Clearwater weather in September
September in Clearwater: sweltering, rainy, with clean air — fine if you can take 37°C afternoons.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#7 of 12 months in Clearwater · #676 of 1413 destinations to visit in September · comfort 80/100 (tier A)
- Days
- 32°C
- Nights
- 25°C
- Wet days
- 10
- Sun
- 10 h
- Humidity
- 80%
- Daylight
- 12 h

Traveller notes on Clearwater in September
Forum posters describe September as genuinely pleasant compared to the peak heat of June-August, with a typical day starting sunny, clouding over for an hour or two of afternoon rain, then clearing back up - a fully rained-out day is called rare. Warm, clear water is a consistent draw this time of year, conditions permitting. On hurricane season: posters are unbothered, saying the odds of a storm actually disrupting a given visit are firmly in the visitor's favor, though September/October is flagged as the stretch where a tropical storm (short of a full hurricane) is most plausible. Overall it's described as a genuinely favorable, popular time to visit despite technically being hurricane season.
Other months in Clearwater
Regulars are specific this remains genuinely within hurricane season, a real tropical storm risk still capable of disrupting travel plans even this late in the year. Our row backs that hot, genuinely wet read, 29.4C reading as a scorching 32C, over 22.3C nights feeling 23C, with a substantial 96.6mm of rain across 6.3 days and humidity at 77 percent. Regulars are consistent daytime temperatures commonly land in the mid-to-upper 80s Fahrenheit, humidity noticeably lower than the peak of summer, the water itself cooled from its 85F high but still genuinely pleasant for swimming. The sea sits at a warm, swimmable 25.7C. The record: 9.7 hours of sun, a 25.7 kph wind and AQI 41.
One regular reports the gulf at 77F for the first week of May; our column gives 27.2C, which is 81F, so as usual the monthly figure describes the back half rather than the front. Either way it is swimming water. Air is 30.1C reading as 34C at 75 percent humidity over 22.1C nights, with a 24.4 kph sea breeze that is most of the reason the beach is bearable at midday. Rain has not yet turned on, 64.9mm across 4 days, with 11.8 hours of sun. The standing advice on this board has nothing to do with weather: check the red tide report before you travel, because a bloom brings sore throats and itchy eyes and moves week to week. The record: AQI 53.
April is the month Clearwater-forum regulars name as their favourite: warmed up but not yet the summer mugginess, highs in the low 80s F, lows in the mid 60s, and not usually a wet month. The water is the split decision - averaging about 73F, which visitors from further north find fine and locals still call chilly. The cost is company: snowbirds and spring families overlap, prices run high and hotels book early. Red tide is the wildcard nobody can promise on; it varies year to year, and when it is around the wave action puts toxins into the air, which matters most if you have a chronic respiratory condition. The record: 27.5C days feeling like 30C, 19.1C nights, 4.2 precipitation days, 11.1 hours of sun, a 25.4C Gulf and a 26.5 kph breeze.
Clearwater's forum calls March usually lovely beach weather, though winter isn't fully done with the Gulf coast yet — a cold front can still blow through and cool things off for a day or two. Regulars flag March as one of the area's busiest months as snowbirds and spring-break families both converge, so book well ahead and pack a warmer layer just in case.
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Clearwater climate normals — September
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Clearwater in September
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdsLabor Day weekend, Summer break in United States(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Clearwater's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherClearwater's weather peaks March–May, best around April.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Clearwater in September
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Nature
Sea turtle nesting
1 May – 31 OctLoggerheads nest along the Pinellas beaches from May to the end of October, with hatchlings from midsummer. Beachfront lights are shaded or switched off at night for the duration, which is why the sea front goes dim after dark.
- Season
Gulf warm enough to swim
1 May – 15 NovSea warm enoughThe shallow Gulf shelf warms early and holds it late, so the water is comfortable from May into November and bathlike by August. January and February are the two months you would want a wetsuit.
- Hazard
Atlantic hurricane season
1 Jun – 30 NovOfficially June to November, with the dangerous weeks from mid-August to early October. Storm surge is the real risk on this low barrier coast, as Helene and Milton showed in 2024, and evacuation orders come by zone. Source ↗
- Hazard
Red tide
1 Aug – 28 Feb · usuallyBlooms drift in most often from late summer into winter, killing fish and putting an irritant in the air that makes the beach unpleasant within minutes. It is patchy and moves with the wind, so the county posts beach-by-beach status daily. Source ↗
- Holiday
Labor Day weekend
5–7 SepNational holidayCrowdedBook earlyLabor Day, the first Monday of September, is the last big getaway of summer: the long weekend books out campsites and lodging and fills parking early, and families thin out quickly once it has passed. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Clearwater — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Clearwater?
Clearwater in September — FAQ
- Is September a good time to visit Clearwater?
- September in Clearwater: sweltering, rainy, with clean air — fine if you can take 37°C afternoons. It ranks #7 of 12 months for Clearwater on SeasonMap's comfort score (80/100).
- What is the weather like in Clearwater in September?
- In September, Clearwater averages a daily high of 31.8°C and a low of 24.8°C, with about 148.6 mm of rain over roughly 10 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Clearwater in September?
- Clearwater has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 40 in September.
Within 300 km: Sarasota's Sea turtle nesting on 1 May – 31 Oct, and Naples, Florida's Sea turtle nesting on 1 May – 31 Oct.