Next 7 departures
- TueOct 13
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 71–79°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Sunny71°F Illinois–Indiana line7:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny72°F Lafayette10 AM EDT Mostly sunny75°F Lebanon10:30 AM EDT Mostly sunny74°F Indianapolis11:15 AM EDT Sunny77°F I-74 near Greensburg11:45 AM EDT Sunny75°F Cincinnati12:45 PM EDT Sunny79°F - WedOct 14
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 63–80°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Chance of rain showers63°F Illinois–Indiana line7:15 AM CDT Chance of rain showers65°F Lafayette10 AM EDT Rain showers likely71°F Lebanon10:30 AM EDT Rain showers72°F Indianapolis11:15 AM EDT Light rain showers76°F I-74 near Greensburg11:45 AM EDT Light rain showers likely75°F Cincinnati12:45 PM EDT Chance of light rain showers80°F - ThuOct 15
CautionChance of thunderstorms near Chicago around 7 AM CDT.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Chance of thunderstorms57°F Illinois–Indiana line7:15 AM CDT Rain showers likely58°F Lafayette10 AM EDT Chance of light rain showers62°F Lebanon10:30 AM EDT Chance of light rain showers63°F Indianapolis11:15 AM EDT Light rain showers likely66°F I-74 near Greensburg11:45 AM EDT Light rain showers likely65°F Cincinnati12:45 PM EDT Chance of light rain showers70°F - FriOct 16
CautionGusts to 30 mph near Lafayette around 10 AM EDT. Also at 3 other checkpoints.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Partly sunny53°F Illinois–Indiana line7:15 AM CDT Partly sunny54°F Lafayette10 AM EDT Mostly cloudy56°F Lebanon10:30 AM EDT Slight chance of light rain showers55°F Indianapolis11:15 AM EDT Slight chance of light rain showers59°F I-74 near Greensburg11:45 AM EDT Slight chance of light rain showers61°F Cincinnati12:45 PM EDT Chance of light rain showers64°F - SatOct 17
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 44–51°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Mostly sunny45°F Illinois–Indiana line7:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny45°F Lafayette10 AM EDT Mostly sunny45°F Lebanon10:30 AM EDT Mostly sunny44°F Indianapolis11:15 AM EDT Sunny48°F I-74 near Greensburg11:45 AM EDT Mostly sunny47°F Cincinnati12:45 PM EDT Mostly sunny51°F - SunOct 18
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 45–55°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Mostly sunny45°F Illinois–Indiana line7:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny45°F Lafayette10 AM EDT Mostly sunny48°F Lebanon10:30 AM EDT Mostly sunny46°F Indianapolis11:15 AM EDT Sunny51°F I-74 near Greensburg11:45 AM EDT Sunny51°F Cincinnati12:45 PM EDT Sunny55°F - MonOct 19
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 51–62°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Partly sunny51°F Illinois–Indiana line7:15 AM CDT Partly sunny51°F Lafayette10 AM EDT Partly sunny53°F Lebanon10:30 AM EDT Partly sunny51°F Indianapolis11:15 AM EDT Partly sunny57°F I-74 near Greensburg11:45 AM EDT Partly sunny56°F Cincinnati12:45 PM EDT Mostly sunny62°F
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Chicago (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Chicago, ILStart 594 ftelevation
- Illinois–Indiana lineState line · Mile 15 · 21 min 614 ftelevation
- Lafayette, INMile 119 · 2 h 552 ftelevation
- Lebanon, INMile 154 · 2 h 32 min 942 ftelevation
- Indianapolis, INMile 192 · 3 h 10 min 719 ftelevation
- I-74 near Greensburg, INMile 237 · 3 h 51 min 1,029 ftelevation
- Cincinnati, OHMile 294 · 4 h 47 min 551 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Chicago, Indianapolis and Cincinnati.
| Month | Chicago 658 ft | Indianapolis 790 ft | Cincinnati Cincinnati (Fernbank) station · 500 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 32° / 19° | 3.6 | 36° / 21° | 2.6 | 40° / 24° | 1.9 |
| Feb | 36° / 22° | 3.1 | 41° / 24° | 1.7 | 44° / 26° | 1.7 |
| Mar | 47° / 31° | 1.5 | 52° / 33° | 0.9 | 54° / 34° | 0.7 |
| Apr | 59° / 40° | 0.4 | 64° / 43° | 0.1 | 66° / 43° | 0 |
| May | 71° / 51° | 0 | 73° / 54° | 0 | 75° / 54° | 0 |
| Jun | 80° / 61° | 0 | 82° / 63° | 0 | 83° / 62° | 0 |
| Jul | 85° / 66° | 0 | 85° / 66° | 0 | 86° / 67° | 0 |
| Aug | 83° / 65° | 0 | 84° / 65° | 0 | 85° / 65° | 0 |
| Sep | 76° / 57° | 0 | 78° / 57° | 0 | 79° / 57° | 0 |
| Oct | 63° / 45° | 0.1 | 66° / 46° | 0 | 68° / 46° | 0 |
| Nov | 48° / 34° | 0.5 | 52° / 35° | 0.3 | 55° / 36° | 0.1 |
| Dec | 37° / 24° | 2.2 | 40° / 26° | 2.0 | 44° / 29° | 1.0 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: CHICAGO OHARE INTL AP (USW00094846, 658 ft); INDIANAPOLIS (USW00093819, 790 ft); CINCINNATI-FERNBANK (USC00331550, 500 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Illinois, Indiana and Ohio rather than repeat them.
- Illinois · IDOTGetting Around Illinois road conditions
- Indiana · INDOTINDOT 511
- Ohio · ODOTOHGO traffic and road conditions
Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Chicago to Cincinnati with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Chicago to Cincinnati?
294 miles, about 5 hours of driving without stops, by way of I-65 and I-74. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
On I-74 near Greensburg, at 1,029 ft. It comes at mile 237, about 3 h 51 min of driving after you leave Chicago.
How cold is Cincinnati in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Cincinnati (Fernbank) (500 ft), averages a high of 40°F and a low of 24°F in January (1991–2020 normals).