Editing Crystal Lake, Illinois (section)

==Geography==
According to the 2010 census, Crystal Lake has a total area of {{convert|18.957|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|18.35|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 96.8%) is land and {{convert|0.607|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 3.2%) is water.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1717887
  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
  |access-date=2015-12-27
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213081841/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1717887
  |archive-date=2020-02-13
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

In 2023, census data reported that Crystal Lake has a total area of 18.985 square miles (49.10&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), of which 18.35 square miles (47.53&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) (or 96.8%) is land and 0.613 square miles (1.59&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) (or 3.2%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/table/GEOINFO2023.GEOINFO?q=Crystal%20Lake |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

===Neighborhoods===
[[File:CrystalLakeIL4ColoniesIntersection.JPG|thumb|The intersection of Waterford and Bennington]]

As the largest city in McHenry County, Crystal Lake contains three high schools and has many separate neighborhoods.

Starting from the north of the city, the ten largest neighborhoods are easy to trace out. The first has no de facto name like the others, but is referred to as "by [[Prairie Ridge High School|Prairie Ridge]]," referring to the nearby high school of the same name. Houses in this neighborhood are large and widely spaced. The entire area lies just to the north of the city, from the downtown area to the adjacent community of [[Bull Valley, Illinois|Bull Valley]]. Some of the communities include Deer Wood, Covered Bridge Trails and Walk-up Woods. Next is downtown Crystal Lake, which rings Crystal Lake Central High School. Houses here range greatly in size and age, and it is the most diverse neighborhood in the city. Directly south of downtown Crystal Lake is the Coventry neighborhood, named for the major through street Coventry Lane. Students in the Coventry neighborhood attend either Central High School of Crystal Lake or Crystal Lake South High School. Oral tradition holds that Coventry was originally populated by pilots who fly out of O'Hare Airport. The neighborhood Burtons Bridge is located at the north-eastern side of Crystal Lake.

[[File:20170506-OC-PJK-0302 (34455904036).jpg|thumb|Crystal Lake subdivisions]]
To the southwest of downtown Crystal Lake is the sprawling Four Colonies neighborhood, which covers nearly {{convert|2.5|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}. Students from Four Colonies attend both Central and South High School. South of Four Colonies is The Villages neighborhood, which is named for its major thoroughfare, Village Road. An important feature of The Villages is Indian Prairie Elementary School, which is built on a large and steep series of hills that is a favorite sledding location during the snowy months. The residents attend South High School. A neighborhood Northeast of Four Colonies is Wedgewood. Wedgewood includes five ponds, and a forest that backs up to Huntley Road, with a paved walking path. Wedgewood has five brick entrance signs saying "Wedgewood", and 3 prominent entrances; the front entrance on Huntley Road's intersection with Lakeview Drive, the back entrance on Huntley Road's intersection with Boneset Drive, and the side entrance on Country Club Road. Wedgewood consists of single family homes and multi-family dwellings such as townhouses. Wedgewood Drive circles the whole neighborhood, and is a {{frac|1|1|2}}-mile circle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crystallake.org/index.aspx?page=221 |title=New Residents |publisher=Crystal Lake |date=2009-02-03 |access-date=2010-07-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100814233415/http://www.crystallake.org/index.aspx?page=221 |archive-date=2010-08-14 }}</ref>

Other neighborhoods in Crystal Lake ring the town's namesake lake, and are called West End, North Shore, and the Vista. These neighborhoods consist of many older homes built on the lake shore, and vary greatly in size and style. Effectively a neighborhood and occupying the entire south shore of the lake is the independent Village of [[Lakewood, Illinois|Lakewood]], historically a restricted community connected strongly to the Crystal Lake Country Club alongside it.

===Climate===
The city's climate is much like that of its large neighboring city, Chicago. The city experiences hot summers and cold winters, with temperatures slightly more extreme than those of closer suburbs, because rural land still surrounds the city. Due to the lack of the [[urban heat island]] effect, Crystal Lake experiences colder nights and lower precipitation than recorded at Chicago. High temperatures are usually comparable to those in Chicago, with only a few degrees difference on most days.

The hottest month of the year is July, when the average high temperature is approximately {{convert|86|F|C}}. Temperatures in July, and in summer in general, can frequently exceed {{convert|95|F|C}}, and occasionally exceed {{convert|100|F|C}}, although this does not happen each year. The coldest month of the year is January, where the average high temperature is {{convert|23|F|C}}. Overnight low temperatures are usually around {{convert|8|F|C}}. In winter, the low temperatures fall below {{convert|0|F|C}} on many (often as many as fifteen or twenty) occasions per year. Extremely cold nights may record temperatures as low as {{convert|-20|F|C}} or lower, but this is rare and does not happen each year.<ref name="history" />

The wettest month of the year is August, when thunderstorms contribute brief, heavy downpours of rain. July is the second-wettest month of the year, also mainly due to thunderstorms. However, long dry spells can also occur at this time of year, sometimes lasting weeks. The two driest months of the year are January and February, where almost all of the precipitation falls as snow. In a typical year, total precipitation is {{convert|37|in|mm}} with a winter snowfall total of {{convert|40|in|mm}}. Large snowstorms, although rare, do occur and can accumulate large amounts of snow. In many years, at least one storm will deliver {{convert|12|in|mm}} of snow in one day. Most snow-bearing systems are [[Alberta clipper]]s, while the more infrequent heavy snows are caused by [[Panhandle hook]]s.

{{Weather box
|location = Crystal Lake, Illinois, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1849–present
|single line = Y
|Jan high F = 28
|Feb high F = 33
|Mar high F = 44
|Apr high F = 58
|May high F = 69
|Jun high F = 79
|Jul high F = 83
|Aug high F = 81
|Sep high F = 74
|Oct high F = 62
|Nov high F = 46
|Dec high F = 33
|year high F = 58
|Jan mean F = 20
|Feb mean F = 25
|Mar mean F = 35
|Apr mean F = 47
|May mean F = 58
|Jun mean F = 68
|Jul mean F = 73
|Aug mean F = 71
|Sep mean F = 63
|Oct mean F = 51
|Nov mean F = 38
|Dec mean F = 25
|year mean F = 48
|Jan low F = 11
|Feb low F = 16
|Mar low F = 26
|Apr low F = 36
|May low F = 47
|Jun low F = 57
|Jul low F = 62
|Aug low F = 60
|Sep low F = 51
|Oct low F = 40
|Nov low F = 29
|Dec low F = 17
|year low F = 38
|Jan record high F =  62
|Feb record high F =  70
|Mar record high F =  82
|Apr record high F =  91
|May record high F =  92
|Jun record high F =  101
|Jul record high F =  101
|Aug record high F =  98
|Sep record high F = 95
|Oct record high F = 89
|Nov record high F =  75
|Dec record high F =  67
|year record high F = 101
|Jan record low F = -27
|Feb record low F = -22
|Mar record low F = -8
|Apr record low F = 11
|May record low F = 28
|Jun record low F = 36
|Jul record low F = 45
|Aug record low F = 40
|Sep record low F = 29
|Oct record low F = 18
|Nov record low F = -7
|Dec record low F = -24
|year record low F= -27
|rain colour =
|Jan rain inch = 1.68
|Feb rain inch = 1.38
|Mar rain inch = 2.23
|Apr rain inch = 3.91
|May rain inch = 3.84
|Jun rain inch = 4.31
|Jul rain inch = 3.93
|Aug rain inch = 4.43
|Sep rain inch = 3.63
|Oct rain inch = 2.66
|Nov rain inch = 3.12
|Dec rain inch = 2.1
|year rain inch=37.22
|Jan snow inch = 10.2
|Feb snow inch = 7.3
|Mar snow inch = 4.5
|Apr snow inch = 1.1
|May snow inch = T
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.1
|Nov snow inch = 1.5
|Dec snow inch = 9.8
|year snow inch=34.5
|source 1 = http://www.intellicast.com/Local/History.aspx?location=USIL0280
|source 2 = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lot
}}

===Surrounding areas===

<div style= width:500px;">
:{{pad|4em}} [[Ridgewood, Illinois|Ridgewood]] / [[Bull Valley, Illinois|Bull Valley]]
:{{pad|1.2em}} [[Woodstock, Illinois|Woodstock]] [[Image:Up arrow left.svg|20px]] [[Image:Up-1.svg|30px]] [[Image:Up arrow right.svg|20px]] [[Prairie Grove, Illinois|Prairie Grove]]
:{{pad|.6em}} [[Lakewood, Illinois|Lakewood]] [[Image:Left.svg|30px]] {{pad|2.5em}} [[Image:Right.svg|30px]] [[Oakwood Hills, Illinois|Oakwood Hills]] / [[Cary, Illinois|Cary]] 
:{{pad|1.6em}} [[Lakewood, Illinois|Lakewood]] [[Image:Down arrow left.svg|20px]] [[Image:Down arrow.svg|30px]] [[Image:Down arrow right.svg|20px]] [[Lake in the Hills, Illinois|Lake in the Hills]] 
:{{pad|6em}} [[Lake in the Hills, Illinois|Lake in the Hills]]
</div>