Athens weather in September

In September, Athens sees average daytime highs of 82°F and overnight lows near 66°F, with 3.3 in of rain across 7.2 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 85°F in the first days to 78°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time in September, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 48 min at the start of September to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Athens's 2nd-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Athens's year-round climate.

Daytime high
82°
4th warmest
Overnight low
66°
9th coldest
Rainfall
3.3 in
7.2 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
5:36 AM – 5:49 PM
Cloud cover
48%
2nd clearest
Wind
6 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
4.83 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.6
out of 10

Athens is county seat of Limestone County, Alabama, United States.

Density
240/km²
people per km²
Founded
1818

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in September

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 85°F in the first days to 78°F by the end.

A typical September day in Athens reaches about 82°F in the afternoon and slips back to 66°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 75°F and 89°F. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 5°F cooler than August and about 10°F warmer than October.

50°60°70°80°90°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18570
28570
38569
48569
58569
68469
78469
88468
98468
108368
118367
128367
138367
148266
158266
168266
178265
188165
198165
208164
218064
228064
238063
247963
257962
267862
277862
287861
297761
307760

How September really feels in Athens

Once humidity and wind are folded in, September averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

September sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Athens weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan50° / 35°5.09.90.69.92.2
Feb54° / 38°4.810.60.910.73.1
Mar62° / 45°5.511.40.311.75.1
Apr71° / 53°4.99.9012.86.5
May78° / 62°4.010.9013.86.6
Jun85° / 70°3.812014.35.0
Jul87° / 73°4.012.1014.14.4
Aug87° / 72°3.010.8013.34.7
Sep82° / 66°3.37.2012.26.6
Oct71° / 54°3.47.3011.17.3
Nov60° / 44°4.08.6010.25.2
Dec52° / 38°5.310.70.49.72.8

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 45% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 38%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16040
26238
36238
46238
56238
66337
76337
86337
96436
106436
116337
126337
136337
146238
156238
166139
176040
186040
196040
206040
216040
226040
236139
246238
256337
266337
276535
286535
296634
306634

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Athens gets around 3.3 in of rain over 7.2 wet days in September. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 25% and peaks near 27% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
127
226
326
425
525
624
724
824
924
1024
1124
1224
1324
1425
1525
1626
1726
1827
1927
2027
2126
2226
2325
2425
2524
2623
2723
2822
2921
3021

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of September feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, September lands in the muggy band about 31% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 49% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
115164037
226174135
326184133
427194131
538204029
638214028
749223926
8410233924
9511243822
10511253721
11612263620
12713263519
13713273518
14814273318
15915273217
161015273117
171116273016
181216272915
191317272815
201517272714
211618272613
221818272512
232018262411
242219262310
25232025229
26252025218
27272124218
28282124207
29302224196
30312223186

Wind in September

Winds average 6 mph in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 6 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 min at the start of September to 11 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 66 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 5:25 AM to 5:46 AM, and sunset from 6:11 PM to 5:28 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.85:256:11
212.75:256:09
312.75:266:08
412.75:276:06
512.65:286:05
612.65:286:03
712.55:296:02
812.55:306:01
912.55:315:59
1012.45:315:58
1112.45:325:56
1212.45:335:55
1312.35:345:53
1412.35:345:52
1512.35:355:50
1612.25:365:49
1712.25:375:47
1812.15:375:46
1912.15:385:44
2012.15:395:43
2112.05:405:41
2212.05:405:40
2312.05:415:38
2411.95:425:37
2511.95:435:35
2611.85:435:34
2711.85:445:32
2811.85:455:31
2911.75:465:29
3011.75:465:28

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 4.83 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.17 kWh/m² to a high of 6.23 kWh/m² in June across the year — September's 4.83 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.1Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.9Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.7Bright
194.7Bright
204.7Bright
214.6Bright
224.6Bright
234.6Bright
244.5Bright
254.5Bright
264.5Bright
274.5Bright
284.4Bright
294.4Bright
304.4Bright
Planning a trip in September

Is September a good time to visit Athens?

Our two travel scores rate September for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.6
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
7.2
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

September is a reasonable time to visit Athens for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Athens in September

From September's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In September, Athens sees daytime highs around 82°F and nights near 66°F. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 7 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Athens in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Athens peaks around July 12 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highVery highHighModerateJul 12UV 10Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7Very high
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Extreme
Aug9Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5High
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Athens in September

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where September falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Athens is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.3× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1719 µg/m³Jan 116 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb8Good
Mar10Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Athens?

Athens sits at 34.8°N, 87.0°W, 722 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Decatur, 14 mi away.

Topography around Athens

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Athens.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Athens has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 157 ft around an average of 715 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 371 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,493 ft.

The land around Athens is covered by trees (41%) and grassland (31%) within 2 miles, trees (38%), cropland (30%) and grassland (26%) within 10 miles, and trees (61%) and grassland (24%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
157 ft
10 miles
371 ft
50 miles
1,493 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
September weather nearby: Decatur 14 mi · Madison 14 mi · Huntsville 22 mi · East Florence 39 mi · Florence 40 mi · Cullman 44 mi · Shelbyville 55 mi · Columbia 57 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Athens (34.8024°, -86.9722°, elevation 722 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).