Best Time to Drive: Albion, IL to Des Plaines, IL

The best overall window to drive from Albion, IL to Des Plaines, IL is August to October. August is especially comfortable, and 8 AM to 11 AM is usually the easiest departure window. The main things to watch are morning visibility dips.

Best overall window

August to October

This stretch gives the steadiest mix of comfort, daylight, and lower weather friction.

Easiest departure pattern

8 AM to 11 AM

Mid-morning is usually the steadiest all-around departure window.

Most challenging stretch

January to February

February is one of the harder months for this route because the weather friction stacks up faster.

Why This Route Scores Differently

You can usually do this in one long day, which makes daylight and storm timing more important than hotel planning.

The current best window is August to October, when the drive is more likely to feel steady end to end.

This score uses multiple NOAA sample points along the route instead of a single state-wide climate average.

Month-by-Month Driving Conditions

Jan

Challenging 27°F

Feb

Challenging 31°F

Mar

Fair 41°F

Apr

Good 52°F

May

Good 63°F

Jun

Good 72°F

Jul

Fair 76°F

Aug

Great 74°F

Sep

Great 67°F

Oct

Great 55°F

Nov

Fair 42°F

Dec

Difficult 32°F

Best Good/Fair Challenging

Average Conditions by Month

January

Avg high / low 35 / 19°F

Moisture 2.4 in rain

Rating Challenging

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Winter mix risk

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

February

Avg high / low 39 / 22°F

Moisture 2.6 in rain

Rating Challenging

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Winter mix risk

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

March

Avg high / low 50 / 32°F

Moisture 3.2 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Winter mix risk

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

April

Avg high / low 63 / 41°F

Moisture 4 in rain

Rating Good

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Wet stretches

Daytime temperatures usually stay in a comfortable driving range.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

May

Avg high / low 74 / 52°F

Moisture 4.9 in rain

Rating Good

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Wet stretches Patchy fog

Daytime temperatures usually stay in a comfortable driving range.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

June

Avg high / low 83 / 62°F

Moisture 4.3 in rain

Rating Good

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Wet stretches

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

July

Avg high / low 86 / 65°F

Moisture 4.3 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Warm afternoons Wet stretches Holiday traffic

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

August

Avg high / low 84 / 63°F

Moisture 3.8 in rain

Rating Great

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Warm afternoons

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

September

Avg high / low 79 / 56°F

Moisture 3.3 in rain

Rating Great

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Steady driving window

Daytime temperatures usually stay in a comfortable driving range.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

October

Avg high / low 66 / 44°F

Moisture 3.5 in rain

Rating Great

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Steady driving window

Daytime temperatures usually stay in a comfortable driving range.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

November

Avg high / low 51 / 33°F

Moisture 2.9 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Holiday traffic

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

December

Avg high / low 40 / 24°F

Moisture 2.7 in rain

Rating Difficult

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Winter mix risk Holiday traffic

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

Seasonal Hazards on This Route

Morning visibility dips

May

Cooler humid mornings can start with patchy fog, so it can be worth waiting a bit before leaving.

Winter mix risk

Jan - Dec

Even light snow or freezing precipitation can matter more than usual when this route turns into a same-day commitment.

Best Departure Time by Season

Spring

8 AM to 11 AM

Mid-morning is usually the steadiest all-around departure window.

Summer

8 AM to 11 AM

Mid-morning is usually the steadiest all-around departure window.

Fall

8 AM to 11 AM

Mid-morning is usually the steadiest all-around departure window.

Winter

9 AM to 12 PM

Waiting for a little daylight and warmer pavement usually makes the drive easier.

How This Score Was Built

Source

Route-sampled NOAA climate normals

High confidence. Built from 3 NOAA-backed route checkpoints rather than a single statewide estimate.

Origin zone

Midwest

Destination zone

Midwest

Route sample points

Late route

Late route checkpoint

IL GRAYVILLE (7.7 mi away)

Late route

Late route checkpoint

IL PAXTON (2.1 mi away)

Destination

Des Plaines, IL

IL statewide fallback (0 mi away)

Ready to plan? See the full trip plan from Albion, IL to Des Plaines, IL with stops, fuel costs, and directions.

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