Grand Canyon weather in September

In September, Grand Canyon sees average daytime highs of 81°F and overnight lows near 56°F, with 0.8 in of rain across 3.9 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 85°F in the first days to 77°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 72% of the time in September, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 48 min at the start of September to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Grand Canyon's 2nd-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Grand Canyon's year-round climate.

Daytime high
81°
4th warmest
Overnight low
56°
9th coldest
Rainfall
0.8 in
3.9 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
6:16 AM – 6:30 PM
Cloud cover
27%
2nd clearest
Wind
5 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
6.09 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.7
out of 10

Grand Canyon is human settlement in Coconino County, Arizona, United States of America.

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 85°F in the first days to 77°F by the end.

A typical September day in Grand Canyon reaches about 81°F in the afternoon and slips back to 56°F overnight — a 25°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 73°F and 88°F. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 7°F cooler than August and about 12°F warmer than October.

40°60°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18661
28561
38560
48560
58460
68460
78459
88359
98358
108358
118258
128257
138257
148256
158156
168156
178155
188155
198055
208054
218054
227953
237953
247953
257852
267852
277852
287751
297751
307650

How September really feels in Grand Canyon

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.

Grand Canyon weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 4th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan46° / 25°1.45.33.49.81.3
Feb50° / 29°1.56.53.810.62.5
Mar58° / 34°1.15.21.911.75.0
Apr65° / 40°0.84.11.212.97.1
May76° / 49°0.42.20.113.98.5
Jun87° / 58°0.10.9014.46.2
Jul90° / 65°0.85.5014.24.4
Aug88° / 63°0.85.1013.45.2
Sep81° / 56°0.83.9012.27.7
Oct69° / 44°0.83.50.311.18.0
Nov57° / 33°0.83.61.210.14.9
Dec46° / 26°1.25.33.69.61.4

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 72% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 13%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18416
28416
38416
48416
58416
68515
78515
88515
98614
108614
118614
128713
138812
148812
158812
168911
178911
188911
199010
209010
219010
229010
238911
248911
258911
268911
278713
288713
298713
308713

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Grand Canyon gets around 0.8 in of rain over 3.9 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 13% and peaks near 18% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
117
217
318
418
518
618
718
818
918
1017
1117
1216
1315
1415
1514
1613
1712
1811
1910
209
219
228
238
248
258
269
279
289
299
3010

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 96% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19271
29271
39271
49361
59361
69361
79460
89460
99550
109550
119550
129640
139640
149640
159730
169730
179820
189820
199820
209910
219910
229910
239910
249910
259910
269910
279910
289910
299910
309910

Wind in September

Winds average 5 mph in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 5 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
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 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 66 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:04 AM to 6:28 AM, and sunset from 6:52 PM to 6:08 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.86:046:52
212.86:056:51
312.76:066:49
412.76:076:48
512.76:076:46
612.66:086:45
712.66:096:43
812.56:106:42
912.56:116:40
1012.56:116:39
1112.46:126:37
1212.46:136:36
1312.36:146:34
1412.36:156:33
1512.36:156:31
1612.26:166:30
1712.26:176:28
1812.16:186:27
1912.16:196:25
2012.16:196:23
2112.06:206:22
2212.06:216:20
2312.06:226:19
2411.96:236:17
2511.96:236:16
2611.86:246:14
2711.86:256:13
2811.86:266:11
2911.76:276:10
3011.76:286:08

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 6.09 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.96 kWh/m² to a high of 8.54 kWh/m² in June across the year — September's 6.09 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.4Intense
36.4Intense
46.4Intense
56.3Intense
66.3Intense
76.3Intense
86.3Intense
96.2Intense
106.2Intense
116.2Intense
126.2Intense
136.2Intense
146.1Intense
156.1Intense
166.1Intense
176.1Intense
186.0Intense
196.0Intense
206.0Bright
216.0Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.7Bright
285.7Bright
295.6Bright
305.6Bright
Planning a trip in September

Is September a good time to visit Grand Canyon?

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

7.7
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
8.0
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

September is one of the better times to visit Grand Canyon for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Grand Canyon in September

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

In September, Grand Canyon sees daytime highs around 81°F and nights near 56°F. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Grand Canyon 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 Grand Canyon peaks around July 17 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 3 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highModerateJul 17UV 12Dec 17UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr6High
May9Very high
Jun11Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep9Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Grand Canyon?

Grand Canyon sits at 36.1°N, 112.1°W, 0 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Flagstaff, 65 mi away.

Topography around Grand Canyon

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Grand Canyon has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,527 ft around an average of 6,434 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,873 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 8,550 ft.

The land around Grand Canyon is covered by trees (71%) within 2 miles, trees (45%) and grassland (21%) within 10 miles, and grassland (42%), trees (23%) and bare terrain (23%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
3,527 ft
10 miles
5,873 ft
50 miles
8,550 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
September weather nearby: Flagstaff 65 mi · Sedona 85 mi · Prescott Valley 100 mi · Hurricane 100 mi · Prescott 106 mi · Washington 106 mi · Saint George 108 mi · Mesquite 119 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 Grand Canyon (36.0544°, -112.1393°, elevation 0 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).