Madison, WI weather in September
In September, Madison sees highs around 73°F and lows around 51°F: mild, with some rain. Rain falls on about 9 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 73°F
- Normal low
- 51°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 3.4 in total
- Muggy days
- 2
- dew point 65°F+
How September changes from start to finish
| September 1 | September 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 56°F | 45°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:22 am / 7:33 pm | 6:53 am / 6:41 pm |
| Daylight | 13.2 h | 11.8 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical September day
- 6 am55°Fdew point 51°F
- 9 am64°Fdew point 54°F
- Noon70°Fdew point 53°F
- 3 pm71°Fdew point 53°F
- 6 pm66°Fdew point 54°F
- 9 pm60°Fdew point 54°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (6 mi away); average wind 7 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 of 30
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 30
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more2 of 30
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow9 of 30
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 30
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 of 30
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 30
Average days per September, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in September
Normal precipitation is 3.4 in; a dry September brings about 1.9 in and a wet one about 4.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How September varies from year to year
- Warmest September, 1991-20202005: average high 79°F
- Coolest September1993: average high 67°F
- Wettest September2016: 8.5 in
- Driest September2017: 0.6 in
- Highest reading94°F (September 10, 2013)
- Lowest reading27°F (September 27, 1991)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
September compared with August and October
| August | September | October | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 80°F | 73°F | 60°F |
| Normal low | 60°F | 51°F | 40°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 10 | 15 | 9 |
| Daylight | 13.9 h | 12.5 h | 11.0 h |
Highs change by -7°F from August and -13°F into October.
Nearby alternatives in September
- Warmer: Davenport, IA123 mi · high 78°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Sister Bay, WI185 mi · high 68°F · 10 wet days
How Madison ranks in September
- Normal high322nd warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 5 in Wisconsin
- Wet days266th driest of 378
- Comfortable days75th most of 342
What to pack for Madison in September
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 9 days
Heating and cooling
September has 151 heating degree days and 59 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Madison in September?
The normal high is 73°F and the normal low is 51°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest September reading was 94°F (September 10, 2013).
Does it rain a lot in Madison in September?
About 9 days in September have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.4 in. The wettest September in 1991-2020 was in 2016 (8.5 in); the driest was in 2017 (0.6 in).
Is September a good time to visit Madison?
September ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Madison (69 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Madison Dane Rgnl Airport (USW00014837), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 866 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Dane Co Regional-Truax Field Airport (726410-14837), 5.5 mi NNE of the city center, 859 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).