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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Paris in September

Paris in September: 31% of days see measurable rain, 72°F average high, 28% of days historically clear (n=240, ERA5 2018–2025).

Paris in September is historically a poor month for sun: only 28% of days clear across 8 years (n=240, avg high 72°F). July is the clearest month for Paris 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 Paris 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 September

Clear-sky percentage for Paris in September, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early September
1st–15th		 37% n=120 72°F
Late September
16th–end		 18% n=120 72°F
Full month average 28% n=240 72°F

Sunshine & warmth in September

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 Paris in September. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early September
1st–15th		 58% n=120
Late September
16th–end		 26% n=120
Full month average 42% n=240
10.3 h median sunshine per day 70% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 31% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 28%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 42%. The 14-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

Paris is mostly overcast in September historically: only 28% of days are clear across 8 years (n=240), avg high 72°F. If you want sun in Paris, July is historically much better. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

→ See all destinations in July — historically the best month for sun in Paris.

Every month in Paris

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

Historical clear-sky % for Paris, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 0% n=226 All destinations →
March 1% n=248 All destinations →
April 10% n=240 All destinations →
May 14% n=248 All destinations →
June 33% n=240 All destinations →
July 45% n=248 All destinations →
August 38% n=248 All destinations →
September ← this page 28% n=240 All destinations →
October 6% n=248 All destinations →
November 0% n=240 All destinations →
December 0% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Paris in September?

Sometimes. Paris sees measurable rain on 31% of days in September historically (n=240 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Paris good for sun in September?

Not usually. Paris is historically overcast in September: only 28% of days are clear (avg high 72°F, n=240 days, ERA5 2018–2025). July is historically far better for sun here.

How Paris compares in September

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against Paris 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.