I-94 · IL / WI / MN
Chicago to Minneapolis drive weather
Chicago, IL to Minneapolis, MN · 408 miles, about 6 h 0 min by the planner's route
Also covers the drive back from Minneapolis to Chicago.
The drive from Chicago to Minneapolis heads northwest on I-90 past Rockford into Wisconsin, through Madison, then follows I-94 past Mauston, Black River Falls, Eau Claire and Menomonie into the Twin Cities. It crosses four NWS forecast areas, so a winter storm can be under a warning on one stretch and nothing on the next.
Plan this drive with your own departure timeConditions at Fri, 3:00 AM EST
Highest risk along I-94: 5 of 5 (severe), departing at that time.
- No active NWS alerts on this route.
- DOT: Road closed — I-39 NB (northbound)
- DOT: Road closed — I-94 WB (westbound)
The road authority linked below has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
1 h of severe risk, worst between McFarland, WI and Mauston, WI (road closed)
Time in weather: 1 h severe · 5 h clear
Conditions: Cloudy, Clear with periodic clouds, Clear and more
Checkpoints along I-94
| Where | You pass | Weather | Risk | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | Fri 4:00 AM | 44°F · gusts 29 | low | Nothing flagged |
| Belvidere, IL | Fri 5:00 AM | 38°Fpavement 43°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| McFarland, WI | Fri 6:00 AM | 35°F | severe | Wisconsin DOT 511: Road closed — I-39 NB (northbound) |
| Mauston, WI | Fri 7:00 AM | 33°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Black River Falls, WI | Fri 8:00 AM | 30°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Menomonie, WI | Fri 9:00 AM | 30°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Minneapolis, MN | Fri 10:00 AM – 10:00 AM | 34°F | severe | Wisconsin DOT 511: Road closed — I-94 WB (westbound) |
Weather to know about on this drive
- Four NWS offices cover the drive: Chicago (northern Illinois), Milwaukee/Sullivan (Madison), La Crosse (Mauston and Black River Falls) and Twin Cities (from Menomonie to Minneapolis).
- Each state posts its own conditions: Illinois Getting Around Illinois, Wisconsin 511 and Minnesota 511.
- Conditions in Chicago or Minneapolis say little about Wisconsin hours into the drive; check each checkpoint on this page for the hour you would reach it.
Official sources for every state on the route
Questions about driving from Chicago to Minneapolis
- What is the weather like driving from Chicago to Minneapolis in winter?
- Winter storms cross the route regularly, and four NWS offices forecast different stretches of it. This page shows active alerts from all four and the forecast at each checkpoint for the hour you would reach it, departing now.
- Where do I check road conditions between Chicago and Minneapolis?
- Getting Around Illinois for the Illinois stretch, Wisconsin 511 for most of the drive and Minnesota 511 for the Twin Cities.
Conditions change by the hour. This page is a planning aid built on public forecasts and DOT feeds; the road authorities linked above have the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Traveling for the holiday? Read Thanksgiving travel weather · all holiday drives · winter road conditions by corridor