DeKalb weather in September

In September, DeKalb sees average daytime highs of 74°F and overnight lows near 54°F, with 3.2 in of rain across 8.7 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 78°F in the first days to 69°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in September, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 hours at the start of September to 11 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is DeKalb's 1st-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see DeKalb's year-round climate.

Daytime high
74°
4th warmest
Overnight low
54°
9th coldest
Rainfall
3.2 in
8.7 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
5:41 AM – 5:58 PM
Cloud cover
50%
1st clearest
Wind
8 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
4.44 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.0
out of 10

DeKalb is city in De Kalb County, Illinois, United States.

Density
1,080/km²
people per km²
Founded
1837

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 78°F in the first days to 69°F by the end.

A typical September day in DeKalb reaches about 74°F in the afternoon and slips back to 54°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 63°F and 84°F. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 6°F cooler than August and about 13°F warmer than October.

40°60°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17860
27860
37859
47859
57758
67758
77758
87657
97657
107656
117656
127556
137555
147455
157455
167454
177354
187353
197353
207253
217252
227152
237151
247151
257051
267050
276950
286949
296949
306849

How September really feels in DeKalb

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.

DeKalb weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 4th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 16°2.07.65.79.30.0
Feb34° / 19°1.86.94.910.30.0
Mar46° / 29°2.69.32.911.71.3
Apr59° / 40°4.4120.913.14.1
May69° / 50°4.812.8014.35.9
Jun78° / 60°4.212.20156.3
Jul82° / 64°3.510.7014.76.4
Aug80° / 62°3.510.4013.76.6
Sep74° / 54°3.28.7012.37.0
Oct61° / 43°3.19.10.110.95.2
Nov47° / 32°2.47.71.69.61.5
Dec35° / 22°2.27.84.590.0

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 44% of the time in September, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 44%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15941
26040
36040
46040
56040
66139
76139
86040
96040
106040
115941
125842
135842
145743
155743
165644
175545
185545
195545
205446
215446
225446
235446
245347
255248
265248
275248
285248
295248
305248

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

DeKalb gets around 3.2 in of rain over 8.7 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 30% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
129
229
329
429
529
629
729
829
929
1029
1130
1230
1330
1430
1530
1631
1731
1830
1930
2030
2130
2230
2330
2430
2530
2629
2729
2829
2928
3028

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 52% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 12% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1242821207
2262820196
3282920186
4302919175
5322919165
6342918154
7362818153
8382818143
9402717133
10412717132
11432617132
12452516121
13472416121
14492415111
15502315111
16542214100
17552114100
1857211390
1959201290
2061191280
2164181170
2265181070
236817960
246916960
257116850
267315840
277415740
287614730
297714630
307813630

Wind in September

Winds average 8 mph in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127light breeze
137light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 hours 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 84 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 5:25 AM to 5:56 AM, and sunset from 6:24 PM to 5:32 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.05:256:24
212.95:266:23
312.95:276:21
412.95:286:19
512.85:296:17
612.85:306:16
712.75:316:14
812.75:326:12
912.65:346:10
1012.65:356:09
1112.55:366:07
1212.55:376:05
1312.45:386:03
1412.45:396:01
1512.35:405:59
1612.35:415:58
1712.25:425:56
1812.25:435:54
1912.15:445:52
2012.15:455:50
2112.05:465:49
2212.05:475:47
2311.95:495:45
2411.95:505:43
2511.85:515:41
2611.85:525:40
2711.75:535:38
2811.75:545:36
2911.75:555:34
3011.65:565:32

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 4.44 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.69 kWh/m² to a high of 6.29 kWh/m² in June across the year — September's 4.44 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
34.9Bright
44.9Bright
54.8Bright
64.8Bright
74.8Bright
84.7Bright
94.7Bright
104.7Bright
114.6Bright
124.6Bright
134.5Bright
144.5Bright
154.4Bright
164.4Bright
174.3Bright
184.3Bright
194.3Bright
204.2Bright
214.2Bright
224.1Bright
234.1Bright
244.1Bright
254.0Bright
264.0Moderate
273.9Moderate
283.9Moderate
293.8Moderate
303.8Moderate
Planning a trip in September

Is September a good time to visit DeKalb?

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

7.0
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
5.4
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

September is one of the better times to visit DeKalb for general sightseeing.

What to pack for DeKalb in September

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

In September, DeKalb sees daytime highs around 74°F and nights near 54°F. Worth packing: light clothes and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

UV index in DeKalb 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 DeKalb peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 19UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in DeKalb 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 DeKalb is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 9 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJul 1817 µg/m³Oct 229 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan12Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar16Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov10Good
Dec11Good
Location & terrain

Where is DeKalb?

DeKalb sits at 41.9°N, 88.8°W, 879 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Sycamore, 5.0 mi away.

Topography around DeKalb

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around DeKalb has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 102 ft around an average of 883 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 308 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 850 ft.

The land around DeKalb is covered by artificial surfaces (35%), trees (23%) and grassland (23%) within 2 miles, cropland (84%) within 10 miles, and cropland (59%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
102 ft
10 miles
308 ft
50 miles
850 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
September weather nearby: Sycamore 5.0 mi · Wasco 18 mi · St. Charles 23 mi · Geneva 23 mi · Batavia 23 mi · Huntley 24 mi · North Aurora 24 mi · Belvidere 24 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 DeKalb (41.9295°, -88.7504°, elevation 879 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).