Free current flight conditions
Drone Weather in Chicago, IL
Free current drone weather
Can I Fly My Drone Today in Chicago, IL?
No-go
Forecast valid . Last updated .
- Surface wind
- 12.4 kt
- Wind at 80 m / 262 ft AGL
- 22.1 kt
- Surface gusts
- 20.4 kt
- Visibility
- 15.0 statute miles
- Cloud ceiling / base AGL
- No ceiling indicated
- Temperature
- 16.0 °C
- Precipitation rate
- 0.0 mm/hr
- Kp index
- 0.0
Kp observation: .
Reasons for This Assessment
- Wind: 22 kt. 80m wind — over 17 kt limit.
- Gusts: ≥22 kt. surface gust 20 kt < 80m sustained — floored to sustained (gust at altitude cannot be lower).
Planning aid only. This is not a substitute for an official briefing or permission to fly. Check the launch site, airspace, NOTAMs and restrictions with FAA B4UFLY services. The remote pilot makes the flight decision.
The altitude wind is the existing 80 m product. It is not a measurement at 400 ft. Wind at your flight height can differ.
Default Limits and Data Sources
VectorWX uses its existing drone score. Sustained wind limit: 17 kt. Gust limit: 22 kt. Temperature range: -10 to 40 °C. Kp reference limit: 5. These are app defaults, not FAA wind, temperature or Kp rules. Check the aircraft manual.
14 CFR 107.51 requires at least 3 statute miles of flight visibility from the control station, 500 ft below clouds and 2,000 ft horizontally from clouds. The app uses a 900 ft ceiling reference for a flight at 400 ft AGL. A model ceiling cannot check horizontal cloud separation.
Source: NOAA HRRR for surface weather and 80 m winds; NOAA GFS for visibility and ceiling, through the VectorWX grid feed; NOAA SWPC for Kp. Values are checked at least every 30 minutes on request.
Model initialization (UTC YYYYMMDDHH): HRRR 2026102907; GFS 2026102900.
What These Conditions Mean in Chicago
This forecast samples Chicago at 41.8781° latitude and -87.6298° longitude. It covers the city-center grid cell. It does not describe every launch site in the metro area. Around Lake Michigan shore sites and inland neighborhoods, compare the open flight path with the sheltered place where you stand. Buildings, trees and terrain can change the wind along the route. Check conditions at the launch point and the planned landing point.
For the forecast valid at Oct 29, 2026, 4:00 AM CDT, the current surface wind is 12.4 kt. The 80 m wind is 22.1 kt. The altitude wind is 9.7 kt stronger than the surface value. The score uses the altitude wind when it is available. The surface gust feed reports 20.4 kt. The score can raise its effective gust floor to the altitude sustained wind. This lower bound is not a measured gust at flight height.
Visibility in the Chicago forecast is 15.0 statute miles. The model indicates no limiting cloud ceiling. Check clouds along the entire flight path. Part 107.51 sets flight visibility and cloud separation requirements. A ceiling forecast alone does not establish the horizontal distance to a cloud. The airport observation at KORD is a useful nearby comparison. It can differ from the launch site and from this forecast grid.
The forecast temperature is 16.0 °C, and precipitation is 0.0 mm/hr. Use those values with the aircraft operating manual and battery instructions. The Kp reading is 0.0 , observed at Oct 29, 2026, 3:25 AM CDT. Kp describes planetary geomagnetic activity. It does not measure interference at a specific launch site. The existing VectorWX engine gives this set of inputs a No-go assessment. Read each reason above before you use that result. A weather assessment does not grant airspace access or confirm that a flight is lawful.
Next 24 Hours: Surface Weather in Chicago
NWS point forecast. Times use America/Chicago. This is surface weather; hourly drone-altitude winds are in PRO.
Hourly table last updated .
| Local time (CDT) | Temperature | Surface wind | Precipitation chance | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61.0 °F | 15 mph SSW | 13 % | Mostly Cloudy | |
| 61.0 °F | 15 mph SSW | 14 % | Mostly Cloudy | |
| 60.0 °F | 15 mph SSW | 14 % | Mostly Cloudy | |
| 60.0 °F | 15 mph SW | 15 % | Isolated Rain Showers | |
| 59.0 °F | 15 mph SW | 18 % | Isolated Rain Showers | |
| 60.0 °F | 15 mph SW | 20 % | Isolated Rain Showers | |
| 62.0 °F | 10 mph WSW | 21 % | Isolated Rain Showers | |
| 64.0 °F | 10 mph WSW | 23 % | Isolated Rain Showers | |
| 66.0 °F | 10 mph WSW | 23 % | Isolated Rain Showers | |
| 67.0 °F | 10 mph W | 22 % | Isolated Rain Showers | |
| 68.0 °F | 10 mph WNW | 23 % | Isolated Rain Showers | |
| 68.0 °F | 10 mph WNW | 24 % | Isolated Rain Showers | |
| 68.0 °F | 10 mph WNW | 10 % | Partly Sunny | |
| 67.0 °F | 10 mph WNW | 3 % | Mostly Sunny | |
| 66.0 °F | 5 mph NW | 2 % | Sunny | |
| 62.0 °F | 5 mph NW | 1 % | Mostly Clear | |
| 60.0 °F | 5 mph NNW | 0 % | Mostly Clear | |
| 59.0 °F | 5 mph NNW | 0 % | Clear | |
| 58.0 °F | 5 mph NNW | 0 % | Clear | |
| 57.0 °F | 10 mph NNW | 0 % | Mostly Clear | |
| 56.0 °F | 10 mph NNW | 0 % | Mostly Clear | |
| 55.0 °F | 10 mph NNW | 0 % | Mostly Clear | |
| 54.0 °F | 10 mph N | 0 % | Clear | |
| 53.0 °F | 10 mph N | 0 % | Mostly Clear |
Drone Weather Guides
- Part 107 Weather Requirements
- Part 108 BVLOS Tracker
- Free Preflight Weather Checklist
- Kp Index for Drone Pilots
- Wind at 400 ft: The 80 m Forecast
- Drone Model Wind Limits
- UAV Forecast Comparison
Drone Weather Questions
Check the Area Around Chicago
Nearby NEXRAD radar: KLOT · KORD METAR / TAF · All drone weather locations