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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Toronto in August

Toronto in August: 36% of days see measurable rain, 78°F average high, 36% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Toronto in August is historically a poor month for sun: only 36% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 78°F). 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 Toronto 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 Toronto 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		 49% n=120 78°F
Late August
16th–end		 24% n=128 78°F
Full month average 36% n=248 78°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 Toronto 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		 96% n=120
Late August
16th–end		 73% n=128
Full month average 84% n=248
12.8 h median sunshine per day 89% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 36% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 36%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 84%. The 48-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

Toronto is mostly overcast in August historically: only 36% of days are clear across 8 years (n=248), avg high 78°F. The two halves differ materially (49% early, 24% late) — favour the early half of the month. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

Every month in Toronto

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

Historical clear-sky % for Toronto, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 0% n=226 All destinations →
March 0% n=248 All destinations →
April 1% n=240 All destinations →
May 13% n=248 All destinations →
June 30% n=240 All destinations →
July 34% n=248 All destinations →
August ← this page 36% n=248 All destinations →
September 25% n=240 All destinations →
October 5% n=248 All destinations →
November 0% n=240 All destinations →
December 0% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Toronto in August?

Sometimes. Toronto sees measurable rain on 36% of days in August historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Toronto good for sun in August?

It's mixed. Toronto in August is clear on 36% of days historically (avg high 78°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — the outcome varies year to year.

How Toronto compares in August

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