Kayak Love

Illinois · river

Weller Creek at Des Plaines

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

75

Mostly favorable

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:15:00 GMT.

River observation: Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT.

Page checked: Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:20:20 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Weller Creek at Des Plaines
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Des Plaines, IL, USA - panoramio (5).jpg by Michael Boyd, CC BY 3.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

7 mph

gusting to 16 mph

Air temp

72°F

99% chance of rain

River flow

9.53 cfs

high for this date

Weather outlook

Saturday · 97

  • Thu

    60

  • Fri

    44

  • Sat

    97

    Best

  • Sun

    88

  • Mon

    94

  • Tue

    88

  • Wed

    76

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
12p514
1p516
2p716
3p718
4p612
5p712
6p812
7p919
8p1023
9p614
10p413
11p311

Is this flow normal for October 1?

Today's 9.53 cfs is 1122% above the median for this date — which counts as high water here.

The median flow on this date is 1 cfs, across 75 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 7 mph — moderate wind at the forecast location±0
  • Rain — 99% chance in the next 6 hours-25

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

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