Geographic Patterns of the Physical Environment

TOPOGRAPHY 

Chicago is located in northeastern Illinois at the southwestern tip of Lake Michigan. The city is next to Lake Michigan, and two rivers: the Chicago River and the Calumet River. They flow entirely or partially through Chicago. The city of Chicago is flat. The topography is the result of its origin as a lake bottom. Metropolitan Chicago's topography is almost entirely a product of glaciations, (it was covered by ice and glaciers). On at least three occasions many years ago, glacial Lake Chicago, the temporary enlargement of Lake Michigan, rose and fell.

Information retrieved from: http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1260.html

CLIMATE 

The city located in the humid continental climate zone. Chicago experiences four distinct seasons. Summers are hot and humid. In a normal summer, temperatures can exceed 90 °F. Winters are cold, snowy, and windy, with some sunny days. Temperatures often stay below freezing for an entire day. On an average of eight nights per year, the temperature can stay below 0 °F. Spring and fall are mild seasons with low humidity. The city of Chicago is most widely recognized as the "Windy City". There are three main possibilities to explain its nickname: the weather (Chicago is near Lake Michigan), the World's Fair; and the rivalry with Cincinnati.

Information retrieved from:

http://www.streetphoto.com/images/Chicago%20Windy%20City%20(GS).jpg

Information retrieved from: http://www.isws.illinois.edu/atmos/statecli/Summary/illinois.html