Gulf Shores, AL Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Gulf Shores
Gulf Shores has a humid subtropical climate. Average highs run from 61°F (16°C) in January to 87°F (30°C) in July, and the city records roughly 148 days of measurable precipitation a year.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 87°F (30°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 61°F (16°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 100°F (38°C) high · 21°F (-6°C) low
- Wettest month: June (16 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (11.7 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 16°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 6°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 2
- Average humidity: 75%
Temperatures through the year
January bottoms out at 61°F (16°C) in daylight, 48°F (9°C) after dark. At its warmest, in July, Gulf Shores runs to 87°F (30°C) in the afternoon and back to 79°F (26°C) by dawn. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 100°F (38°C) and the lowest daily minimum 21°F (-6°C). Seven of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is February through May.
Rain, sun and snow
Precipitation concentrates in June - 6.3 inches (160 mm) on 16 days - and thins out by February. Days and nights are about 6°C apart on average - narrower than all but 7% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. June is the brightest month at 11.7 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 9.7.
How Gulf Shores compares
- 29% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than all but 9% of the 3496 cities we track.
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 | 61° | 48° | 9 | 5.0 in | 7.7 h/day | 10.4 h | 30% | 72% |
| February | 65° | 53° | 10 | 3.6 in | 8.3 h/day | 11.1 h | 36% | 77% |
| March | 69° | 58° | 11 | 4.5 in | 9.5 h/day | 11.9 h | 36% | 76% |
| April | 74° | 63° | 11 | 5.6 in | 10.2 h/day | 12.9 h | 37% | 75% |
| May | 80° | 70° | 11 | 5.0 in | 11.6 h/day | 13.7 h | 35% | 76% |
| June | 85° | 76° | 16 | 6.3 in | 11.7 h/day | 14.1 h | 53% | 78% |
| July | 87° | 79° | 20 | 5.0 in | 11.6 h/day | 13.9 h | 63% | 79% |
| August | 87° | 79° | 18 | 6.3 in | 10.5 h/day | 13.2 h | 60% | 78% |
| September | 84° | 75° | 13 | 6.1 in | 10.2 h/day | 12.3 h | 42% | 75% |
| October | 78° | 67° | 9 | 4.3 in | 9.7 h/day | 11.4 h | 28% | 70% |
| November | 70° | 58° | 8 | 4.4 in | 8.5 h/day | 10.6 h | 26% | 71% |
| December | 65° | 54° | 12 | 5.6 in | 7.3 h/day | 10.2 h | 38% | 77% |
Gulf Shores month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Gulf Shores's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 7.7 h
- Daylight
- 10.4 h
February
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 8.3 h
- Daylight
- 11.1 h
March
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
April
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 12.9 h
May
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 13.7 h
June
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 14.1 h
July
- Rain
- 20 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 13.9 h
August
- Rain
- 18 days
- Sunshine
- 10.5 h
- Daylight
- 13.2 h
September
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
October
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 9.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.4 h
November
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 8.5 h
- Daylight
- 10.6 h
December
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 7.3 h
- Daylight
- 10.2 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Gulf Shores
Spring (March through May)
Through spring, Gulf Shores settles into easy warmth: 74°F (24°C) by day, 64°F (18°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 33 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.4 hours of sun a day.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Gulf Shores sits firmly in the heat, with daytime highs averaging 86°F (30°C) and nights around 78°F (25°C); rain falls on around 54 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.3 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)
Through fall, Gulf Shores is mild and warm: 78°F (25°C) by day, 67°F (19°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 29 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter is mild here - highs near 63°F (17°C), nights near 52°F (11°C), and rain falls on around 31 of the 90 days.
Climate questions, answered
How warm is Gulf Shores on average?
How much sun does Gulf Shores get?
Is Gulf Shores hot in summer?
How much do temperatures drop at night in Gulf Shores?
How humid does Gulf Shores get?
How long does summer last in Gulf Shores?
Best time to visit Gulf Shores
January to May and October is the sweet spot for Gulf Shores - warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Expect 71°F (22°C) in the afternoon and around 10 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in January.
Pack for Gulf Shores with light clothing for the warm months, proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here and moisture-wicking fabrics for the humidity. July nights average 79°F (26°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Gulf Shores 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.