The city of Gary is located at the southern tip of Lake Michigan approximately 28 miles southeast of Chicago in an area known as the Calumet region, which includes the northern portions of Lake and Porter counties. Toledo is 210 miles east, Indianapolis is 153 miles southeast, Detroit is 237 miles northeast, and St. Louis is 287 miles southwest of Gary. Gary is in a region of frequently changing weather. The climate is predominantly temperate, ranging from relatively warm in the summer to relatively cold in the winter. However, this is partly modified by Lake Michigan, mostly in the winter. Very low temperatures usually develop in air that flows southward to the west of Lake Superior before reaching Gary. In summer the higher temperatures result from a south or southwest flow and therefore are not modified by the lake.
Area: 50 square miles (2000)
Elevation: 590 feet above sea level
Average Temperatures: January, 20.1° F; July, 72.9° F; annual average, 48.9° F
Average Annual Precipitation: 34.66 inches of rain, 39.2 inches of snowfall