Shelby weather in September

In September, Shelby sees average daytime highs of 81°F and overnight lows near 63°F, with 3.6 in of rain across 9.2 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 84°F in the first days to 77°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in September, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 48 min at the start of September to 11 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Shelby's 3rd-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shelby's year-round climate.

Daytime high
81°
4th warmest
Overnight low
63°
9th coldest
Rainfall
3.6 in
9.2 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
6:14 AM – 6:27 PM
Cloud cover
54%
3rd clearest
Wind
5 mph
9th windiest
Solar energy
4.58 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.4
out of 10

Shelby is city in and the county seat of Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States.

Density
369/km²
people per km²

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 84°F in the first days to 77°F by the end.

A typical September day in Shelby reaches about 81°F in the afternoon and slips back to 63°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 73°F and 89°F. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 5°F cooler than August and about 10°F warmer than October.

40°60°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18567
28567
38467
48467
58466
68466
78466
88365
98365
108365
118365
128264
138264
148264
158164
168163
178163
188063
198062
208062
217962
227961
237961
247861
257860
267860
277760
287759
297759
307658

How September really feels in Shelby

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.

Shelby weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 4th-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan51° / 33°4.09.61.39.92.5
Feb55° / 36°3.58.91.110.73.4
Mar62° / 42°4.510.10.411.75.4
Apr71° / 51°3.89012.96.8
May78° / 59°3.010013.86.7
Jun85° / 67°3.713014.34.8
Jul89° / 71°3.814.4014.13.9
Aug86° / 69°3.812.7013.34.6
Sep81° / 63°3.69.2012.26.4
Oct71° / 51°3.36.9011.17.3
Nov61° / 41°3.67.7010.15.4
Dec53° / 35°4.090.69.73.1

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 45%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15347
25446
35545
45545
55545
65545
75545
85545
95644
105644
115644
125644
135545
145644
155545
165545
175446
185347
195347
205248
215248
225347
235446
245446
255545
265545
275644
285644
295644
305743

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Shelby gets around 3.6 in of rain over 9.2 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 30% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
132
232
332
431
531
631
730
830
930
1029
1129
1229
1329
1429
1529
1629
1729
1829
1930
2030
2130
2230
2330
2430
2529
2629
2728
2828
2927
3027

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, September lands in the muggy band about 29% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 38% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1413224120
2514224019
3615223918
4616233817
5717233616
6818243515
7919243414
81019243313
91120253212
101220253211
111321253110
12142125319
13152125308
14162025308
15172026307
16182026297
17192026296
18192026286
19202026285
20212026275
21232026265
22242026255
23261926254
24271926244
25291926224
26311925213
27322025203
28342024193
29352024183
30372023173

Wind in September

Winds average 5 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
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 48 min at the start of September to 11 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 66 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:02 AM to 6:25 AM, and sunset from 6:49 PM to 6:06 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.86:026:49
212.76:036:48
312.76:046:46
412.76:056:45
512.66:066:43
612.66:066:42
712.66:076:41
812.56:086:39
912.56:096:38
1012.46:096:36
1112.46:106:35
1212.46:116:33
1312.36:126:32
1412.36:126:30
1512.36:136:29
1612.26:146:27
1712.26:156:26
1812.16:156:24
1912.16:166:22
2012.16:176:21
2112.06:186:19
2212.06:196:18
2312.06:196:16
2411.96:206:15
2511.96:216:13
2611.86:226:12
2711.86:226:10
2811.86:236:09
2911.76:246:08
3011.76:256:06

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 4.58 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.29 kWh/m² to a high of 6.21 kWh/m² in June across the year — September's 4.58 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.0Bright
25.0Bright
35.0Bright
45.0Bright
55.0Bright
64.9Bright
74.9Bright
84.9Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.8Bright
124.7Bright
134.7Bright
144.7Bright
154.6Bright
164.6Bright
174.5Bright
184.5Bright
194.5Bright
204.4Bright
214.4Bright
224.3Bright
234.3Bright
244.3Bright
254.2Bright
264.2Bright
274.2Bright
284.2Bright
294.1Bright
304.1Bright
Planning a trip in September

Is September a good time to visit Shelby?

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

6.4
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
6.8
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Shelby in September

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

In September, Shelby sees daytime highs around 81°F and nights near 63°F. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 9 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Shelby 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 Shelby peaks around July 12 at about 9 (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 12UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Shelby 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 Shelby is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1719 µg/m³Dec 239 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb11Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr12Moderate
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct10Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shelby?

Shelby sits at 35.3°N, 81.5°W, 860 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Gastonia, 20 mi away.

Topography around Shelby

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Shelby has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 282 ft around an average of 853 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 518 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,705 ft.

The land around Shelby is covered by trees (69%) within 2 miles, trees (60%) and grassland (30%) within 10 miles, and trees (80%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
282 ft
10 miles
518 ft
50 miles
4,705 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
September weather nearby: Gastonia 20 mi · Hickory 32 mi · Morganton 32 mi · Spartanburg 32 mi · Rock Hill 39 mi · Charlotte 39 mi · Huntersville 40 mi · Cornelius 40 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 Shelby (35.2923°, -81.5357°, elevation 860 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).