Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 45–63°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Sunny52°F Belvidere8:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny45°F Illinois–Wisconsin line8:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny45°F Janesville9 AM CDT Mostly sunny45°F Madison9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny50°F Mauston10:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny54°F Eau Claire12 PM CDT Mostly sunny61°F I-94 near Woodville12:45 PM CDT Partly sunny59°F Wisconsin–Minnesota line1 PM CDT Partly sunny62°F Minneapolis1:30 PM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers63°F - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 49–62°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Sunny52°F Belvidere8:15 AM CDT Partly sunny49°F Illinois–Wisconsin line8:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny49°F Janesville9 AM CDT Mostly sunny50°F Madison9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny56°F Mauston10:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny57°F Eau Claire12 PM CDT Mostly sunny61°F I-94 near Woodville12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny58°F Wisconsin–Minnesota line1 PM CDT Sunny62°F Minneapolis1:30 PM CDT Sunny62°F - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 45–63°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Sunny53°F Belvidere8:15 AM CDT Sunny46°F Illinois–Wisconsin line8:30 AM CDT Sunny45°F Janesville9 AM CDT Sunny45°F Madison9:30 AM CDT Sunny50°F Mauston10:30 AM CDT Sunny52°F Eau Claire12 PM CDT Sunny60°F I-94 near Woodville12:45 PM CDT Sunny58°F Wisconsin–Minnesota line1 PM CDT Sunny63°F Minneapolis1:30 PM CDT Sunny63°F - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 45–68°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Sunny50°F Belvidere8:15 AM CDT Sunny45°F Illinois–Wisconsin line8:30 AM CDT Sunny45°F Janesville9 AM CDT Sunny46°F Madison9:30 AM CDT Sunny50°F Mauston10:30 AM CDT Sunny55°F Eau Claire12 PM CDT Mostly sunny64°F I-94 near Woodville12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny63°F Wisconsin–Minnesota line1 PM CDT Partly sunny68°F Minneapolis1:30 PM CDT Mostly sunny67°F - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 51–68°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Mostly sunny54°F Belvidere8:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny52°F Illinois–Wisconsin line8:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny51°F Janesville9 AM CDT Partly sunny52°F Madison9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny57°F Mauston10:30 AM CDT Partly sunny60°F Eau Claire12 PM CDT Partly sunny67°F I-94 near Woodville12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny64°F Wisconsin–Minnesota line1 PM CDT Mostly sunny68°F Minneapolis1:30 PM CDT Mostly sunny67°F - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 52–66°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Mostly sunny56°F Belvidere8:15 AM CDT Partly sunny52°F Illinois–Wisconsin line8:30 AM CDT Partly sunny52°F Janesville9 AM CDT Partly sunny52°F Madison9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny56°F Mauston10:30 AM CDT Partly sunny59°F Eau Claire12 PM CDT Partly sunny65°F I-94 near Woodville12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny63°F Wisconsin–Minnesota line1 PM CDT Partly sunny66°F Minneapolis1:30 PM CDT Partly sunny66°F - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 52–66°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Chicago7 AM CDT Mostly sunny56°F Belvidere8:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny52°F Illinois–Wisconsin line8:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny52°F Janesville9 AM CDT Mostly sunny52°F Madison9:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny56°F Mauston10:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny59°F Eau Claire12 PM CDT Mostly sunny65°F I-94 near Woodville12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny63°F Wisconsin–Minnesota line1 PM CDT Mostly sunny66°F Minneapolis1:30 PM CDT Mostly sunny66°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
- Belvidere, ILMile 71 · 1 h 13 min 762 ftelevation
- Illinois–Wisconsin lineState line · Mile 94 · 1 h 35 min 809 ftelevation
- Janesville, WIMile 111 · 1 h 53 min 776 ftelevation
- Madison, WIMile 146 · 2 h 24 min 924 ftelevation
- Mauston, WIMile 216 · 3 h 28 min 883 ftelevation
- Eau Claire, WIMile 321 · 5 h 3 min 789 ftelevation
- I-94 near Woodville, WIMile 365 · 5 h 42 min 1,249 ftelevation
- Wisconsin–Minnesota lineState line · Mile 386 · 6 h 1 min 705 ftelevation
- Minneapolis, MNMile 412 · 6 h 31 min 840 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Chicago, I-94 near Woodville and Minneapolis.
| Month | Chicago 658 ft | I-94 near Woodville Baldwin station · 1,100 ft | Minneapolis Minneapolis–St. Paul Airport station · 872 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 32° / 19° | 3.6 | 20° / 2° | 4.6 | 24° / 9° | 3.3 |
| Feb | 36° / 22° | 3.1 | 26° / 5° | 3.5 | 29° / 13° | 2.8 |
| Mar | 47° / 31° | 1.5 | 37° / 19° | 3.0 | 42° / 25° | 2.4 |
| Apr | 59° / 40° | 0.4 | 54° / 33° | 1.3 | 57° / 38° | 0.8 |
| May | 71° / 51° | 0 | 66° / 45° | 0.1 | 69° / 50° | 0 |
| Jun | 80° / 61° | 0 | 76° / 56° | 0 | 79° / 60° | 0 |
| Jul | 85° / 66° | 0 | 79° / 59° | 0 | 83° / 65° | 0 |
| Aug | 83° / 65° | 0 | 77° / 57° | 0 | 81° / 63° | 0 |
| Sep | 76° / 57° | 0 | 71° / 49° | 0 | 73° / 54° | 0 |
| Oct | 63° / 45° | 0.1 | 56° / 36° | 0.3 | 58° / 41° | 0.1 |
| Nov | 48° / 34° | 0.5 | 40° / 23° | 1.7 | 42° / 28° | 1.9 |
| Dec | 37° / 24° | 2.2 | 27° / 10° | 4.2 | 29° / 15° | 3.3 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: CHICAGO OHARE INTL AP (USW00094846, 658 ft); BALDWIN (USC00470486, 1,100 ft); MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL AP (USW00014922, 872 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, Wisconsin and Minnesota rather than repeat them.
- Illinois · IDOTGetting Around Illinois road conditions
- Wisconsin · WisDOT511 Wisconsin road conditions
- Minnesota · MnDOT511MN 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 Minneapolis 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 Minneapolis?
412 miles, about 6½ hours of driving without stops, by way of I-90 and I-94. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
On I-94 near Woodville, at 1,249 ft. It comes at mile 365, about 5 h 42 min of driving after you leave Chicago.
Does it snow on I-94 near Woodville in November?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Baldwin (1,100 ft), averages 4.1 inches of snow in November, with about 2 days of 1 inch or more (1991–2020 normals).
How cold is Minneapolis in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Minneapolis–St. Paul Airport (872 ft), averages a high of 24°F and a low of 9°F in January (1991–2020 normals).