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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Birmingham in August

Birmingham in August: 48% of days see measurable rain, 88°F average high, 28% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Birmingham in August is historically a poor month for sun: only 28% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 88°F). September is the clearest month for Birmingham historically. Historical average, not a forecast.

What you are reading: 8-year historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis, not a forecast. A month that is historically 90% clear can still be overcast on your specific trip. For this week’s actual forecast, see the live Birmingham page. Both can be true at once: “historically strong in this month; this particular week is not.” We label which is which.

Early vs. Late August

Clear-sky percentage for Birmingham in August, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early August
1st–15th		 22% n=120 88°F
Late August
16th–end		 34% n=128 88°F
Full month average 28% n=248 88°F

Sunshine & warmth in August

A second measure using actual sunshine hours (ERA5 sunshine_duration), not the daily weather code. A Lowcountry day with 12 hours of sun and a 25-minute afternoon storm is counted below as a warm, sunny day — because it was. How we define this.

Sunshine-based metrics for Birmingham in August. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early August
1st–15th		 94% n=120
Late August
16th–end		 91% n=128
Full month average 92% n=248
12.0 h median sunshine per day 86% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 48% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 28%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 92%. The 64-point gap is from brief afternoon convective storms that stamp the whole day as “rain” in the WMO code but leave the bulk of the sunshine untouched.

Bottom line

Birmingham is mostly overcast in August historically: only 28% of days are clear across 8 years (n=248), avg high 88°F. If you want sun in Birmingham, September is historically much better. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

→ See all destinations in September — historically the best month for sun in Birmingham.

Every month in Birmingham

Compare across all months with data. Numbers are historical clear-sky %.

Historical clear-sky % for Birmingham, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 1% n=226 All destinations →
March 9% n=248 All destinations →
April 27% n=240 All destinations →
May 36% n=248 All destinations →
June 30% n=240 All destinations →
July 17% n=248 All destinations →
August ← this page 28% n=248 All destinations →
September 49% n=240 All destinations →
October 44% n=248 All destinations →
November 14% n=240 All destinations →
December 1% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Birmingham in August?

Sometimes. Birmingham sees measurable rain on 48% of days in August historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Birmingham good for sun in August?

Not usually. Birmingham is historically overcast in August: only 28% of days are clear (avg high 88°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025). September is historically far better for sun here.

How Birmingham compares in August

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against Birmingham this month — same passport tier, similar flight distance, both sides from the same 8-year ERA5 record.

All percentages are historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 8 full years (2018–2025). “Clear” means avg high ≥ 72 °F, precipitation < 1 mm, and a non-precipitation weather code. This is history, not a forecast. The live 7-day outlook for any destination is on its own page and may differ from the long-run average. Data from Open-Meteo.