Rochester weather in August

In August, Rochester sees average daytime highs of 78°F and overnight lows near 61°F, with 3.4 in of rain across 9.5 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 80°F in the first days to 77°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in August, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 24 min at the start of August to 13 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Rochester's 2nd-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Rochester's year-round climate.

Daytime high
78°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
61°
11th coldest
Rainfall
3.4 in
9.5 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
4:54 AM – 6:42 PM
Cloud cover
56%
2nd clearest
Wind
6 mph
12th windiest
Solar energy
5.32 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Rochester is city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States.

Density
253/km²
people per km²
Founded
1749

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

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 80°F in the first days to 77°F by the end.

A typical August day in Rochester reaches about 78°F in the afternoon and slips back to 61°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 1°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
68063
77963
87963
97963
107962
117962
127962
137962
147962
157862
167862
177862
187861
197861
207861
217861
227861
237860
247760
257760
267760
277760
287759
297659
307659
317659

How August really feels in Rochester

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.

Rochester weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 2nd-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 17°3.39.56.99.20.0
Feb34° / 18°3.296.810.20.0
Mar42° / 26°4.210.85.811.60.4
Apr54° / 38°4.110.91.913.23.2
May65° / 47°3.110.70.114.55.6
Jun74° / 57°3.811.8015.16.4
Jul80° / 63°3.511.1014.96.4
Aug78° / 61°3.49.5013.86.8
Sep71° / 54°3.48.6012.36.8
Oct59° / 43°4.29.50.310.84.7
Nov47° / 33°3.69.21.59.51.6
Dec37° / 24°4.310.25.68.80.0

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 47%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15050
25050
35050
45149
55050
65050
75050
85050
95050
105050
114951
124951
134951
145050
155050
165149
175149
185248
195347
205446
215545
225644
235743
245743
255842
265842
275842
285842
295842
305842
315842

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Rochester gets around 3.4 in of rain over 9.5 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 36% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
136
236
335
435
535
634
734
834
934
1034
1133
1233
1333
1432
1532
1631
1731
1830
1930
2029
2128
2228
2327
2427
2527
2626
2726
2826
2926
3026
3126

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, August lands in the comfortable band about 28% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 23% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1162331255
2172331255
3172330245
4172430245
5172430245
6172530245
7182530234
8182630234
9182629234
10182629234
11182729224
12182729223
13182829223
14192928223
15192928213
16193028212
17193127212
18203127202
19213126202
20223126192
21233125192
22243125182
23263124182
24273123172
25293122162
26303022162
27313021152
28333021152
29342921142
30352921142
31362920132

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 6 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
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 24 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 78 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 4:38 AM to 5:11 AM, and sunset from 7:02 PM to 6:17 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.44:387:02
214.44:397:01
314.34:407:00
414.34:416:59
514.34:426:57
614.24:436:56
714.24:446:55
814.14:456:53
914.14:466:52
1014.14:476:51
1114.04:496:49
1214.04:506:48
1313.94:516:46
1413.94:526:45
1513.84:536:43
1613.84:546:42
1713.74:556:40
1813.74:566:39
1913.74:586:37
2013.64:596:35
2113.65:006:34
2213.55:016:32
2313.55:026:30
2413.45:036:29
2513.45:046:27
2613.35:066:25
2713.35:076:24
2813.25:086:22
2913.25:096:20
3013.15:106:18
3113.15:116:17

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 5.32 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.54 kWh/m² to a high of 5.99 kWh/m² in July across the year — August's 5.32 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.1Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.0Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in August

Hazard calendar for Rochester

In seasonPeak

In August, Rochester sits inside its atlantic hurricane season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Rochester sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is August a good time to visit Rochester?

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
6.4
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Rochester in August

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

In August, Rochester sees daytime highs around 78°F and nights near 61°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Rochester in August

The nearest coast averages about 65°F in August — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 22 mi away) is warmest in August at about 65°F and coldest in March near 38°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan42Bracing
Feb39Bracing
Mar38Bracing
Apr42Bracing
May49Bracing
Jun57Bracing
Jul63Cool
Aug65Cool
Sep62Cool
Oct55Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec45Bracing

UV index in Rochester in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Rochester peaks around July 10 at about 7 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighHighModerateModerateLowJul 10UV 7Dec 23UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May7High
Jun7High
Jul7Very high
Aug4Moderate
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Rochester?

Rochester sits at 43.3°N, 71.0°W, 230 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Dover, 8.7 mi away.

Topography around Rochester

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Rochester has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 318 ft around an average of 292 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,414 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,019 ft.

The land around Rochester is covered by trees (71%) within 2 miles, trees (85%) within 10 miles, and trees (72%) and water (22%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
318 ft
10 miles
1,414 ft
50 miles
4,019 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswaterwetland
August weather nearby: Dover 8.7 mi · Sanford 14 mi · Portsmouth 19 mi · East Concord 29 mi · Concord 29 mi · Laconia 29 mi · Biddeford 29 mi · Saco 30 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 Rochester (43.3045°, -70.9756°, elevation 230 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).