Harrisonburg weather in September

In September, Harrisonburg sees average daytime highs of 76°F and overnight lows near 57°F, with 3.6 in of rain across 8.4 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 80°F in the first days to 72°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time in September, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 54 min at the start of September to 11 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Harrisonburg's 3rd-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Harrisonburg's year-round climate.

Daytime high
76°
4th warmest
Overnight low
57°
9th coldest
Rainfall
3.6 in
8.4 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
6:02 AM – 6:17 PM
Cloud cover
55%
3rd clearest
Wind
4 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
4.31 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.1
out of 10

Harrisonburg is independent city in Virginia, United States.

Density
1,161/km²
people per km²
Founded
1779

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 80°F in the first days to 72°F by the end.

A typical September day in Harrisonburg reaches about 76°F in the afternoon and slips back to 57°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 66°F and 85°F. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 6°F cooler than August and about 11°F warmer than October.

40°60°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18162
28061
38061
48061
58060
67960
77960
87959
97859
107859
117858
127758
137758
147657
157657
167656
177556
187556
197556
207455
217455
227455
237354
247354
257353
267253
277253
287252
297152
307151

How September really feels in Harrisonburg

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.

Harrisonburg weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 4th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan42° / 25°2.77.83.29.60.2
Feb45° / 26°2.47.8310.51.0
Mar53° / 33°3.310.12.411.73.1
Apr64° / 43°3.1100.4135.6
May72° / 52°3.512.1014.16.3
Jun80° / 61°2.810.9014.66.3
Jul84° / 65°3.111014.45.5
Aug82° / 64°2.39.5013.56.1
Sep76° / 57°3.68.4012.37.1
Oct65° / 45°2.86.90.2116.3
Nov54° / 35°2.67.20.59.93.5
Dec45° / 29°2.98.22.19.41.0

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 36% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 47%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15248
25347
35347
45347
55446
65446
75446
85446
95446
105446
115446
125446
135446
145347
155347
165347
175248
185149
195248
205149
215149
225149
235248
245149
255248
265248
275248
285446
295446
305446

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Harrisonburg gets around 3.6 in of rain over 8.4 wet days in September, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 26% and peaks near 28% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
127
227
327
427
527
626
726
826
926
1026
1125
1225
1325
1425
1525
1625
1726
1826
1927
2027
2128
2228
2328
2428
2528
2627
2727
2827
2926
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 43% 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 (%)
1232426251
2252425241
3262425241
4282424231
5302423221
6322422201
7332422191
8352422181
9372421171
10382421161
11392421151
12402421131
13422421121
14432421111
15442421110
16452421100
1746252090
1847252080
1947252080
2048251970
2149251960
2251251860
2352251850
2453251750
2555241650
2656241640
2758231540
2859231440
2961221340
3061221340

Wind in September

Winds average 4 mph in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 4 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 54 min 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 78 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 5:49 AM to 6:15 AM, and sunset from 6:41 PM to 5:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.95:496:41
212.85:506:40
312.85:516:38
412.85:526:37
512.75:536:35
612.75:536:34
712.65:546:32
812.65:556:30
912.55:566:29
1012.55:576:27
1112.55:586:25
1212.45:596:24
1312.46:006:22
1412.36:016:20
1512.36:026:19
1612.26:026:17
1712.26:036:16
1812.26:046:14
1912.16:056:12
2012.16:066:11
2112.06:076:09
2212.06:086:07
2311.96:096:06
2411.96:106:04
2511.96:116:02
2611.86:126:01
2711.86:135:59
2811.76:135:57
2911.76:145:56
3011.66:155:54

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 4.31 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.06 kWh/m² to a high of 6.15 kWh/m² in June across the year — September's 4.31 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.8Bright
24.8Bright
34.8Bright
44.8Bright
54.7Bright
64.7Bright
74.7Bright
84.6Bright
94.6Bright
104.5Bright
114.5Bright
124.5Bright
134.4Bright
144.4Bright
154.3Bright
164.3Bright
174.3Bright
184.2Bright
194.2Bright
204.2Bright
214.1Bright
224.1Bright
234.0Bright
244.0Bright
254.0Moderate
264.0Moderate
273.9Moderate
283.9Moderate
293.9Moderate
303.9Moderate
Planning a trip in September

Is September a good time to visit Harrisonburg?

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

7.1
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
6.1
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Harrisonburg in September

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

In September, Harrisonburg sees daytime highs around 76°F and nights near 57°F. Worth packing: light clothes and rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

light clothesrain gear

UV index in Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg peaks around June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Harrisonburg 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 Harrisonburg is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Nov 187 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar10Good
Apr14Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Harrisonburg?

Harrisonburg sits at 38.4°N, 78.9°W, 1,325 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Staunton, 24 mi away.

Topography around Harrisonburg

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Harrisonburg has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 453 ft around an average of 1,388 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,241 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,701 ft.

The land around Harrisonburg is covered by artificial surfaces (36%), trees (32%) and grassland (24%) within 2 miles, trees (38%) and grassland (38%) within 10 miles, and trees (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
453 ft
10 miles
2,241 ft
50 miles
4,701 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
September weather nearby: Staunton 24 mi · Waynesboro 26 mi · Charlottesville 36 mi · Culpeper 47 mi · Front Royal 48 mi · Winchester 63 mi · Linton Hall 73 mi · Lynchburg 73 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 Harrisonburg (38.4496°, -78.8689°, elevation 1,325 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).