Gulf Shores, AL Climate & Monthly Averages
Gulf Shores has a humid subtropical climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 87° by day; January is the coldest at 61°.
Sunshine is a defining feature of Gulf Shores's climate
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.
How sun, temperature and rain fit together
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.
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.
More climate facts for Gulf Shores
- 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%
The most comfortable sunny-weather window
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.
What to pack
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.
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
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Gulf Shores's coldest night and 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
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Gulf Shores's coolest part of the year: January, December, February.
Seasonal weather under Gulf Shores's sunnier skies
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.
How unusual is Gulf Shores?
- 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.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.
Gulf Shores temperature extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.