Gainesville weather in September

In September, Gainesville sees average daytime highs of 87°F and overnight lows near 71°F, with 4.2 in of rain across 14.6 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 89°F in the first days to 85°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in September, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 36 min at the start of September to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Gainesville's 9th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gainesville's year-round climate.

Daytime high
87°
4th warmest
Overnight low
71°
9th coldest
Rainfall
4.2 in
14.6 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
6:18 AM – 6:29 PM
Cloud cover
63%
9th clearest
Wind
5 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
4.6 kWh/m²
Travel score
4.1
out of 10

Gainesville is city and county seat of Alachua County, Florida, United States.

Density
899/km²
people per km²
Founded
1853

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 89°F in the first days to 85°F by the end.

A typical September day in Gainesville reaches about 87°F in the afternoon and slips back to 71°F overnight — a 16°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 82°F and 92°F. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 3°F cooler than August and about 6°F warmer than October.

60°70°80°90°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18973
28973
38973
48973
58873
68872
78872
88872
98872
108872
118872
128872
138872
148871
158771
168771
178771
188771
198771
208771
218770
228770
238670
248670
258670
268669
278569
288569
298569
308568

How September really feels in Gainesville

Once humidity and wind are folded in, September averages 25 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
25
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.

Gainesville weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan66° / 45°2.97.710.36.6
Feb69° / 48°2.56.910.96.9
Mar75° / 53°3.17.411.87.4
Apr80° / 58°2.26.612.77.0
May86° / 65°2.88.913.55.2
Jun89° / 72°5.318.613.93.3
Jul90° / 74°5.420.613.72.9
Aug90° / 74°5.821.413.12.9
Sep87° / 71°4.214.612.24.1
Oct81° / 63°2.27.711.36.7
Nov74° / 53°1.65.310.57.7
Dec68° / 48°2.46.710.16.9

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% 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 55%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14159
24060
34159
44159
54159
64159
74159
84258
94258
104357
114456
124555
134555
144753
154753
164753
174852
184852
194753
204852
214852
224852
234753
244852
254852
264852
274852
284753
294753
304852

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Gainesville gets around 4.2 in of rain over 14.6 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 48% and peaks near 61% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
161
260
359
458
557
656
755
854
953
1052
1151
1250
1349
1449
1548
1647
1746
1846
1945
2045
2144
2243
2343
2442
2541
2640
2740
2840
2939
3039

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, September lands in the oppressive band about 62% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 89% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1002127610
2003127510
300313759
400414748
500415738
600416737
701517707
801518706
901519696
1001621666
1101622665
1201623655
1301624645
1401725625
1501725625
1602726605
1702826604
1802826604
1902827594
2013827574
2113927573
2213927573
23241027543
24241027552
25341127532
26351227512
27451327502
28451327492
29561427472
30561427462

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
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 36 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 54 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:10 AM to 6:26 AM, and sunset from 6:48 PM to 6:11 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.66:106:48
212.66:116:47
312.66:116:45
412.56:126:44
512.56:126:43
612.56:136:42
712.46:136:40
812.46:146:39
912.46:156:38
1012.46:156:37
1112.36:166:35
1212.36:166:34
1312.36:176:33
1412.26:176:31
1512.26:186:30
1612.26:186:29
1712.16:196:28
1812.16:196:26
1912.16:206:25
2012.16:216:24
2112.06:216:22
2212.06:226:21
2312.06:226:20
2411.96:236:19
2511.96:236:17
2611.96:246:16
2711.86:246:15
2811.86:256:14
2911.86:266:12
3011.76:266:11

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 4.6 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.86 kWh/m² to a high of 6.3 kWh/m² in May across the year — September's 4.6 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
44.8Bright
54.8Bright
64.8Bright
74.8Bright
84.8Bright
94.7Bright
104.7Bright
114.7Bright
124.7Bright
134.7Bright
144.6Bright
154.6Bright
164.6Bright
174.6Bright
184.5Bright
194.5Bright
204.5Bright
214.5Bright
224.5Bright
234.4Bright
244.4Bright
254.4Bright
264.3Bright
274.3Bright
284.3Bright
294.3Bright
304.2Bright
Planning a trip in September

Hazard calendar for Gainesville

In seasonPeak

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

Gainesville's rainy season runs May–September, 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 Gainesville?

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

4.1
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
5.9
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

September is a reasonable time to visit Gainesville for sightseeing.

What to pack for Gainesville in September

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

In September, Gainesville sees daytime highs around 87°F and nights near 71°F. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 15 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Gainesville in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Gainesville peaks around June 23 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 4 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 11Dec 20UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb6High
Mar8Very high
Apr8Very high
May9Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct7High
Nov5Moderate
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Gainesville 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 Gainesville is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodJul 1619 µg/m³Dec 108 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb17Moderate
Mar17Moderate
Apr18Moderate
May17Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Gainesville?

Gainesville sits at 29.7°N, 82.3°W, 177 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ocala, 34 mi away.

Topography around Gainesville

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Gainesville has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 187 ft around an average of 164 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 223 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 299 ft.

The land around Gainesville is covered by trees (66%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 2 miles, trees (77%) within 10 miles, and trees (74%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
187 ft
10 miles
223 ft
50 miles
299 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
September weather nearby: Ocala 34 mi · Marion Oaks 45 mi · Oakleaf Plantation 47 mi · Lakeside 47 mi · Fleming Island 47 mi · Fruit Cove 52 mi · The Villages 54 mi · St. Johns 55 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 Gainesville (29.6516°, -82.3248°, elevation 177 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).