Traverse City weather in September

In September, Traverse City sees average daytime highs of 69°F and overnight lows near 53°F, with 3.2 in of rain across 11.6 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 73°F in the first days to 64°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in September, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 06 min at the start of September to 11 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Traverse City's 4th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Traverse City's year-round climate.

Daytime high
69°
4th warmest
Overnight low
53°
9th coldest
Rainfall
3.2 in
11.6 wet days
Daylight
12 h 18 min
6:28 AM – 6:46 PM
Cloud cover
57%
4th clearest
Wind
8 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
4.1 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.1
out of 10

Traverse City is city in and seat of Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States.

Density
679/km²
people per km²
Founded
1891

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 73°F in the first days to 64°F by the end.

A typical September day in Traverse City reaches about 69°F in the afternoon and slips back to 53°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 58°F and 79°F. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 7°F cooler than August and about 13°F warmer than October.

40°60°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17358
27357
37357
47357
57256
67256
77256
87156
97155
107155
117055
127054
137054
146954
156953
166953
176853
186852
196752
206752
216751
226651
236651
246550
256550
266449
276449
286449
296348
306348

How September really feels in Traverse City

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.

Traverse City 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
Jan28° / 17°2.111.813.990.0
Feb28° / 16°1.68.58.810.10.0
Mar38° / 23°2.18.76.211.60.1
Apr50° / 34°3.2113.513.22.3
May62° / 45°3.210.90.214.65.1
Jun71° / 55°3.110015.36.6
Jul76° / 61°3.3110156.9
Aug75° / 60°3.310.6013.97.0
Sep69° / 53°3.211.6012.36.1
Oct56° / 43°3.7140.410.73.4
Nov43° / 34°2.813.36.69.40.6
Dec34° / 26°2.413.313.38.70.0

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 32% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15743
25743
35644
45644
55644
65545
75545
85446
95446
105347
115248
125248
135149
145050
155050
165050
174951
184852
194852
204753
214852
224654
234555
244555
254456
264357
274357
284357
294258
304258

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Traverse City gets around 3.2 in of rain over 11.6 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 39% and peaks near 45% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
132
233
333
433
533
634
734
835
935
1036
1136
1237
1337
1438
1538
1638
1739
1839
1940
2040
2141
2242
2342
2443
2544
2645
2745
2845
2945
3045

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 58% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 5% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1343022131
2363021121
3382921121
4402920110
5422919100
643291990
745281880
847281870
948271870
1050261860
1151261760
1253251750
1354251650
1456241640
1557241540
1658231540
1760231430
1862221330
1963221230
2065211130
2167201030
226919930
237119820
247318720
257517620
267616620
277716520
287915420
298014420
308313310

Wind in September

Winds average 8 mph in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light 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 13 h 06 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 90 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:09 AM to 6:45 AM, and sunset from 7:15 PM to 6:19 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.16:097:15
213.06:117:13
313.06:127:11
412.96:137:09
512.96:147:07
612.86:157:06
712.86:177:04
812.76:187:02
912.76:197:00
1012.66:206:58
1112.66:226:56
1212.56:236:54
1312.56:246:52
1412.46:256:50
1512.46:266:48
1612.36:286:46
1712.36:296:44
1812.26:306:42
1912.16:316:40
2012.16:336:38
2112.06:346:36
2212.06:356:34
2311.96:366:32
2411.96:376:30
2511.86:396:28
2611.86:406:26
2711.76:416:24
2811.76:426:22
2911.66:446:21
3011.66:456:19

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 4.1 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.13 kWh/m² to a high of 6.49 kWh/m² in June across the year — September's 4.1 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.8Bright
24.8Bright
34.7Bright
44.7Bright
54.6Bright
64.6Bright
74.5Bright
84.5Bright
94.4Bright
104.4Bright
114.3Bright
124.3Bright
134.2Bright
144.2Bright
154.1Bright
164.0Bright
174.0Bright
184.0Moderate
193.9Moderate
203.9Moderate
213.8Moderate
223.8Moderate
233.7Moderate
243.6Moderate
253.6Moderate
263.5Moderate
273.5Moderate
283.5Moderate
293.4Moderate
303.4Moderate
Planning a trip in September

Is September a good time to visit Traverse City?

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

6.1
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
3.4
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

September is a reasonable time to visit Traverse City for sightseeing.

What to pack for Traverse City in September

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

In September, Traverse City sees daytime highs around 69°F and nights near 53°F. Worth packing: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

rain gear

Sea temperature near Traverse City in September

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

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 68°F and coldest in March near 35°F.

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

30°40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarm
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan38Bracing
Feb36Bracing
Mar35Bracing
Apr37Bracing
May40Bracing
Jun50Bracing
Jul64Cool
Aug68Refreshing
Sep65Cool
Oct56Bracing
Nov48Bracing
Dec42Bracing

UV index in Traverse City in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 5 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Traverse City peaks around June 18 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 18UV 9Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Traverse City?

Traverse City sits at 44.8°N, 85.6°W, 597 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Mackinac Island, 89 mi away.

Topography around Traverse City

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Traverse City has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 404 ft around an average of 627 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 679 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,224 ft.

The land around Traverse City is covered by water (33%), trees (32%) and artificial surfaces (24%) within 2 miles, trees (48%), water (25%) and grassland (22%) within 10 miles, and trees (49%) and water (37%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
404 ft
10 miles
679 ft
50 miles
1,224 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
September weather nearby: Mackinac Island 89 mi · Mount Pleasant 91 mi · Midland 104 mi · Muskegon 110 mi · Manitowoc 111 mi · Norton Shores 115 mi · Bellevue 115 mi · Bay City 118 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 Traverse City (44.7631°, -85.6206°, elevation 597 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. 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).