Beach Volleyball Forecast
North Avenue Beach, Chicago
Chicago's lakefront beach hosts one of the largest organized beach-volleyball leagues in the country each summer.
Courts are out of light until sunrise.
Dark for the next 6h — back at first light.
Next 3 days
Hour by hour
Play North Avenue Beach, Chicago often?
Keep this beach on your Home Screen, your Lock Screen and your Apple Watch with SpikeWeather for iOS — the same playability score, one glance, no app to open.
Playing North Avenue Beach, Chicago
North Avenue Beach faces east onto Lake Michigan, so the day's main variable is the lake breeze — cooler air drawn in off the water that often builds on warm afternoons. Because this is a Great Lakes shoreline rather than the ocean, frontal systems sweeping across the Midwest can also bring gustier, more changeable wind than a steady coastal sea breeze. Mornings are typically the calmest, and the season runs roughly June through September.
North Avenue Beach, Chicago beach volleyball — FAQ
How big is the volleyball scene at North Avenue Beach?
Among the largest anywhere — the lakefront hosts one of the biggest organized beach volleyball leagues in the country each summer, across a very large bank of courts.
Is there a tide readout for North Avenue Beach?
No. Lake Michigan has no meaningful tide, so there's no NOAA tide gauge and no tide line on this page. You still get wave height, because the lake generates real chop.
Why is Chicago's wind less predictable than an ocean beach?
Because this is a Great Lakes shoreline. You get a lake breeze off the water on warm afternoons, but frontal systems sweeping across the Midwest can override it with gustier, more changeable wind.
How long is the Chicago season?
Roughly June through September. It's a genuine summer-only scene — the lake keeps spring cold well into May and autumn closes in quickly.