Cortland weather in August

In August, Cortland sees average daytime highs of 76°F and overnight lows near 59°F, with 3.9 in of rain across 12.3 wet days and about 13.7 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 78°F in the first days to 75°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in August, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 24 min at the start of August to 13 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Cortland's 2nd-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cortland's year-round climate.

Daytime high
76°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
59°
11th coldest
Rainfall
3.9 in
12.3 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:16 AM – 7:01 PM
Cloud cover
59%
2nd clearest
Wind
6 mph
12th windiest
Solar energy
5.16 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.6
out of 10

Cortland is city in New York, USA.

Density
1,865/km²
people per km²
Founded
1791

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

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 78°F in the first days to 75°F by the end.

A typical August day in Cortland reaches about 76°F in the afternoon and slips back to 59°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 68°F and 83°F. Set against its neighbours, August runs about 2°F cooler than July and about 7°F warmer than September.

40°50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17861
27860
37860
47760
57760
67760
77760
87760
97760
107760
117760
127760
137659
147659
157659
167659
177659
187659
197659
207658
217658
227658
237658
247558
257558
267558
277557
287557
297557
307457
317456

How August really feels in Cortland

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.

Cortland weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 2nd-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan30° / 16°3.112.612.29.20.0
Feb32° / 17°2.710.99.510.30.0
Mar41° / 25°3.8138.211.60.3
Apr54° / 37°4.213.52.913.13.0
May65° / 47°4.013.90.214.45.4
Jun74° / 56°4.412.8015.16.3
Jul78° / 60°4.213014.86.3
Aug76° / 59°3.912.3013.76.6
Sep69° / 52°4.110.5012.36.3
Oct57° / 41°4.2130.610.83.8
Nov45° / 31°3.512.34.49.60.9
Dec35° / 23°3.613108.90.0

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 25% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 49%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15347
25347
35248
45248
55248
65248
75248
85248
95050
105050
115050
125050
135050
145050
155050
165149
175149
185149
195149
205149
215149
225149
235149
245149
255149
265248
275149
285248
295248
305149
315149

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Cortland gets around 3.9 in of rain over 12.3 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 39% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
143
243
343
443
543
643
743
843
943
1043
1143
1242
1342
1442
1541
1641
1740
1840
1939
2038
2138
2237
2336
2436
2535
2634
2734
2833
2933
3032
3132

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, August lands in the humid band about 29% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 15% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1212833171
2212833171
3222832171
4222732171
5232732171
6232732171
7242731171
8242731171
9242831161
10252830161
11252830161
12262929151
13262929151
14262929141
15272929141
16273029141
17283029131
18283028131
19293028131
20292928130
21302928120
22312928120
23322827120
24332827120
25342826120
26352726120
27362725120
28372725120
29382624120
30382624120
31392623110

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
16calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
146calm
156calm
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 24 min at the start of August to 13 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 78 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 5:00 AM to 5:33 AM, and sunset from 7:21 PM to 6:37 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.45:007:21
214.35:017:20
314.35:027:19
414.25:037:18
514.25:047:17
614.25:067:15
714.15:077:14
814.15:087:13
914.05:097:11
1014.05:107:10
1114.05:117:09
1213.95:127:07
1313.95:137:06
1413.85:147:04
1513.85:157:03
1613.75:167:01
1713.75:177:00
1813.75:196:58
1913.65:206:57
2013.65:216:55
2113.55:226:53
2213.55:236:52
2313.45:246:50
2413.45:256:49
2513.35:266:47
2613.35:276:45
2713.35:286:44
2813.25:306:42
2913.25:316:40
3013.15:326:38
3113.15:336:37

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 5.16 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.31 kWh/m² to a high of 5.98 kWh/m² in June across the year — August's 5.16 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.4Bright
85.4Bright
95.4Bright
105.3Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.1Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.0Bright
205.0Bright
215.0Bright
225.0Bright
234.9Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
264.8Bright
274.8Bright
284.8Bright
294.7Bright
304.7Bright
314.7Bright
Planning a trip in August

Is August a good time to visit Cortland?

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

6.6
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
5.8
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

August is a reasonable time to visit Cortland for sightseeing.

What to pack for Cortland in August

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

In August, Cortland sees daytime highs around 76°F and nights near 59°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Cortland in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August 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 Cortland peaks around July 12 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 12UV 8Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low
Location & terrain

Where is Cortland?

Cortland sits at 42.6°N, 76.2°W, 1,129 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ithaca, 19 mi away.

Topography around Cortland

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Cortland has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 614 ft around an average of 1,220 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,178 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,847 ft.

The land around Cortland is covered by trees (43%) and grassland (28%) within 2 miles, trees (63%) and grassland (20%) within 10 miles, and trees (66%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
614 ft
10 miles
1,178 ft
50 miles
1,847 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
August weather nearby: Ithaca 19 mi · Auburn 30 mi · Syracuse 31 mi · Vestal 36 mi · Binghamton 37 mi · Cicero 40 mi · Clay 40 mi · Elmira 48 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 Cortland (42.6012°, -76.1805°, elevation 1,129 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).