La Crosse weather in August

In August, La Crosse sees average daytime highs of 78°F and overnight lows near 62°F, with 3.4 in of rain across 9.8 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 78°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in August, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 30 min at the start of August to 13 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is La Crosse's 3rd-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see La Crosse's year-round climate.

Daytime high
78°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
62°
11th coldest
Rainfall
3.4 in
9.8 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
5:14 AM – 7:04 PM
Cloud cover
54%
3rd clearest
Wind
6 mph
12th windiest
Solar energy
5.37 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

La Crosse is city in and county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States.

Density
896/km²
people per km²
Founded
1842

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 78°F through the month.

A typical August day in La Crosse reaches about 78°F in the afternoon and slips back to 62°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 71°F and 86°F. Set against its neighbours, August runs about 2°F cooler than July and about 7°F warmer than September.

50°60°70°80°90°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18063
28063
38063
48063
58063
67963
77962
87962
97962
107962
117962
127962
137962
147862
157862
167862
177862
187861
197861
207861
217861
227861
237861
247861
257861
267860
277860
287860
297760
307760
317759

How August really feels in La Crosse

Once humidity and wind are folded in, August 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

August sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

La Crosse weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 11°1.376.59.10.0
Feb30° / 15°1.365.210.20.0
Mar43° / 26°2.38.94.211.60.8
Apr56° / 38°3.811.5213.23.6
May68° / 50°4.2130.114.55.8
Jun77° / 60°4.712.1015.26.4
Jul81° / 64°3.910.5014.96.5
Aug78° / 62°3.49.8013.86.8
Sep71° / 53°3.29.4012.36.8
Oct58° / 41°2.88.60.410.84.4
Nov43° / 29°2.07.22.89.50.7
Dec30° / 17°1.6768.80.0

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 43%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15842
25842
35842
45743
55743
65644
75545
85446
95446
105446
115446
125446
135446
145545
155644
165644
175644
185743
195743
205743
215842
225842
235842
245842
255941
265941
275941
285941
296040
306040
316040

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

La Crosse gets around 3.4 in of rain over 9.8 wet days in August. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 31% and peaks near 33% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
131
231
331
431
531
631
732
832
932
1033
1133
1233
1333
1433
1533
1633
1733
1833
1933
2033
2132
2232
2331
2431
2530
2630
2729
2829
2929
3028
3128

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, August lands in the humid band about 28% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 28% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11226312291
21226312281
31326312281
41326302280
51326302280
61426302280
71426302270
81526302270
91526292270
101627292260
111627292260
121627292260
131627292260
141628292250
151628292250
161727292250
171727292340
181727292340
191727292340
201727282340
211728282340
221828272340
231828272340
241928262340
252027262340
262127252240
272227252250
282426242150
292626232050
302826231950
313026221850

Wind in August

Winds average 6 mph in August, the calmest month.

Across August, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 30 min at the start of August to 13 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 84 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 4:57 AM to 5:32 AM, and sunset from 7:25 PM to 6:38 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.54:577:25
214.44:587:23
314.45:007:22
414.35:017:21
514.35:027:20
614.35:037:18
714.25:047:17
814.25:057:16
914.15:067:14
1014.15:077:13
1114.05:097:11
1214.05:107:10
1314.05:117:08
1413.95:127:07
1513.95:137:05
1613.85:147:04
1713.85:157:02
1813.75:177:01
1913.75:186:59
2013.65:196:57
2113.65:206:56
2213.55:216:54
2313.55:226:52
2413.55:246:51
2513.45:256:49
2613.45:266:47
2713.35:276:45
2813.35:286:44
2913.25:296:42
3013.25:316:40
3113.15:326:38

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 5.37 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.5 kWh/m² to a high of 6.23 kWh/m² in July across the year — August's 5.37 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.9Bright
25.8Bright
35.8Bright
45.8Bright
55.8Bright
65.7Bright
75.7Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.5Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.4Bright
155.4Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.1Bright
255.1Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in August

Is August a good time to visit La Crosse?

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

6.8
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
6.5
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

August is a reasonable time to visit La Crosse for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for La Crosse in August

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

In August, La Crosse sees daytime highs around 78°F and nights near 62°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in La Crosse in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in La Crosse peaks around June 14 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 14UV 9Jan 11UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul7High
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in La Crosse in August

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where August falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in La Crosse is worst in July — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 1915 µg/m³Oct 217 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr11Good
May12Good
Jun13Moderate
Jul15Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is La Crosse?

La Crosse sits at 43.8°N, 91.2°W, 669 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is North La Crosse, 3.1 mi away.

Topography around La Crosse

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around La Crosse has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 597 ft around an average of 676 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 719 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 860 ft.

The land around La Crosse is covered by artificial surfaces (40%) and trees (29%) within 2 miles, trees (52%) within 10 miles, and trees (53%) and cropland (34%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
597 ft
10 miles
719 ft
50 miles
860 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
August weather nearby: North La Crosse 3.1 mi · Onalaska 5.6 mi · Winona 26 mi · Rochester 63 mi · Eau Claire 71 mi · Marshfield 80 mi · Wisconsin Rapids 81 mi · Menomonie 81 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 La Crosse (43.8014°, -91.2396°, elevation 669 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).