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River Forest, Illinois Weather

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

River Forest weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

River Forest, IL
Saturday, July 4 at 6:47 AM
71
°
Overcast
Feels like
75°
Humidity
93%
Wind
6 mph
Sunrise
12:21 AM
Sunset
3:29 PM
River Forest, IL
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastRiver Forest, IL: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 65 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit with a 43% chance of precipitation at 6 PM.
L 65°H 82°
River Forest, IL
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Showers
    81%
    0.75″
    82°67°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Overcast
    14%
    —
    74°65°-8°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Partly Cloudy
    13%
    —
    80°67°+6°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Overcast
    —
    —
    82°65°+2°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Overcast
    24%
    —
    87°66°+5°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Light Showers
    35%
    0.22″
    80°67°-7°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Overcast
    35%
    —
    80°66°0°
River Forest, IL
Next 24 hours · Mild now
62°74°86°6a12p6p12anow 70°high 82°low 65°PRECIP %
River Forest, IL
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
WSW
257° · veering 70°
Direction
WSW
257°
Sustained
6
mph
Gust
16
mph
Peak 24h
19
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 19 @ 2:00p
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 183SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze veering 70° from the wsw.
River Forest, IL
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
992.0
-1.3 mb in 3h · falling · 29.29 inHg
Now
992.0
mb
3h
-1.3
mb
12h
-0.1
mb
24h
-2.7
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 991–995
9859909951000STORM|RAIN-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW994.7991.1991.1
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Deep low still deepening — rough seas, strong wind, persistent rain.
River Forest, IL
Air quality
46
AQI
Good
↑+5 in 6h

AQI 46 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI up 5 over the last 6 hours (gradual rise). PM2.5 at 8.2 µg/m³ (AQI 46) with a 0.98 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
8.2μg/m³
PM 10Good
8μg/m³
NO₂Good
12μg/m³
OzoneGood
60μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.1

What's driving it

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 8.2 µg/m³ (AQI 46) with a 0.98 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.98
Wind
light
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
stagnant smoke

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/m³320
River Forest, IL
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
100%
OVERCAST
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
27.1mi
UNLIMITED
51 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
11:47 UTC · River Forest, 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
11:47 UTC · River Forest, IL · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
River Forest, IL
Satellite · infrared · animated
River Forest, IL
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
River Forest, IL
Almanac · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
4:48 AM
Sunrise
12:21 AM
Daylight
15h 08m
Sunset
3:29 PM
Civil dusk
9:05 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
River Forest, IL
The moon
Waning Gibbous
82% illuminated
Moonrise
10:49 PM
Moonset
9:55 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
River Forest, IL
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the afternoon

plant
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

River Forest at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 71°F — typical for the season
  • Last frost: April 27 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP code: 60305

16-Day Forecast — River Forest

  1. Sat82°67°81%
  2. Sun74°65°14%
  3. Mon80°67°13%
  4. Tue82°65°2%
  5. Wed87°66°24%
  6. Thu80°67°35%
  7. Fri80°66°35%
  8. Sat86°65°19%
  9. Sun72°64°10%
  10. Mon77°62°11%
  11. Tue80°64°11%
  12. Wed87°66°17%
  13. Thu89°69°23%
  14. Fri90°73°26%
  15. Sat90°73°13%
  16. Sun92°73°24%

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 — River Forest

SPC includes River Forest 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——
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

River Forest's warmest month is July (~76°F mean) and its coldest is January (~26°F). Rainfall peaks in May (4.1 inches) and bottoms out in February (1.5 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January26°1.5″3
February30°1.5″3
March40°1.9″5
April51°3.6″7
May62°4.1″8
June72°4.0″8
July76°3.5″6
August75°4.0″6
September68°2.8″5
October55°3.5″6
November42°2.4″5
December31°1.8″4

Regional context

River Forest's climate, from NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 station normals, pairs 26°F Januarys with 76°F Julys — a 50°F swing. About 34.4 inches of precipitation falls over roughly 68 days a year.

Precipitation in River Forest runs summer-dominant: May averages 4.1 inches across 8.2 days of warm-season storms, while February drops to 1.5 inches over 3.4 rainy days of drier cool air. That puts River Forest in a summer-convective cohort with places like Oak Park, IL, Maywood, IL and Forest Park, IL.

The cool-season window in River Forest starts at mid-April, when nights stop freezing — think kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips. Warm-soil crops in River Forest wait about two weeks past River Forest's last frost, once the soil warms. River Forest's window closes around mid-November as overnight lows return below freezing. Within River Forest, cold-air pooling chills low spots by 5-10°F, shifting River Forest's local frost dates.

Similar climates: Oak Park, IL, Maywood, IL, Forest Park, IL, Elmwood Park, IL, River Grove, IL.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in River Forest?
In River Forest, expect the last spring frost near mid-April; River Forest's first autumn frost comes around mid-November.
What is the rainy season in River Forest?
May is the wettest month in River Forest, about 4.1 inches on average; the year totals roughly 34 inches.
What is the warmest month in River Forest?
July is River Forest's warmest month, averaging about 76°F.
What is the coldest month in River Forest?
River Forest bottoms out in January, with a mean near 26°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in River Forest?
Frost-hardy sowings begin at mid-April in River Forest; warm-season starts follow two weeks on.
How many rainy days does River Forest get?
River Forest records around 68 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is River Forest?
River Forest sits in the USDA zone set by January lows near 26°F; the USDA ZIP tool gives the band.
What is the 10-day forecast for River Forest?
River Forest'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 River Forest?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for River Forest in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in River Forest?
Current conditions for River Forest and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the River Forest forecast updated?
The River Forest forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in River Forest?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for River Forest 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 River Forest?
The next few days in River Forest's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

River Forest's warm-summer humid continental climate in Illinois pairs 26°F Januarys with 76°F Julys, 50°F apart across the seasons.

Rain and snow bring River Forest roughly 34 inches a year across approximately 68 measurable-precipitation days.

At 41.9°N, River Forest's 50°F summer-to-winter swing sets when River Forest's gardens wake and when frost returns.

All cities in Illinois →

Cicero, IL weather →

ZIP codes in River Forest

  • 60305

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.