Columbus weather in September

In September, Columbus sees average daytime highs of 78°F and overnight lows near 58°F, with 3.0 in of rain across 8.1 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 82°F in the first days to 74°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in September, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 54 min at the start of September to 11 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Columbus's 1st-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Columbus's year-round climate.

Daytime high
78°
4th warmest
Overnight low
58°
9th coldest
Rainfall
3.0 in
8.1 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
6:30 AM – 6:46 PM
Cloud cover
49%
1st clearest
Wind
6 mph
10th windiest
Solar energy
4.61 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.1
out of 10

Columbus is city in Bartholomew County, Indiana, United States.

Density
644/km²
people per km²
Founded
1820

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 82°F in the first days to 74°F by the end.

A typical September day in Columbus reaches about 78°F in the afternoon and slips back to 58°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 68°F and 88°F. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 6°F cooler than August and about 12°F warmer than October.

40°60°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18364
28263
38263
48263
58262
68162
78162
88161
98061
108060
118060
127960
137959
147959
157858
167858
177858
187757
197757
207756
217656
227656
237655
247555
257555
267454
277454
287453
297353
307353

How September really feels in Columbus

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.

Columbus 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
Jan38° / 24°3.39.33.79.60.0
Feb42° / 26°2.98.53.410.50.4
Mar53° / 35°4.110.81.611.72.8
Apr64° / 46°4.912.30.2135.4
May73° / 56°5.013.3014.16.2
Jun82° / 65°4.411.8014.75.8
Jul85° / 68°3.611.6014.55.1
Aug84° / 66°3.19.1013.55.8
Sep78° / 58°3.08.1012.37.1
Oct66° / 47°3.28.50116.2
Nov52° / 37°3.59.20.79.92.9
Dec42° / 29°3.510.23.19.30.3

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in September, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 41%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15941
25941
35941
46040
55941
65941
76040
86040
95941
105941
115941
125941
135842
145842
155842
165842
175842
185842
195941
205941
215941
225941
236040
246040
256040
266040
276040
286040
296040
306040

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Columbus gets around 3.0 in of rain over 8.1 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 27% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
127
227
327
427
527
627
726
826
926
1026
1126
1226
1326
1426
1527
1627
1727
1828
1928
2028
2128
2228
2328
2428
2528
2628
2728
2827
2927
3026

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, September lands in the dry band about 43% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 20% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
11921202713
22022202612
32122202511
42323202510
5252320249
6262320238
7282320227
8302320216
9322320205
10332320195
11352320184
12372320173
13382220173
14402219163
15422219152
16442118152
17462118142
18482117141
19502016131
20522015121
21532014121
22551914111
23561913111
24581912101
2560181291
2661181191
2764171180
2864171180
2966161170
3067161070

Wind in September

Winds average 6 mph in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 54 min at the start of September to 11 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 78 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:16 AM to 6:44 AM, and sunset from 7:10 PM to 6:22 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.96:167:10
212.96:177:09
312.86:187:07
412.86:197:06
512.76:207:04
612.76:217:02
712.66:227:01
812.66:236:59
912.66:246:57
1012.56:256:56
1112.56:266:54
1212.46:276:52
1312.46:286:51
1412.36:296:49
1512.36:306:47
1612.36:306:46
1712.26:316:44
1812.26:326:42
1912.16:336:41
2012.16:346:39
2112.06:356:37
2212.06:366:35
2311.96:376:34
2411.96:386:32
2511.96:396:30
2611.86:406:29
2711.86:416:27
2811.76:426:25
2911.76:436:24
3011.66:446:22

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 4.61 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.72 kWh/m² to a high of 6.24 kWh/m² in June across the year — September's 4.61 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.1Bright
35.1Bright
45.0Bright
55.0Bright
65.0Bright
74.9Bright
84.9Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.8Bright
124.7Bright
134.7Bright
144.7Bright
154.6Bright
164.6Bright
174.5Bright
184.5Bright
194.5Bright
204.4Bright
214.4Bright
224.4Bright
234.3Bright
244.3Bright
254.3Bright
264.2Bright
274.2Bright
284.2Bright
294.1Bright
304.1Bright
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).

7.1
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
6.6
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

September is one of the better times to visit Columbus for general 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 78°F and nights near 58°F. Worth packing: light clothes, 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 6 — 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 June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

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 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.4× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1316 µg/m³Oct 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar11Good
Apr11Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Columbus?

Columbus sits at 39.2°N, 85.9°W, 630 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Seymour, 17 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 112 ft around an average of 623 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 463 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 ft.

The land around Columbus is covered by cropland (33%), trees (26%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 2 miles, cropland (46%) and trees (38%) within 10 miles, and trees (47%) and cropland (39%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
112 ft
10 miles
463 ft
50 miles
778 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
September weather nearby: Seymour 17 mi · Franklin 21 mi · Shelbyville 24 mi · Greenwood 30 mi · Bloomington 32 mi · Greenfield 41 mi · Indianapolis 41 mi · Plainfield 43 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 (39.2014°, -85.9214°, elevation 630 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).