Columbia weather in August

In August, Columbia sees average daytime highs of 86°F and overnight lows near 67°F, with 3.0 in of rain across 8.9 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 86°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time in August, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 06 min at the start of August to 12 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Columbia's 3rd-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Columbia's year-round climate.

Daytime high
86°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
67°
11th coldest
Rainfall
3.0 in
8.9 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
5:27 AM – 6:59 PM
Cloud cover
50%
3rd clearest
Wind
6 mph
12th windiest
Solar energy
5.77 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.2
out of 10

Columbia is city in and county seat of Boone County, Missouri, United States.

Density
765/km²
people per km²
Founded
1821

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

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 86°F through the month.

A typical August day in Columbia reaches about 86°F in the afternoon and slips back to 67°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 78°F and 95°F. Set against its neighbours, August runs about 1°F cooler than July and about 7°F warmer than September.

60°80°100°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18769
28769
38769
48768
58768
68768
78768
88768
98768
108768
118668
128667
138667
148667
158667
168667
178667
188667
198667
208667
218667
228667
238667
248666
258666
268566
278566
288566
298565
308565
318465

How August really feels in Columbia

Once humidity and wind are folded in, August 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

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

Columbia weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 2nd-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan38° / 23°2.27.23.79.60.0
Feb44° / 27°2.36.92.910.50.7
Mar55° / 36°3.410.71.611.73.4
Apr65° / 46°5.111.60.3135.6
May74° / 56°5.313.3014.16.2
Jun83° / 66°4.411.9014.75.4
Jul88° / 69°3.79.5014.54.7
Aug86° / 67°3.08.9013.55.2
Sep79° / 59°3.47.7012.37.1
Oct67° / 47°3.38.80.1116.4
Nov53° / 36°3.17.81.19.93.3
Dec42° / 27°2.36.92.39.30.4

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 41% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 40%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16040
25941
35941
45941
55941
65842
75842
85842
95842
105842
115842
125941
135941
145941
156040
166040
176040
186139
196139
206139
216139
226139
236139
246139
256139
266040
276238
286238
296238
306238
316238

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Columbia gets around 3.0 in of rain over 8.9 wet days in August. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 28% and peaks near 29% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
129
229
329
429
529
629
729
829
929
1029
1129
1229
1329
1429
1528
1628
1728
1828
1928
2028
2128
2228
2328
2428
2527
2627
2726
2826
2926
3026
3125

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, August lands in the muggy band about 34% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 55% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
14142430281
24142430271
34142431271
44142431261
54142432251
64142432251
74142433251
85142333241
95142333240
105152333240
116152333230
126152233230
136152234220
147162233220
157162233220
167162234210
177162234210
187162234210
198162234200
208152235200
218152235200
228152235200
238152335190
248152336190
258152336190
269152336180
279152435170
2810152435170
2910152435160
3011162434150
3112162433140

Wind in August

Winds average 6 mph in August, the calmest month.

Across August, 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.

0246810151015202531
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
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 06 min at the start of August to 12 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 72 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 5:14 AM to 5:41 AM, and sunset from 7:17 PM to 6:37 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.15:147:17
214.05:157:16
314.05:157:15
414.05:167:14
513.95:177:13
613.95:187:12
713.95:197:11
813.85:207:10
913.85:217:08
1013.85:227:07
1113.75:237:06
1213.75:247:05
1313.65:257:03
1413.65:267:02
1513.65:267:01
1613.55:276:59
1713.55:286:58
1813.55:296:57
1913.45:306:55
2013.45:316:54
2113.35:326:52
2213.35:336:51
2313.35:346:50
2413.25:356:48
2513.25:366:47
2613.15:376:45
2713.15:386:44
2813.15:396:42
2913.05:406:41
3013.05:406:39
3112.95:416:37

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 5.77 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.94 kWh/m² to a high of 6.44 kWh/m² in July across the year — August's 5.77 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.1Intense
26.1Intense
36.1Intense
46.1Intense
56.0Intense
66.0Intense
76.0Bright
86.0Bright
95.9Bright
105.9Bright
115.9Bright
125.9Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.5Bright
265.5Bright
275.5Bright
285.4Bright
295.4Bright
305.4Bright
315.3Bright
Planning a trip in August

Is August a good time to visit Columbia?

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

5.2
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
7.2
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Columbia in August

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

In August, Columbia sees daytime highs around 86°F and nights near 67°F. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 9 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Columbia in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Columbia peaks around June 21 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 21UV 10Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May7Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Columbia in August

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Columbia is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1616 µg/m³Nov 117 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar12Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Columbia?

Columbia sits at 39.0°N, 92.3°W, 705 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Jefferson City, 27 mi away.

Topography around Columbia

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Columbia has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 220 ft around an average of 728 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 387 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 640 ft.

The land around Columbia is covered by trees (47%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 2 miles, trees (52%) and grassland (30%) within 10 miles, and trees (41%), cropland (32%) and grassland (25%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
220 ft
10 miles
387 ft
50 miles
640 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
August weather nearby: Jefferson City 27 mi · Sedalia 51 mi · Hannibal 74 mi · Rolla 76 mi · Warrensburg 76 mi · Wentzville 80 mi · Quincy 84 mi · Fort Leonard Wood 86 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 Columbia (38.9517°, -92.3341°, elevation 705 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).