Manhattan weather in September

In September, Manhattan sees average daytime highs of 80°F and overnight lows near 59°F, with 3.1 in of rain across 7.3 wet days and about 12.3 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 85°F in the first days to 75°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% 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 Manhattan's 1st-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Manhattan's year-round climate.

Daytime high
80°
4th warmest
Overnight low
59°
9th coldest
Rainfall
3.1 in
7.3 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
6:13 AM – 6:28 PM
Cloud cover
41%
1st clearest
Wind
9 mph
10th windiest
Solar energy
4.92 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.0
out of 10

Manhattan is city in Riley and Pottawatomie counties in Kansas, United States, county seat of Riley County.

Density
1,124/km²
people per km²
Founded
1855

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 75°F by the end.

A typical September day in Manhattan reaches about 80°F in the afternoon and slips back to 59°F overnight — a 21°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 68°F and 91°F. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 8°F cooler than August and about 12°F warmer than October.

40°60°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18564
28564
38564
48463
58463
68363
78362
88362
98261
108261
118260
128160
138160
148059
158059
168058
177958
187958
197857
207857
217856
227856
237755
247755
257655
267654
277654
287553
297553
307553

How September really feels in Manhattan

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.

Manhattan weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 4th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan39° / 21°0.94.52.89.60.0
Feb44° / 24°1.45.32.810.50.8
Mar55° / 34°2.48.11.711.73.8
Apr66° / 44°3.69.80.5136.0
May75° / 55°5.212014.16.5
Jun85° / 66°4.110.2014.75.3
Jul90° / 70°3.79.5014.54.2
Aug87° / 67°3.79.2013.54.9
Sep80° / 59°3.17.3012.37.0
Oct68° / 46°2.57.30.2116.9
Nov54° / 34°1.85.319.93.7
Dec42° / 24°1.44.72.19.30.5

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 54% of the time in September, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 34%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17030
26931
36931
46832
56733
66733
76634
86535
96535
106436
116337
126238
136238
146139
156139
166238
176238
186238
196337
206436
216634
226634
236733
246931
256931
267030
277030
287129
297129
307228

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Manhattan gets around 3.1 in of rain over 7.3 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 26% and peaks near 27% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
126
225
325
425
525
625
725
826
926
1026
1126
1227
1327
1427
1527
1627
1727
1827
1927
2026
2126
2225
2325
2425
2524
2624
2724
2824
2924
3024

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 42% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 20% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1131629356
2151729336
3171829315
4191829295
5211928274
6241928254
7261928243
8282027233
9302026223
10322025212
11342024202
12352024202
13372023191
14392022181
15402021181
16421920171
17441920161
18461919161
19481818151
20501817141
21521815141
22551714131
23561714121
24591613111
25611612101
2664151191
2765151181
2867151071
2969141061
307114951

Wind in September

Winds average 9 mph in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
209light breeze
219light breeze
229light breeze
239light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze

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 5:59 AM to 6:26 AM, and sunset from 6:53 PM to 6:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.95:596:53
212.96:006:51
312.86:016:50
412.86:026:48
512.76:036:46
612.76:046:45
712.66:056:43
812.66:066:42
912.66:076:40
1012.56:076:38
1112.56:086:37
1212.46:096:35
1312.46:106:33
1412.36:116:32
1512.36:126:30
1612.36:136:28
1712.26:146:26
1812.26:156:25
1912.16:166:23
2012.16:176:21
2112.06:186:20
2212.06:196:18
2311.96:206:16
2411.96:216:15
2511.96:226:13
2611.86:236:11
2711.86:246:10
2811.76:246:08
2911.76:256:06
3011.66:266:05

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 4.92 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.15 kWh/m² to a high of 6.7 kWh/m² in July across the year — September's 4.92 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.0Bright
144.9Bright
154.9Bright
164.8Bright
174.8Bright
184.8Bright
194.7Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.6Bright
234.6Bright
244.6Bright
254.5Bright
264.5Bright
274.5Bright
284.5Bright
294.4Bright
304.4Bright
Planning a trip in September

Is September a good time to visit Manhattan?

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

7.0
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
7.0
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Manhattan in September

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

In September, Manhattan sees daytime highs around 80°F and nights near 59°F. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection. About 7 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Manhattan in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September 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 Manhattan peaks around June 22 at about 10 (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 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 22UV 10Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May7Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Manhattan 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 Manhattan is worst in April — around 32 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 5.1× the cleanest month (October, 6 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodModerateGoodApr 1530 µg/m³Oct 236 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar16Moderate
Apr32Moderate
May11Good
Jun11Good
Jul14Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct6Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Manhattan?

Manhattan sits at 39.2°N, 96.6°W, 1,020 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Junction City, 17 mi away.

Topography around Manhattan

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Manhattan has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 266 ft around an average of 1,053 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 512 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 751 ft.

The land around Manhattan is covered by trees (35%) and artificial surfaces (33%) within 2 miles, grassland (54%) and trees (23%) within 10 miles, and grassland (54%) and cropland (34%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
266 ft
10 miles
512 ft
50 miles
751 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
September weather nearby: Junction City 17 mi · Topeka 49 mi · Emporia 58 mi · Salina 61 mi · Lawrence 73 mi · Leavenworth 89 mi · Newton 89 mi · Gardner 92 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 Manhattan (39.1836°, -96.5717°, elevation 1,020 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).