Salem weather in August

In August, Salem sees average daytime highs of 83°F and overnight lows near 65°F, with 3.0 in of rain across 9.8 wet days and about 13.4 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 83°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in August, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 54 min at the start of August to 12 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Salem's 4th-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Salem's year-round climate.

Daytime high
83°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
65°
11th coldest
Rainfall
3.0 in
9.8 wet days
Daylight
13 h 24 min
5:41 AM – 7:08 PM
Cloud cover
58%
4th clearest
Wind
4 mph
12th windiest
Solar energy
5.28 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.9
out of 10

Salem is independent city near Roanoke, Virginia, United States.

Density
675/km²
people per km²
Founded
1802

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 83°F through the month.

A typical August day in Salem reaches about 83°F in the afternoon and slips back to 65°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 76°F and 90°F. Set against its neighbours, August runs about 1°F cooler than July and about 6°F warmer than September.

50°60°70°80°90°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18466
28466
38466
48466
58466
68366
78366
88365
98365
108365
118365
128365
138365
148365
158365
168365
178365
188365
198365
208365
218365
228364
238364
248364
258364
268264
278264
288264
298263
308263
318263

How August really feels in Salem

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.

Salem weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 2nd-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan45° / 28°3.38.62.69.70.9
Feb48° / 30°2.98.52.710.61.8
Mar56° / 37°4.010.6211.73.8
Apr66° / 46°3.510.20.212.96.0
May73° / 54°3.812.30146.4
Jun81° / 62°3.611.7014.56.0
Jul85° / 66°3.311.6014.35.2
Aug83° / 65°3.09.8013.45.9
Sep77° / 58°4.09.3012.36.9
Oct67° / 46°3.17.20.1116.6
Nov56° / 37°3.07.50.2104.1
Dec47° / 31°3.38.31.99.51.7

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 49%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34951
44852
54951
64951
75050
85050
95149
105149
115248
125248
135149
145248
155248
165248
175248
185248
195248
205248
215248
225248
235248
245149
255149
265149
275149
285050
295050
305149
315149

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Salem gets around 3.0 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 32% and peaks near 39% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
139
239
338
438
537
636
736
835
935
1035
1134
1234
1334
1433
1532
1632
1731
1830
1930
2029
2129
2229
2329
2429
2528
2628
2728
2829
2929
3029
3129

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, August lands in the muggy band about 41% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 45% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
151129487
251229487
361229476
461229476
561329476
661428466
761428466
861529456
961529455
1061629445
1161629445
1261630435
1361730435
1461730425
1561831415
1661831414
1761832404
1861932394
1961933383
2061934383
2161934383
2271934373
2371935372
2471935372
2582035362
2682034362
2792034352
2892134352
29102133342
30112233331
31122232331

Wind in August

Winds average 4 mph in August, the calmest month.

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

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
14calm
24calm
34calm
44calm
54calm
64calm
74calm
84calm
94calm
104calm
114calm
124calm
134calm
144calm
154calm
164calm
174calm
184calm
194calm
204calm
214calm
224calm
234calm
244calm
254calm
264calm
274calm
284calm
294calm
304calm
314calm

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 54 min at the start of August to 12 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 60 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 5:28 AM to 5:54 AM, and sunset from 7:24 PM to 6:47 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.95:287:24
213.95:297:23
313.95:307:22
413.85:317:21
513.85:327:20
613.85:327:19
713.85:337:18
813.75:347:17
913.75:357:16
1013.75:367:15
1113.65:377:14
1213.65:387:13
1313.55:387:11
1413.55:397:10
1513.55:407:09
1613.45:417:08
1713.45:427:06
1813.45:437:05
1913.35:447:04
2013.35:447:02
2113.35:457:01
2213.25:467:00
2313.25:476:58
2413.15:486:57
2513.15:496:55
2613.15:506:54
2713.05:506:53
2813.05:516:51
2913.05:526:50
3012.95:536:48
3112.95:546:47

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 5.28 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.17 kWh/m² to a high of 6.09 kWh/m² in June across the year — August's 5.28 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.4Bright
75.4Bright
85.4Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.3Bright
125.3Bright
135.3Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.1Bright
245.1Bright
255.1Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
304.9Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in August

Is August a good time to visit Salem?

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

5.9
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Salem in August

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

In August, Salem sees daytime highs around 83°F and nights near 65°F. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Salem in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Salem peaks around July 13 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 13UV 10Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Salem 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 Salem is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1416 µg/m³Dec 126 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb8Good
Mar9Good
Apr10Good
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct7Good
Nov6Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Salem?

Salem sits at 37.3°N, 80.1°W, 1,066 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Cave Spring, 5.0 mi away.

Topography around Salem

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Salem has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 896 ft around an average of 1,138 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,061 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,852 ft.

The land around Salem is covered by trees (56%), grassland (22%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 2 miles, trees (81%) within 10 miles, and trees (81%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
896 ft
10 miles
3,061 ft
50 miles
3,852 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
August weather nearby: Cave Spring 5.0 mi · Roanoke 6.2 mi · Blacksburg 21 mi · Christiansburg 22 mi · Radford 31 mi · West Lynchburg 48 mi · Lynchburg 51 mi · Eden 58 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 Salem (37.2935°, -80.0548°, elevation 1,066 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).