Climate and average weather in Galveston
In Galveston, the summers are oppressive, hot, showery, and partly cloudy and the winters are mild, breezy, and partly cloudy.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Galveston typically varies from 53°F to 85°F, and is rarely below 42°F or above 87°F. August is the hottest month of the year, while January is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best times of year to visit Galveston for warm-weather activities are from mid March to mid June and late September to early December.
- Hottest
- Aug
- 85°
- Coldest
- Jan
- 53°
- Wettest
- Sep
- 6.3 in
- Driest
- May
- 3.0 in
- Rain / yr
- 50.7 in
- 117 wet days
- Daylight
- 10.1–13.9 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 7 ft
- 29.3°N
- Clearest
- Oct
- 39% cloud
Galveston is city in and county seat of Galveston County, Texas, United States; port and coastal city.
- Density
- 93/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1785
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Galveston weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around mid March to mid June.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Galveston, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
The hot season lasts 4.6 months, from May 21 to October 8, with daily high temperatures above 79°F. The hottest month of the year in Galveston is August, with an average high of 85°F and low of 81°F.
The cool season lasts 3.1 months, from December 5 to March 9, with daily high temperatures below 64°F. The coldest month of the year in Galveston is January, with an average low of 53°F and high of 60°F.
Days typically run about 5°F warmer than nights year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°F) | 60 | 61 | 66 | 72 | 78 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 83 | 77 | 69 | 62 |
| Avg low (°F) | 53 | 55 | 61 | 67 | 74 | 79 | 81 | 81 | 78 | 71 | 62 | 55 |
| Avg high (°F) | Avg low (°F) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60 | 53 |
| Feb | 61 | 55 |
| Mar | 66 | 61 |
| Apr | 72 | 67 |
| May | 78 | 74 |
| Jun | 83 | 79 |
| Jul | 84 | 81 |
| Aug | 85 | 81 |
| Sep | 83 | 78 |
| Oct | 77 | 71 |
| Nov | 69 | 62 |
| Dec | 62 | 55 |
How hot and cold Galveston really feels
The felt-temperature range through the year — heat index on the day's high (summer humidity), wind chill on the night's low (winter wind). The dashed lines are the plain thermometer; the gap is how much hotter or colder it really feels.
On the hottest afternoons, once humidity is folded in, Galveston feels like about 96°F (around August 1). About 93 days a year carry some heat stress, peaking in August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels-like high (°F) | 60 | 61 | 66 | 72 | 78 | 90 | 95 | 95 | 88 | 77 | 69 | 62 |
| Air high (°F) | 60 | 61 | 66 | 72 | 78 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 83 | 77 | 69 | 62 |
| Feels-like low (°F) | 53 | 55 | 61 | 67 | 74 | 79 | 81 | 81 | 78 | 71 | 62 | 55 |
| Air low (°F) | 53 | 55 | 61 | 67 | 74 | 79 | 81 | 81 | 78 | 71 | 62 | 55 |
| Feels-like high (°F) | Air high (°F) | Feels-like low (°F) | Air low (°F) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60 | 60 | 53 | 53 |
| Feb | 61 | 61 | 55 | 55 |
| Mar | 66 | 66 | 61 | 61 |
| Apr | 72 | 72 | 67 | 67 |
| May | 78 | 78 | 74 | 74 |
| Jun | 90 | 83 | 79 | 79 |
| Jul | 95 | 84 | 81 | 81 |
| Aug | 95 | 85 | 81 | 81 |
| Sep | 88 | 83 | 78 | 78 |
| Oct | 77 | 77 | 71 | 71 |
| Nov | 69 | 69 | 62 | 62 |
| Dec | 62 | 62 | 55 | 55 |
Average hourly temperature in Galveston
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on August afternoons, near 85°F, and coldest before dawn in January, near 53°F.
Galveston weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°F) | Rainfall (inches) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60° / 53° | 4.8 | 10.4 | 10.3 | 4.7 |
| Feb | 61° / 55° | 3.5 | 8.7 | 10.9 | 5.2 |
| Mar | 66° / 61° | 3.4 | 7.9 | 11.8 | 6.4 |
| Apr | 72° / 67° | 3.5 | 7.2 | 12.7 | 7.3 |
| May | 78° / 74° | 3.0 | 7.6 | 13.4 | 7.4 |
| Jun | 83° / 79° | 4.3 | 10.7 | 13.8 | 6.1 |
| Jul | 84° / 81° | 3.7 | 11.6 | 13.7 | 5.4 |
| Aug | 85° / 81° | 4.5 | 13.1 | 13.1 | 5.0 |
| Sep | 83° / 78° | 6.3 | 12.5 | 12.2 | 5.8 |
| Oct | 77° / 71° | 4.7 | 8.6 | 11.3 | 7.4 |
| Nov | 69° / 62° | 4.4 | 8.2 | 10.5 | 6.8 |
| Dec | 62° / 55° | 4.5 | 10.1 | 10.2 | 5.5 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Galveston gets about 50.7 in of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is often wet, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 3.8 months, from around Jun 5 to Sep 27, peaking in August at about 50% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around May 1.
September is the wettest month by volume, with 6.3 in over about 13 wet days; May is the driest, with 3.0 in.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 34 | 31 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 35 | 38 | 43 | 41 | 28 | 27 | 33 |
| Rain days | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 10 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34 | 10 |
| Feb | 31 | 9 |
| Mar | 26 | 8 |
| Apr | 24 | 7 |
| May | 24 | 8 |
| Jun | 35 | 11 |
| Jul | 38 | 12 |
| Aug | 43 | 13 |
| Sep | 41 | 13 |
| Oct | 28 | 9 |
| Nov | 27 | 8 |
| Dec | 33 | 10 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Galveston collects about 50.7 in of rain across 117 wet days — roughly 4.2 in in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. September is the wettest month with 6.3 in, while May is the driest at just 3.0 in. The three wettest months alone bring about 31% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (in) | 4.8 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 6.3 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.5 |
| Rain days | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 10 |
| Rainfall (in) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.8 | 10 |
| Feb | 3.5 | 9 |
| Mar | 3.4 | 8 |
| Apr | 3.5 | 7 |
| May | 3.0 | 8 |
| Jun | 4.3 | 11 |
| Jul | 3.7 | 12 |
| Aug | 4.5 | 13 |
| Sep | 6.3 | 13 |
| Oct | 4.7 | 9 |
| Nov | 4.4 | 8 |
| Dec | 4.5 | 10 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Galveston, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows moderate seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around September 6 and lasts for 2.5 months, ending around November 20. The clearest month is October, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 71% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around November 21 and lasts for 4.7 months, ending around April 13. The cloudiest month is February, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 56% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 46 | 44 | 49 | 59 | 67 | 67 | 61 | 59 | 63 | 71 | 59 | 48 |
| Cloudier (%) | 54 | 56 | 51 | 41 | 33 | 33 | 39 | 41 | 37 | 29 | 41 | 52 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46 | 54 |
| Feb | 44 | 56 |
| Mar | 49 | 51 |
| Apr | 59 | 41 |
| May | 67 | 33 |
| Jun | 67 | 33 |
| Jul | 61 | 39 |
| Aug | 59 | 41 |
| Sep | 63 | 37 |
| Oct | 71 | 29 |
| Nov | 59 | 41 |
| Dec | 48 | 52 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around June 14, brings about 13 h 54 min of light; the shortest, around December 13, only 10 h 06 min — a swing of roughly 3 h 48 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.3 | 10.9 | 11.8 | 12.7 | 13.4 | 13.8 | 13.7 | 13.1 | 12.2 | 11.3 | 10.5 | 10.2 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 7:19 | 7:05 | 6:35 | 5:58 | 5:32 | 5:24 | 5:34 | 5:51 | 6:08 | 6:26 | 6:49 | 7:11 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:38 | 6:02 | 6:22 | 6:41 | 6:59 | 7:15 | 7:16 | 6:55 | 6:19 | 5:43 | 5:20 | 5:19 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10.3 | 7:19 | 5:38 |
| Feb | 10.9 | 7:05 | 6:02 |
| Mar | 11.8 | 6:35 | 6:22 |
| Apr | 12.7 | 5:58 | 6:41 |
| May | 13.4 | 5:32 | 6:59 |
| Jun | 13.8 | 5:24 | 7:15 |
| Jul | 13.7 | 5:34 | 7:16 |
| Aug | 13.1 | 5:51 | 6:55 |
| Sep | 12.2 | 6:08 | 6:19 |
| Oct | 11.3 | 6:26 | 5:43 |
| Nov | 10.5 | 6:49 | 5:20 |
| Dec | 10.2 | 7:11 | 5:19 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Galveston averages about 13 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 9 and 18 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 2.6 months, from around Sep 4 to Nov 20. The sunniest month is October, with roughly 18 sunny days (bright).
The greyest month is February, down near 9 sunny days — about 46% fewer than the October peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 11 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 14 | 11 |
| Sky | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Bright | Bright | Mixed | Mixed | Bright | Bright | Mixed | Mixed |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Mixed |
| Feb | 9 | Mixed |
| Mar | 11 | Mixed |
| Apr | 13 | Mixed |
| May | 15 | Bright |
| Jun | 16 | Bright |
| Jul | 15 | Mixed |
| Aug | 13 | Mixed |
| Sep | 15 | Bright |
| Oct | 18 | Bright |
| Nov | 14 | Mixed |
| Dec | 11 | Mixed |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Galveston, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 6.4 months, from around April 12 to October 24. The muggiest month is June, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 100% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around October 25 to April 11, and January is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 85% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 66 | 55 | 35 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 38 | 58 |
| Comfortable (%) | 18 | 22 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 16 | 16 |
| Humid (%) | 14 | 21 | 27 | 19 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 20 | 17 |
| Muggy (%) | 1 | 3 | 19 | 34 | 21 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 22 | 20 | 9 |
| Oppressive (%) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 53 | 46 | 21 | 21 | 39 | 28 | 7 | 0 |
| Miserable (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 47 | 78 | 76 | 38 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | Miserable (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66 | 18 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb | 55 | 22 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar | 35 | 18 | 27 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr | 17 | 13 | 19 | 34 | 15 | 0 |
| May | 4 | 5 | 9 | 21 | 53 | 9 |
| Jun | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 46 | 47 |
| Jul | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 78 |
| Aug | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 76 |
| Sep | 1 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 39 | 38 |
| Oct | 14 | 13 | 16 | 22 | 28 | 7 |
| Nov | 38 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 7 | 0 |
| Dec | 58 | 16 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Across the year, average wind speed in Galveston is typically light breeze, near 12 mph, and varies moderately with the seasons.
The windier part of the year lasts 7.2 months, from around Oct 18 to May 24. The windiest month is December, averaging about 13 mph (breezy).
The calmer part of the year runs from around May 25 to Oct 17, with August the calmest month at about 10 mph.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (mph) | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
| Feels | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | breezy | breezy |
| Wind speed (mph) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | breezy |
| Feb | 13 | breezy |
| Mar | 13 | breezy |
| Apr | 13 | breezy |
| May | 13 | breezy |
| Jun | 12 | light breeze |
| Jul | 11 | light breeze |
| Aug | 10 | light breeze |
| Sep | 11 | light breeze |
| Oct | 12 | light breeze |
| Nov | 13 | breezy |
| Dec | 13 | breezy |
Hazard calendar for Galveston
When the seasonal hazards worth planning around — the rainy season, tropical-cyclone risk and dust haze — are active through the year.
Galveston sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Best time to visit Galveston
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Galveston throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around mid March, Galveston is still near the start of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds not yet at full swing.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 64°F and 82°F. Based on this score, the best times of year to visit Galveston for general outdoor tourist activities run from mid March to mid June and again from late September to early December, with a peak score in the first week of May.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 4.7 | 5.2 | 6.4 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 6.1 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 5.5 |
| Rating | fair | fair | good | good | good | good | fair | fair | good | good | good | fair |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.7 | fair |
| Feb | 5.2 | fair |
| Mar | 6.4 | good |
| Apr | 7.3 | good |
| May | 7.4 | good |
| Jun | 6.1 | good |
| Jul | 5.4 | fair |
| Aug | 5.0 | fair |
| Sep | 5.9 | good |
| Oct | 7.4 | good |
| Nov | 6.8 | good |
| Dec | 5.5 | fair |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 75°F and 93°F. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Galveston for hot-weather activities is from late April to late October, with a peak score in the second week of June.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Galveston, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
For a warm-season trip around August (highs near 85°F), the essentials are light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. In the cold season around January (highs near 60°F), pack a warm layer, rain gear and a windbreaker.
In August, Galveston sees daytime highs around 85°F and nights near 81°F. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Galveston
Average ocean temperature at the nearest coast, month by month, banded into swim-comfort zones — the other half of the beach question.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 12 mi away) is warmest in August at about 86°F and coldest in January near 58°F.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Apr 4 to Nov 21 — about 7.6 months when the water holds above 68°F.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°F) | 58 | 59 | 64 | 71 | 78 | 83 | 85 | 86 | 84 | 78 | 69 | 62 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Refreshing | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°F) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | Bracing |
| Feb | 59 | Cool |
| Mar | 64 | Cool |
| Apr | 71 | Refreshing |
| May | 78 | Warm |
| Jun | 83 | Tropical |
| Jul | 85 | Tropical |
| Aug | 86 | Tropical |
| Sep | 84 | Tropical |
| Oct | 78 | Warm |
| Nov | 69 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 62 | Cool |
UV index (midday) in Galveston by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Galveston peaks around July 18 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 4 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 4 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Level | Moderate | High | High | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4 | Moderate |
| Feb | 6 | High |
| Mar | 7 | High |
| Apr | 10 | Extreme |
| May | 10 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 5 | High |
| Dec | 4 | Moderate |
Average hourly UV index in Galveston
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in July the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 8.5 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 6 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 4 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 7 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 0 | 0 | 2.5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4 | 0 |
| Feb | 5.5 | 0 |
| Mar | 6.5 | 2.5 |
| Apr | 8 | 5.5 |
| May | 8.5 | 6 |
| Jun | 8.5 | 6 |
| Jul | 8.5 | 6 |
| Aug | 8 | 5.5 |
| Sep | 7 | 4.5 |
| Oct | 5.5 | 1.5 |
| Nov | 4.5 | 0 |
| Dec | 3.5 | 0 |
Air quality in Galveston by month
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see which months the air is worst, not just the yearly average.
Air quality in Galveston is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.4× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | Good |
| Feb | 7 | Good |
| Mar | 8 | Good |
| Apr | 9 | Good |
| May | 12 | Good |
| Jun | 16 | Moderate |
| Jul | 19 | Moderate |
| Aug | 13 | Moderate |
| Sep | 10 | Good |
| Oct | 6 | Good |
| Nov | 6 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Growing season
Galveston is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 50°F: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Galveston banks about 7,560 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°F·days) | 191 | 229 | 411 | 581 | 801 | 927 | 1,010 | 1,017 | 910 | 742 | 466 | 276 |
| Growing degree days (°F·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 191 |
| Feb | 229 |
| Mar | 411 |
| Apr | 581 |
| May | 801 |
| Jun | 927 |
| Jul | 1,010 |
| Aug | 1,017 |
| Sep | 910 |
| Oct | 742 |
| Nov | 466 |
| Dec | 276 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Galveston receives about 4.8 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 2.7 and 6.5 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.5 months, from around Mar 19 to Oct 1. The brightest month is June, averaging about 6.4 kWh/m² (intense).
The dimmest month is December, down near 2.8 kWh/m² — roughly 57% less than the June peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 3.0 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 5.8 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.0 | 5.1 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 2.8 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Bright | Bright | Bright | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.0 | Moderate |
| Feb | 3.6 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4.7 | Bright |
| Apr | 5.8 | Bright |
| May | 6.4 | Intense |
| Jun | 6.4 | Intense |
| Jul | 6.4 | Intense |
| Aug | 6.0 | Bright |
| Sep | 5.1 | Bright |
| Oct | 4.3 | Bright |
| Nov | 3.3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2.8 | Moderate |
Where is Galveston?
Galveston sits at 29.3°N, 94.8°W, 7 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Texas City, 8.7 mi away.
Topography around Galveston
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Galveston.
Within 2 miles, the terrain around Galveston has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 43 ft around an average of 7 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 62 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 236 ft.
The land around Galveston is covered by artificial surfaces (41%) and water (32%) within 2 miles, water (80%) within 10 miles, and water (45%) within 50 miles.
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
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 Galveston (29.3013°, -94.7977°, elevation 7 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).