Cleveland weather in August
August in Cleveland: hot, rainy, with muggy air — an excellent time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#4 of 12 months in Cleveland · #626 of 1413 destinations to visit in August · comfort 81/100 (tier A)
- Days
- 27°C
- Nights
- 20°C
- Wet days
- 9
- Sun
- 11.6 h
- Humidity
- 77%
- Daylight
- 14 h

Traveller notes on Cleveland in August
Regulars planning a day at Cedar Point or similar outdoor attractions build in a buffer for the afternoon specifically, since a thunderstorm rolling through between roughly 2 and 6pm is common enough to plan around rather than treat as bad luck. Our row backs the warm, humid read, 27.1C reading as a real 29C at 76.9 percent humidity, over 20.1C nights, with 84.5mm of rain across 8.5 days. Regulars describe these storms as usually brief and intense rather than an all-day washout, so a delayed start or a covered break tends to be enough to ride one out. The record: 11.6 hours of sun, a 16.8 kph wind and AQI 55.
Other months in Cleveland
Regulars are direct that this month is genuinely unpredictable end to end, early October capable of being very nice while the tail end of the month can turn freezing and even see snow. Our row backs the cooling, still-wet read, 18.4C over 10.7C nights feeling 8C, with 89.3mm of rain across 10.8 days and a trace of that early snow, 0.1cm. Regulars note big weekends here, like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, draw real crowds on top of the usual visitors, so checking the calendar before booking is worth it beyond just weather. Staying in the suburbs is the standard advice for easier parking and availability during a busy weekend. The record: humidity 73 percent, 7.7 hours of sun, a 22.1 kph wind and AQI 35.
Regulars place May on the good side of the local rain calendar: the torrential months here are February through April, and May and June are not the worst, though an afternoon thunderstorm should not surprise anyone. Late May runs in the sixties and low seventies - our row reads 20.3C over 12.2C - and they call it somewhat humid, which our 75 percent supports. The advice is layers and, more than anything else, waterproof shoes or a raincoat as the single most useful item. Our 89.2mm falls across 9.8 days. The lake-effect snow this city is known for belongs to winter, not to now. The record: 10.6 hours of sun, a 20 kph wind and AQI 56.
Early June in Cleveland is pleasant and humid, with highs regulars put in the high 60s to mid 70s Fahrenheit - our row's 25.3C reads as 27C once the 74 percent humidity is counted - and their standing caution is to have a plan for a wet and dreary day, because the month produces them. Our row gives 7.5 precipitation days carrying 64.6mm. The lake is what June is for here, and the names they hand over are Edgewater and Huntington Beach for the city end, Headlands further east, with Lakewood Park and Bradstreet's Landing for the view rather than the swim. The lake is still cold in June whatever the air does. The record: 17.9C nights, 12.1 hours of sun, a 18.9 kph wind and AQI 70.
Cleveland forum threads describe January as bringing the heaviest snowfall of the season, with posters noting recent years saw light-to-no snow in November and December before accumulation really picks up in January. A defining local feature repeatedly mentioned: lake-effect snow, where cold Canadian air picks up moisture off Lake Erie and dumps it as intense but typically short-lived snow bands - heavy for perhaps an hour with breaks in between, rather than one continuous storm. Posters were consistent that the city and its residents are well equipped to handle it, with plows and salt keeping most roads clear and only about once a year does snow genuinely disrupt getting around. The Cleveland Metroparks were specifically recommended as beautiful in a snow-covered January, with real cross-country skiing on the trails.
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Cleveland climate normals — August
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Cleveland in August
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 crowdsFeast of the Assumption, Cleveland Oktoberfest, Summer break in United States(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Cleveland'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 weatherCleveland's best weather comes in May, June and September — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Cleveland in August
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Lakefront season
1 Jun – 10 SepSummer season opensEdgewater and Euclid beaches, the Flats patios and free concerts in Public Square all run on the same short calendar. Lake Erie only gets swimmable in late July, and it drops again fast in September.
- Festival
Feast of the Assumption
13–16 AugReligious feastCrowdedClosuresFour days around Holy Rosary in Little Italy, built on the 15th of August and running the same way for over a century: procession, pasta and Mayfield Road closed to cars. Park down the hill and walk up. Source ↗
- Festival
Cleveland Oktoberfest
28 Aug – 12 Sep · usuallyFood & drink festivalCrowdedBook earlyNortheast Ohio's largest outdoor event: two weekends of German food, beer tents and oompah bands at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, overlapping the air show downtown. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Cleveland — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Cleveland?
Cleveland in August — FAQ
- Is August a good time to visit Cleveland?
- August in Cleveland: hot, rainy, with muggy air — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #4 of 12 months for Cleveland on SeasonMap's comfort score (81/100).
- What is the weather like in Cleveland in August?
- In August, Cleveland averages a daily high of 27.1°C and a low of 20.1°C, with about 84.5 mm of rain over roughly 8.5 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Cleveland in August?
- Cleveland has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 55 in August.
Within 300 km: Detroit's Detroit Jazz Festival around 30 Aug – 8 Sep, and Niagara Falls' Falls boat season around 24 Apr – 30 Nov.