reappear.September 6–10: Asters purple the roadsides.September 11–15: Hawk migration over the Hudson.September 16–20: Equinox — dark overtakes light.September 21–25: Apples hang heavy on the branch.September 26–30: Geese begin to chevron south.October 1–5: Witch hazel blooms as others fade.October 6–10: Maples begin to blaze.October 11–15: Frost paints the garden black.October 16–20: Oaks turn bronze and russet.October 21–25: Leaves rattle down the gutters.October 26–31: Clocks fall back — dusk at five.November 1–5: Ginkgos drop overnight.November 6–10: Last leaves cling stubbornly.November 11–15: Juncos arrive from the north.November 16–20: Bare branches reveal the sky.November 21–25: First flurries dust the rooftops.November 26–30: Woodsmoke curls through the block.December 1–5: Darkness settles before dinner.December 6–10: Holly and winterberry persist.December 11–15: Shortest day approaches.December 16–20: Ice begins to form at the edges.December 21–25: Solstice — the sun begins return.December 26–31: The year turns in silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · July 1–5

Cicadas claim the afternoon

Annual cicada buzz begins, peaking in the heat of the day.

Day 185 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
March——
April——
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radisheslettuce, peas, radishes
Junelettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
Augusttomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
October—winter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

The year in Machesney Park tops out in July (~74°F) and dips lowest in January (~22°F), with June wettest at 5.2 inches and January driest at 1.6 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January22°1.6″4
February26°1.6″4
March37°2.4″5
April49°3.8″7
May60°4.2″8
June70°5.2″8
July74°3.8″6
August72°4.2″6
September64°3.6″5
October52°2.6″5
November39°2.3″5
December27°1.9″5

Regional context

By the nearest station's NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Machesney Park sees 22°F Januarys and 74°F Julys, a 52°F range, plus around 37.2 inches of precipitation across 69 days.

Precipitation in Machesney Park runs summer-dominant: June averages 5.2 inches across 7.8 days of warm-season storms, while January drops to 1.6 inches over 4.4 rainy days of drier cool air. That puts Machesney Park in a summer-convective cohort with places like Loves Park, IL, Roscoe, IL and Argyle, IL.

By late-May the frosts ease in Machesney Park, opening the season for kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips. In Machesney Park, warm-season transplants — tomatoes, peppers, basil — wait two weeks past Machesney Park's frost date. Machesney Park's window closes around early-October as overnight lows return below freezing. Within Machesney Park, cold-air pooling chills low spots by 5-10°F, shifting Machesney Park's local frost dates.

Similar climates: Loves Park, IL, Roscoe, IL, Argyle, IL, Rockton, IL, Caledonia, IL.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Machesney Park?
Frost typically leaves Machesney Park by mid-May and returns to Machesney Park near mid-October.
What is the rainy season in Machesney Park?
Machesney Park sees its heaviest rain in June (around 5.2 inches), part of roughly 37 inches a year.
What is the warmest month in Machesney Park?
The warmest stretch in Machesney Park comes in July, around 74°F on average.
What is the coldest month in Machesney Park?
On average January is the chilliest month in Machesney Park, about 22°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Machesney Park?
Machesney Park's last frost (mid-May) cues hardy greens; in Machesney Park, hold heat-lovers two weeks past.
How many rainy days does Machesney Park get?
Machesney Park records around 69 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is Machesney Park?
Machesney Park's USDA zone comes from its January mean (22°F); enter the ZIP on the USDA lookup for the number.
What is the 10-day forecast for Machesney Park?
Machesney Park's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Machesney Park?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Machesney Park in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Machesney Park?
Current conditions for Machesney Park and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Machesney Park forecast updated?
The Machesney Park forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Machesney Park?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Machesney Park are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Machesney Park?
The next few days in Machesney Park's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Machesney Park, Illinois occupies a warm-summer humid continental zone, with January means near 22°F and July around 74°F — a 52°F swing.

Machesney Park sees close to 37 inches of precipitation annually, falling across some 69 wet days.

Latitude 42.4°N gives Machesney Park its 52°F swing, and with it the rhythm of Machesney Park's growing season.

All cities in Illinois →

Rockford, IL weather →

ZIP codes in Machesney Park

  • 61115

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.