Fort Dodge weather in September

In September, Fort Dodge sees average daytime highs of 74°F and overnight lows near 53°F, with 3.4 in of rain across 8.3 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 47% 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 Fort Dodge's 1st-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Fort Dodge's year-round climate.

Daytime high
74°
4th warmest
Overnight low
53°
9th coldest
Rainfall
3.4 in
8.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
6:02 AM – 6:19 PM
Cloud cover
45%
1st clearest
Wind
9 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
4.57 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.2
out of 10

Fort Dodge is city and the county seat of, Webster County, Iowa, United States.

Density
584/km²
people per km²
Founded
1869

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 Fort Dodge reaches about 74°F in the afternoon and slips back to 53°F overnight — a 21°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 63°F and 85°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)
17959
27959
37858
47858
57858
67857
77757
87756
97656
107656
117655
127555
137555
147554
157454
167453
177353
187353
197352
207252
217251
227251
237150
247150
257149
267049
277049
286948
296948
306947

How September really feels in Fort Dodge

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.

Fort Dodge 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
Jan27° / 11°1.15.75.39.20.0
Feb32° / 15°1.36.1510.30.0
Mar46° / 27°2.48.23.411.61.3
Apr59° / 39°4.411.31.513.14.4
May70° / 51°5.413.30.114.46.0
Jun79° / 61°5.512.6015.16.2
Jul82° / 65°3.710.1014.86.2
Aug80° / 62°4.29.6013.76.8
Sep74° / 53°3.48.3012.37.2
Oct61° / 41°2.67.80.510.85.4
Nov46° / 28°1.96.32.69.61.3
Dec32° / 17°1.564.78.90.0

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in September, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 38%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16733
26733
36733
46634
56535
66535
76436
86337
96337
106238
116040
126040
135941
145842
155842
165842
175842
185842
195842
205941
215941
226040
236040
246139
256139
266139
276238
286238
296337
306337

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Fort Dodge 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 30% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
126
226
326
426
526
626
727
827
927
1028
1128
1228
1329
1429
1529
1630
1730
1830
1930
2030
2129
2229
2329
2428
2528
2628
2727
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 55% 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 (%)
1252423225
2282423215
3302522194
4322522184
5352521163
6372520153
7392420143
8412419132
9432319132
10452318122
11472218121
12492217111
13512116111
14532016101
15542015101
16571914100
1759181490
1860181390
1963171280
2065161180
2166161170
2268151070
237015960
247314850
257314850
267613740
277613740
287912630
298012530
308211520

Wind in September

Winds average 9 mph in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light 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 5:46 AM to 6:18 AM, and sunset from 6:47 PM to 5:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.05:466:47
213.05:476:45
312.95:486:43
412.95:496:41
512.85:506:40
612.85:526:38
712.75:536:36
812.75:546:34
912.65:556:32
1012.65:566:31
1112.55:576:29
1212.55:586:27
1312.45:596:25
1412.46:006:23
1512.36:016:21
1612.36:026:19
1712.26:046:18
1812.26:056:16
1912.16:066:14
2012.16:076:12
2112.06:086:10
2212.06:096:08
2311.96:106:07
2411.96:116:05
2511.86:136:03
2611.86:146:01
2711.76:155:59
2811.76:165:57
2911.66:175:56
3011.66:185:54

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 4.57 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.74 kWh/m² to a high of 6.46 kWh/m² in July across the year — September's 4.57 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.1Bright
45.1Bright
55.1Bright
65.0Bright
75.0Bright
84.9Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.7Bright
124.7Bright
134.6Bright
144.6Bright
154.5Bright
164.5Bright
174.4Bright
184.4Bright
194.3Bright
204.3Bright
214.3Bright
224.2Bright
234.2Bright
244.1Bright
254.1Bright
264.1Bright
274.0Bright
284.0Moderate
294.0Moderate
303.9Moderate
Planning a trip in September

Hazard calendar for Fort Dodge

In seasonPeak

In September, Fort Dodge sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Fort Dodge's rainy season runs April–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is September a good time to visit Fort Dodge?

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

7.2
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
5.6
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Fort Dodge in September

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

In September, Fort Dodge sees daytime highs around 74°F and nights near 53°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 8 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 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 highHighModerateLowJun 19UV 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low
Location & terrain

Where is Fort Dodge?

Fort Dodge sits at 42.5°N, 94.2°W, 1,115 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ames, 42 mi away.

Topography around Fort Dodge

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Fort Dodge has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 226 ft around an average of 1,099 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 272 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 617 ft.

The land around Fort Dodge is covered by trees (37%), artificial surfaces (28%) and grassland (21%) within 2 miles, cropland (77%) within 10 miles, and cropland (90%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
226 ft
10 miles
272 ft
50 miles
617 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
September weather nearby: Ames 42 mi · Ankeny 60 mi · Johnston 62 mi · Waukee 63 mi · Urbandale 65 mi · Clive 66 mi · Mason City 66 mi · West Des Moines 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 Fort Dodge (42.4975°, -94.168°, elevation 1,115 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).