Columbus weather in September

In September, Columbus sees average daytime highs of 86°F and overnight lows near 67°F, with 3.4 in of rain across 8.3 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 88°F in the first days to 82°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in September, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 42 min at the start of September to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Columbus's 4th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Columbus's year-round climate.

Daytime high
86°
4th warmest
Overnight low
67°
9th coldest
Rainfall
3.4 in
8.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
6:28 AM – 6:40 PM
Cloud cover
53%
4th clearest
Wind
5 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
4.77 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.3
out of 10

Columbus is consolidated city-county in Muscogee County, Georgia, United States.

Density
362/km²
people per km²
Founded
1828

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 88°F in the first days to 82°F by the end.

A typical September day in Columbus 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 93°F. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 4°F cooler than August and about 9°F warmer than October.

50°60°70°80°90°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18970
28870
38870
48869
58869
68869
78869
88869
98768
108768
118768
128768
138767
148767
158667
168667
178667
188566
198566
208566
218565
228465
238465
248464
258364
268364
278363
288263
298262
308262

How September really feels in Columbus

Once humidity and wind are folded in, September averages 9 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
9
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in September is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Columbus weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 4th-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan57° / 38°4.29.810.14.1
Feb61° / 41°4.49.110.85.1
Mar68° / 47°4.29.711.86.5
Apr76° / 54°3.37.912.87.2
May83° / 62°2.68.313.66.1
Jun89° / 70°3.51314.14.0
Jul91° / 73°4.415.513.93.3
Aug90° / 72°3.813.813.23.6
Sep86° / 67°3.48.312.25.3
Oct77° / 55°2.96.511.27.5
Nov67° / 45°3.67.510.36.7
Dec59° / 40°4.59.59.94.7

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 43%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15446
25446
35545
45545
55644
65743
75743
85842
95842
106040
116040
126040
136040
146040
155941
165941
175842
185842
195743
205644
215644
225545
235644
245644
255644
265644
275644
285743
295644
305644

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Columbus gets around 3.4 in of rain over 8.3 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 28% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
135
234
333
432
531
630
729
828
927
1027
1126
1226
1326
1426
1526
1626
1727
1827
1927
2028
2128
2228
2327
2427
2527
2626
2726
2826
2925
3025

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 32% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 54% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
127153739
227163737
338173736
439183634
539183633
6310193632
7411203530
8412213429
9413213428
10514223327
11515223326
12515223225
13616233224
14616233223
15717233222
16717243121
17817243120
18917243119
191017253118
201116253118
211216253017
221416243016
231516242915
241716242914
251916242814
262016232813
272216232712
282317232611
292417232511
302617222510

Wind in September

Winds average 5 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
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 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 60 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:19 AM to 6:38 AM, and sunset from 7:01 PM to 6:21 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.76:197:01
212.76:196:59
312.66:206:58
412.66:216:57
512.66:216:55
612.56:226:54
712.56:236:53
812.56:236:51
912.46:246:50
1012.46:246:49
1112.46:256:47
1212.36:266:46
1312.36:266:44
1412.36:276:43
1512.26:286:42
1612.26:286:40
1712.26:296:39
1812.16:306:37
1912.16:306:36
2012.16:316:35
2112.06:326:33
2212.06:326:32
2312.06:336:30
2411.96:346:29
2511.96:346:28
2611.96:356:26
2711.86:366:25
2811.86:366:24
2911.86:376:22
3011.76:386:21

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 4.77 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.46 kWh/m² to a high of 6.28 kWh/m² in May across the year — September's 4.77 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.1Bright
35.1Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
144.9Bright
154.8Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.7Bright
194.7Bright
204.6Bright
214.6Bright
224.6Bright
234.5Bright
244.5Bright
254.5Bright
264.4Bright
274.4Bright
284.4Bright
294.3Bright
304.3Bright
Planning a trip in September

Is September a good time to visit Columbus?

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

5.3
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
7.0
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Columbus in September

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

In September, Columbus sees daytime highs around 86°F and nights near 67°F. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 8 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Columbus in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Columbus peaks around July 11 at about 9 (very high) — 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 highHighModerateJul 11UV 9Dec 19UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5High
Mar7High
Apr8Very high
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov5Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Columbus 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 Columbus is worst in July — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.9× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 1719 µg/m³Dec 207 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb11Good
Mar14Moderate
Apr11Good
May12Good
Jun16Moderate
Jul20Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct11Good
Nov9Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Columbus?

Columbus sits at 32.5°N, 85.0°W, 269 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Phenix City, 1.2 mi away.

Topography around Columbus

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Columbus has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 367 ft around an average of 295 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 525 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,224 ft.

The land around Columbus is covered by trees (47%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 2 miles, trees (75%) within 10 miles, and trees (86%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
367 ft
10 miles
525 ft
50 miles
1,224 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
September weather nearby: Phenix City 1.2 mi · Opelika 26 mi · Auburn 30 mi · LaGrange 40 mi · Americus 52 mi · Newnan 65 mi · Peachtree City 68 mi · Griffin 68 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 Columbus (32.461°, -84.9877°, elevation 269 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).