Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Oct 3–7: Ragweed’s last stand Ragweed remains troublesome until the first hard frost knocks it back. 040
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Sep 28–Oct 2: Goldenrod finale Late species carry the banner as others fade; pollinator traffic remains high on warm days. 061
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Sep 23–27: Hummers on the wing Ruby‑throated hummingbirds tank up at salvias and feeders; most depart by early October. 060
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 18/09/2026Sep 18–22: Equinox balance Day and night nearly equal; first cool snaps nudge trees toward change. 0123
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Sep 13–17: Orchard heavy Regional orchards hit stride with apples and pears; yellow jackets gather near drops. 041
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Sep 8–12: Sumac goes scarlet Staghorn sumac and Virginia creeper blaze red along rail embankments and edges. 073
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 03/09/2026Sep 3–7: Monarch river begins Monarchs stream southwest, nectaring on asters and goldenrod along flyways. 030
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 29/08/2026Aug 29–Sep 2: Cricket nights Evening soundscape shifts to steady field‑cricket chirr and katydid rasps. 041
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Aug 24–28: Southbound shorebirds Sandpipers and yellowlegs work exposed mud along the lakefront and inland ponds. 051
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 19/08/2026Aug 19–23: Ragweed wakes Ragweed pollen surges and dominates late‑summer allergies until hard frost. 030
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Aug 14–18: Goldenrod lights fields Goldenrod species ignite roadsides and prairies; pollinators teem on sunny days. 051
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 09/08/2026Aug 9–13: Perseids peak Best meteor viewing on clear nights away from city lights; crickets provide the soundtrack. 030
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 04/08/2026Aug 4–8: Tallgrass towers Joe‑Pye weed, compass plant, and blazing star rise head‑high along prairie paths. 071
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 30/07/2026Jul 30–Aug 3: Haze & meteors Humid haze softens horizons; early Perseid meteors scratch the night. 052
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 25/07/2026Jul 25–29: Bath‑warm shallows Near‑shore lake temperatures peak; waders and swimmers crowd calm mornings. 070
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 20/07/2026Jul 20–24: Swift hour Chimney swifts scythe the sky at dusk over schools and factories, chittering as they circle. 062
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 15/07/2026Jul 15–19: Sweet corn arrives Farm markets brim with local ears; corn scent carries on hot afternoons. 0122
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 10/07/2026Jul 10–14: Prairie fireworks Purple coneflower, black‑eyed Susan, and wild bergamot color tallgrass restorations. 062
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 05/07/2026Jul 5–9: Dog‑day cicadas start Annual cicadas drone from trees in daylight; molted shells appear on trunks. 050
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Jun 30–Jul 4: Heat, boom, plume First true heat wave; towering cumulus, fireworks haze, and evening cicada buzz begin. 062
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 25/06/2026Jun 25–29: Lake breeze machine Onshore flow cools the lakefront in afternoons while inland neighborhoods stay hot. 092
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 20/06/2026Jun 20–24: Monarch nurseries Milkweed hosts monarch eggs and tiny caterpillars; kids search undersides of leaves. 041
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 15/06/2026Jun 15–19: Firefly peak Synchronous displays in dark spots; activity surges on warm, still nights. 050
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 10/06/2026Jun 10–14: First fireflies Evening sparks begin across lawns and prairies, especially after warm, wet springs. 092
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 05/06/2026Jun 5–9: Milkweed buds swell Common milkweed forms tight bud clusters; first monarch eggs appear soon after. 051
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 31/05/2026May 31–Jun 4: Peonies & iris parade Heavy, rain‑tipping peonies and iris dominate gardens; ants explore peony buds. 062
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 26/05/2026May 26–30: Dragonflies on patrol Common green darners and other dragonflies hawk over ponds and lawns, munching mosquitoes. 061
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 21/05/2026May 21–25: Cottonwood fluff floats Female cottonwoods release seed fluff that gathers in gutters and fence corners. 032
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 16/05/2026May 16–20: Thunder alley Humid air fuels repeated downpours; first tropic‑feeling nights arrive. 093
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 11/05/2026May 11–15: Cottonwoods tassel Male catkins dangle and shed; nearby sidewalks gather rust‑brown sheds. 051
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 06/05/2026May 6–10: Blossom storm Apples and crabapples release petal ‘snow’; sidewalks drift in pink and white. 083
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 01/05/2026May 1–5: Lilacs perfume blocks Classic Chicago scent: lilac clusters open, drawing bumblebees and nostalgia alike. 182
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 26/04/2026Apr 26–30: First warbler scouts Early warblers flick through lakefront trees; birders scan hedgerows at dawn. 051
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 21/04/2026Apr 21–25: Crabapples set buds Crabapples swell and blush; bees begin to work early blossoms on warm afternoons. 052
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 16/04/2026Apr 16–20: Ephemerals carpet woods Trout lily, spring beauty, and bloodroot carpet oak woodlands before leaf‑out. 050
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 11/04/2026Apr 11–15: Frost’s last feint A late frost remains possible; gardeners watch forecasts and cover tender starts. 061
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 06/04/2026Apr 6–10: Tree pollen wave I Maple, elm, and oak pollen coat cars overnight; allergy season begins in earnest. 082
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 01/04/2026Apr 1–5: Daffodils nod Boulevards and median beds brighten with daffodils and hyacinths. 074
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 27/03/2026Mar 27–31: Prairie burn smoke Restoration crews conduct prescribed burns; thin smoke and blackened fields appear. 072
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 22/03/2026Mar 22–26: Silver maples dust the air Tiny red flowers open; pollen drifts lightly from maples and elms. 073
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 17/03/2026Mar 17–21: Chorus frogs ring Western chorus frogs and spring peepers trill at dusk in ditches and wet prairies. 030
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 12/03/2026Mar 12–16: Mud season Freeze‑thaw and snowmelt saturate trails; dog parks and prairie soils turn to soup. 021
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 07/03/2026Mar 7–11: First rumbles Clippers give way to early thunderstorms; brief lightning and graupel are possible. 051
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 02/03/2026Mar 2–6: Crocuses pop Crocuses and early iris bring the first splashes of color to south‑facing lawns and parkways. 061
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 25/02/2026Feb 25–Mar 1: Lagoon ice loosens Cracks lace across park lagoons; dark leads open near shore and under bridges. 040
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 20/02/2026Feb 20–24: Red‑winged scouts return Male red‑winged blackbirds stake early claims in cattail marshes with bold calls. 041
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 15/02/2026Feb 15–19: Sap stirs on warm days Maples begin to weep during daytime thaws; taps in regional sugarbushes start to run. 071
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 10/02/2026Feb 10–14: Coyote chorus Breeding-season yips and yowls carry at night; occasional daytime sightings near rail corridors. 052
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 05/02/2026Feb 5–9: Snowdrops tip the soil In protected city beds, early bulbs like snowdrops and hellebores emerge through leaf litter. 042
Chicakō @chicago-seasons.bsky.social · 31/01/2026Jan 31–Feb 4: First south-wind breath A brief mild spell softens plow piles; gutters run and the lake darkens along the edge. 071