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Toronto to Chicago drive weather

837 km (520 miles), about 8 hours of driving via I-69 and I-94. The high point is Hwy 401 near Woodstock at 335 m (1,099 ft), about 1 h 30 min in.

Distance
837 km
Drive time
~8 hours
High point
335 m
Regions
ON · MI · IN · IL

Next 7 departures

Leaving Toronto at 7 AM each day · Updated · Forecast: MET Norway

  1. SatOct 3

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 8–18°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Toronto7 AM EDTSunny10°C
    Brantford8 AM EDTSunny8°C
    Hwy 401 near Woodstock8:30 AM EDTSunny8°C
    London8:45 AM EDTSunny9°C
    Sarnia9:45 AM EDTMostly sunny14°C
    Flint11 AM EDTSunny13°C
    Kalamazoo12:45 PM EDTMostly sunny16°C
    Michigan–Indiana line1 PM CDTSunny18°C
    Chicago2:15 PM CDTSunny17°C
  2. SunOct 4

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 8–21°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Toronto7 AM EDTPartly sunny12°C
    Brantford8 AM EDTPartly sunny8°C
    Hwy 401 near Woodstock8:30 AM EDTMostly sunny9°C
    London8:45 AM EDTMostly sunny11°C
    Sarnia9:45 AM EDTPartly sunny13°C
    Flint11 AM EDTSunny13°C
    Kalamazoo12:45 PM EDTSunny19°C
    Michigan–Indiana line1 PM CDTSunny18°C
    Chicago2:15 PM CDTMostly sunny21°C
  3. MonOct 5

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–17°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Toronto7 AM EDTSunny10°C
    Brantford8 AM EDTSunny9°C
    Hwy 401 near Woodstock8:30 AM EDTSunny9°C
    London8:45 AM EDTSunny10°C
    Sarnia9:45 AM EDTSunny11°C
    Flint11 AM EDTSunny11°C
    Kalamazoo12:45 PM EDTSunny15°C
    Michigan–Indiana line1 PM CDTSunny17°C
    Chicago2:15 PM CDTSunny16°C
  4. TueOct 6

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 5–18°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Toronto7 AM EDTSunny7°C
    Brantford8 AM EDTPartly sunny5°C
    Hwy 401 near Woodstock8:30 AM EDTMostly sunny6°C
    London8:45 AM EDTMostly sunny7°C
    Sarnia9:45 AM EDTSunny10°C
    Flint11 AM EDTSunny10°C
    Kalamazoo12:45 PM EDTSunny15°C
    Michigan–Indiana line1 PM CDTSunny18°C
    Chicago2:15 PM CDTSunny18°C
  5. WedOct 7

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 11–21°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Toronto7 AM EDTSunny12°C
    Brantford8 AM EDTSunny11°C
    Hwy 401 near Woodstock8:30 AM EDTSunny12°C
    London8:45 AM EDTSunny12°C
    Sarnia9:45 AM EDTSunny14°C
    Flint11 AM EDTCloudy16°C
    Kalamazoo12:45 PM EDTCloudy17°C
    Michigan–Indiana line1 PM CDTMostly sunny19°C
    Chicago2:15 PM CDTSunny21°C
  6. ThuOct 8

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–20°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Toronto7 AM EDTSunny11°C
    Brantford8 AM EDTMostly sunny9°C
    Hwy 401 near Woodstock8:30 AM EDTMostly sunny10°C
    London8:45 AM EDTSunny11°C
    Sarnia9:45 AM EDTSunny14°C
    Flint11 AM EDTSunny14°C
    Kalamazoo12:45 PM EDTMostly sunny17°C
    Michigan–Indiana line1 PM CDTMostly sunny19°C
    Chicago2:15 PM CDTSunny20°C
  7. FriOct 9

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 7–23°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Toronto7 AM EDTSunny9°C
    Brantford8 AM EDTPartly sunny7°C
    Hwy 401 near Woodstock8:30 AM EDTPartly sunny8°C
    London8:45 AM EDTPartly sunny9°C
    Sarnia9:45 AM EDTPartly sunny12°C
    Flint11 AM EDTPartly sunny14°C
    Kalamazoo12:45 PM EDTPartly sunny19°C
    Michigan–Indiana line1 PM CDTPartly sunny23°C
    Chicago2:15 PM CDTMostly sunny22°C

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 Toronto (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.

Hwy 401 near Woodstock · 335 m 0 km 836 km
Elevation along the route (Terrain Tiles, sampled every 8 km).
  1. Toronto, ONStart 91 melevation
  2. Brantford, ONKm 100 · 1 h 3 min 214 melevation
  3. Hwy 401 near Woodstock, ONKm 146 · 1 h 30 min 335 melevation
  4. London, ONKm 185 · 1 h 52 min 248 melevation
  5. Sarnia, ONKm 290 · 2 h 52 min 181 melevation
  6. Flint, MIKm 399 · 3 h 53 min 222 melevation
  7. Kalamazoo, MIKm 605 · 5 h 48 min 240 melevation
  8. Michigan–Indiana lineState line · Km 731 · 6 h 58 min 212 melevation
  9. Chicago, ILKm 837 · 8 h 8 min 180 melevation

Typical weather by month

Average daily highs and lows, and days with 2.5 cm (an inch) or more of snow, at Toronto, Hwy 401 near Woodstock and Chicago.

MonthToronto
112 m		Hwy 401 near Woodstock
Foldens station · 328 m		Chicago
Chicago (Northerly Island) station · 178 m
High / low °CSnow daysHigh / low °CSnow daysHigh / low °C
Jan-1° / -7°3.9-2° / -9°4.10° / -7°
Feb1° / -6°3.2-1° / -9°3.22° / -5°
Mar5° / -2°2.34° / -4°2.57° / -1°
Apr11° / 4°0.712° / 2°1.113° / 5°
May18° / 10°019° / 8°019° / 10°
Jun24° / 15°024° / 14°024° / 16°
Jul27° / 18°026° / 16°027° / 20°
Aug26° / 18°026° / 15°027° / 20°
Sep21° / 14°022° / 11°023° / 16°
Oct14° / 8°014° / 5°0.216° / 9°
Nov8° / 2°0.87° / 0°1.69° / 2°
Dec3° / -3°2.71° / -5°3.13° / -4°

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: CHICAGO NORTHERLY IS (USC00111550, 178 m). 1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): TORONTO (CAN06158350, 112 m); FOLDENS (CAN06142420, 328 m). Snow days are days with at least 2.5 cm (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 Ontario, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois rather than repeat them.

Check the official forecast from Environment Canada and National Weather Service and each road report before you leave.

Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there

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Questions about this drive

How long is the drive from Toronto to Chicago?

837 km (520 miles), about 8 hours of driving without stops, by way of I-69 and I-94. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.

What is the highest point on the drive?

Hwy 401 near Woodstock, at 335 m (1,099 ft). It comes at km 146, about 1 h 30 min of driving after you leave Toronto.

Does it snow at Hwy 401 near Woodstock in November?

The nearest long-term NOAA station, Foldens (328 m), averages 14 cm of snow in November, with about 2 days of 2.5 cm or more (1991–2020 averages).

How cold is Chicago in January?

The nearest long-term NOAA station, Chicago (Northerly Island) (178 m), averages a high of 0°C and a low of -7°C in January (1991–2020 normals).

More drive weather

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Toronto → DetroitToronto → OttawaToronto → New YorkToronto → MontrealToronto → Quebec City