Birmingham, AL Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Birmingham
Birmingham records 134 wet days and 9.2 hours of daily sunshine in an average year. Temperatures follow a humid subtropical pattern, running 53°F (12°C) in January up to 89°F (32°C) in July.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 89°F (32°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 53°F (12°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 99°F (37°C) high · 6°F (-14°C) low
- Wettest month: March (13 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (11.7 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 20°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 10°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 3
- Average humidity: 71%
Temperatures through the year
July is the warm end of the year, averaging 89°F (32°C) by day and 72°F (22°C) overnight. January bottoms out at 53°F (12°C) in daylight, 36°F (2°C) after dark. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 99°F (37°C) and the lowest daily minimum 6°F (-14°C). Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 3 months of the year, June through August being the unbroken run.
Rain, sun and snow
Precipitation concentrates in March - 5.9 inches (151 mm) on 13 days - and thins out by November. Three of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is October through November. Sunshine averages 9.2 hours a day over the year, peaking in July at 11.7 hours.
How Birmingham compares
- Birmingham sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 64°F (18°C) as an annual average, 54.6 inches (1388 mm) of precipitation and 9.2 hours of sun a day.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 36° | 10 | 5.0 in | 6.8 h/day | 10.2 h | 33% | 71% |
| February | 60° | 41° | 12 | 5.9 in | 6.7 h/day | 10.9 h | 43% | 73% |
| March | 66° | 47° | 13 | 5.9 in | 8.3 h/day | 11.9 h | 41% | 71% |
| April | 72° | 52° | 11 | 5.1 in | 10.0 h/day | 13.0 h | 36% | 69% |
| May | 81° | 62° | 10 | 3.7 in | 11.3 h/day | 13.9 h | 34% | 70% |
| June | 87° | 69° | 13 | 4.8 in | 11.6 h/day | 14.4 h | 44% | 72% |
| July | 89° | 72° | 16 | 4.6 in | 11.7 h/day | 14.2 h | 53% | 75% |
| August | 89° | 72° | 14 | 4.5 in | 10.8 h/day | 13.4 h | 47% | 73% |
| September | 85° | 67° | 8 | 3.4 in | 10.3 h/day | 12.3 h | 26% | 69% |
| October | 76° | 57° | 6 | 3.6 in | 9.1 h/day | 11.3 h | 20% | 67% |
| November | 65° | 46° | 8 | 3.3 in | 7.9 h/day | 10.4 h | 28% | 70% |
| December | 58° | 42° | 11 | 4.8 in | 6.3 h/day | 9.9 h | 35% | 75% |
Birmingham month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Birmingham's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.8 h
- Daylight
- 10.2 h
February
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
March
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 8.3 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
April
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 10.0 h
- Daylight
- 13.0 h
May
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 13.9 h
June
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 14.4 h
July
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 14.2 h
August
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 13.4 h
September
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 10.3 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
October
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 9.1 h
- Daylight
- 11.3 h
November
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 7.9 h
- Daylight
- 10.4 h
December
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 6.3 h
- Daylight
- 9.9 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Birmingham
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Birmingham settles into easy warmth, with daytime highs averaging 73°F (23°C) and nights around 54°F (12°C); rain falls on around 34 of the 90 days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer sits firmly in the heat here - highs near 88°F (31°C), nights near 71°F (22°C), and rain falls on around 44 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.4 hours of sun a day. With the moisture factored in, afternoons feel hotter than the reading suggests - the humidity and dew point converter shows why.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Birmingham is pleasantly warm, with daytime highs averaging 75°F (24°C) and nights around 57°F (14°C); expect showers on roughly 22 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Birmingham is crisp but comfortable, with daytime highs averaging 57°F (14°C) and nights around 40°F (4°C); rain falls on around 33 of the 90 days.
Climate questions, answered
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How warm is Birmingham on average?
How often does it rain in Birmingham?
Is Birmingham cold in winter?
Best time to visit Birmingham
The best time to visit Birmingham is generally April to May and October to November, when warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 73°F (23°C), with rain on about 9 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in April.
Pack for Birmingham with light clothing for the warm months, a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Even in July, lows of 72°F (22°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Birmingham temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.