Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 60–65°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers65°F Tennessee–Kentucky line7:30 AM CDT Mostly cloudy62°F Bowling Green8 AM CDT Mostly cloudy63°F Elizabethtown10 AM EDT Mostly sunny60°F Louisville10:45 AM EDT Mostly sunny62°F Columbus11:45 AM EDT Sunny60°F Indianapolis12:30 PM EDT Sunny62°F Lafayette1:30 PM EDT Sunny65°F Chicago2:30 PM CDT Mostly sunny62°F - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 61–69°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers66°F Tennessee–Kentucky line7:30 AM CDT Cloudy62°F Bowling Green8 AM CDT Mostly cloudy62°F Elizabethtown10 AM EDT Partly sunny62°F Louisville10:45 AM EDT Partly sunny61°F Columbus11:45 AM EDT Mostly sunny63°F Indianapolis12:30 PM EDT Sunny66°F Lafayette1:30 PM EDT Sunny69°F Chicago2:30 PM CDT Partly sunny69°F - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 52–65°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Mostly sunny56°F Tennessee–Kentucky line7:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny52°F Bowling Green8 AM CDT Sunny56°F Elizabethtown10 AM EDT Sunny59°F Louisville10:45 AM EDT Sunny58°F Columbus11:45 AM EDT Sunny61°F Indianapolis12:30 PM EDT Sunny61°F Lafayette1:30 PM EDT Sunny65°F Chicago2:30 PM CDT Sunny60°F - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 48–64°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Sunny51°F Tennessee–Kentucky line7:30 AM CDT Sunny48°F Bowling Green8 AM CDT Sunny51°F Elizabethtown10 AM EDT Sunny55°F Louisville10:45 AM EDT Sunny55°F Columbus11:45 AM EDT Sunny57°F Indianapolis12:30 PM EDT Sunny58°F Lafayette1:30 PM EDT Sunny64°F Chicago2:30 PM CDT Sunny62°F - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 48–70°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Mostly sunny52°F Tennessee–Kentucky line7:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny48°F Bowling Green8 AM CDT Mostly sunny52°F Elizabethtown10 AM EDT Mostly sunny57°F Louisville10:45 AM EDT Mostly sunny56°F Columbus11:45 AM EDT Sunny62°F Indianapolis12:30 PM EDT Sunny66°F Lafayette1:30 PM EDT Sunny70°F Chicago2:30 PM CDT Mostly sunny67°F - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 50–71°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Sunny53°F Tennessee–Kentucky line7:30 AM CDT Sunny50°F Bowling Green8 AM CDT Sunny54°F Elizabethtown10 AM EDT Sunny61°F Louisville10:45 AM EDT Mostly sunny60°F Columbus11:45 AM EDT Sunny65°F Indianapolis12:30 PM EDT Mostly sunny68°F Lafayette1:30 PM EDT Mostly sunny71°F Chicago2:30 PM CDT Mostly sunny67°F - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 51–71°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Sunny54°F Tennessee–Kentucky line7:30 AM CDT Sunny51°F Bowling Green8 AM CDT Sunny55°F Elizabethtown10 AM EDT Sunny62°F Louisville10:45 AM EDT Sunny62°F Columbus11:45 AM EDT Sunny66°F Indianapolis12:30 PM EDT Sunny69°F Lafayette1:30 PM EDT Sunny71°F Chicago2:30 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 Nashville (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Nashville, TNStart 419 ftelevation
- Tennessee–Kentucky lineState line · Mile 38 · 37 min 774 ftelevation
- Bowling Green, KYMile 64 · 1 h 505 ftelevation
- Elizabethtown, KYMile 130 · 2 h 725 ftelevation
- Louisville, KYMile 174 · 2 h 41 min 461 ftelevation
- Columbus, INMile 244 · 3 h 46 min 628 ftelevation
- Indianapolis, INMile 287 · 4 h 27 min 719 ftelevation
- Lafayette, INMile 350 · 5 h 28 min 552 ftelevation
- Chicago, ILMile 468 · 7 h 27 min 594 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rain, at Nashville, Indianapolis and Chicago.
| Month | Nashville 600 ft | Indianapolis 790 ft | Chicago 658 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Precip (in) | High / low °F | Precip (in) | High / low °F | Precip (in) | |
| Jan | 49° / 30° | 4.0 | 36° / 21° | 3.1 | 32° / 19° | 2.0 |
| Feb | 54° / 33° | 4.5 | 41° / 24° | 2.4 | 36° / 22° | 2.0 |
| Mar | 63° / 40° | 4.5 | 52° / 33° | 3.7 | 47° / 31° | 2.5 |
| Apr | 73° / 49° | 4.7 | 64° / 43° | 4.3 | 59° / 40° | 3.8 |
| May | 80° / 58° | 5.0 | 73° / 54° | 4.8 | 71° / 51° | 4.5 |
| Jun | 88° / 66° | 4.4 | 82° / 63° | 5.0 | 80° / 61° | 4.1 |
| Jul | 91° / 71° | 4.2 | 85° / 66° | 4.4 | 85° / 66° | 3.7 |
| Aug | 90° / 69° | 3.8 | 84° / 65° | 3.2 | 83° / 65° | 4.2 |
| Sep | 84° / 62° | 3.8 | 78° / 57° | 3.1 | 76° / 57° | 3.2 |
| Oct | 74° / 50° | 3.4 | 66° / 46° | 3.2 | 63° / 45° | 3.4 |
| Nov | 61° / 39° | 3.9 | 52° / 35° | 3.5 | 48° / 34° | 2.4 |
| Dec | 52° / 33° | 4.4 | 40° / 26° | 2.9 | 37° / 24° | 2.1 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: NASHVILLE INTL AP (USW00013897, 600 ft); INDIANAPOLIS (USW00093819, 790 ft); CHICAGO OHARE INTL AP (USW00094846, 658 ft). Precipitation is the monthly total of rain and melted snow, in inches. “—” 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 Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois rather than repeat them.
- Tennessee · TDOTSmartWay road conditions
- Kentucky · KYTCGoKY road conditions
- Indiana · INDOTINDOT 511
- Illinois · IDOTGetting Around Illinois 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 Nashville to Chicago 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 Nashville to Chicago?
468 miles, about 7½ hours of driving without stops, by way of I-65. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the wettest month in Chicago?
May. Chicago averages 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow that month (1991–2020 normals).
How cold is Chicago in January?
Chicago averages a high of 32°F and a low of 19°F in January (1991–2020 normals).