Best time to visit Birmingham
The best time to visit Birmingham is April and October–November, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Birmingham, Alabama, United States
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12.2 °C / 54 °F | 2 °C / 36 °F | 119 mm / 4.7 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 15.1 °C / 59 °F | 4.2 °C / 40 °F | 139 mm / 5.5 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 19.6 °C / 67 °F | 8.2 °C / 47 °F | 152 mm / 6 in | good month |
| April | 23.4 °C / 74 °F | 11.7 °C / 53 °F | 119 mm / 4.7 in | best month |
| May | 27.1 °C / 81 °F | 16.7 °C / 62 °F | 106 mm / 4.2 in | good month |
| June | 31.1 °C / 88 °F | 21 °C / 70 °F | 97 mm / 3.8 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 32 °C / 90 °F | 22.5 °C / 73 °F | 109 mm / 4.3 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 31.9 °C / 89 °F | 22.1 °C / 72 °F | 95 mm / 3.8 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 29.5 °C / 85 °F | 18.9 °C / 66 °F | 83 mm / 3.3 in | good month |
| October | 24.3 °C / 76 °F | 12.3 °C / 54 °F | 84 mm / 3.3 in | best month |
| November | 18.3 °C / 65 °F | 6.3 °C / 43 °F | 88 mm / 3.5 in | best month |
| December | 14.4 °C / 58 °F | 4.4 °C / 40 °F | 131 mm / 5.2 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: good
- AApril: best
- MMay: good
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- April, October–November
- Good
- March, May, September
Spring (April) and fall (October-November) bring Birmingham's mildest, driest, sunniest weather for exploring on foot; deep summer (June-August) turns hot, humid and prone to afternoon downpours, winter (December-February) is cool, damp and gray, and March stays rainy despite pleasant temperatures.
Why these months
March · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 18 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 19.6 °C / 67 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 72%, relative humidity 65%, average daily low 8.2 °C / 47 °F.
Against: precipitation 152 mm / 6 in, days with heavy rain 5.1 days, wet days 11.2 days.
Also on: Spring blossoms (dogwood, cherry, azalea).
Watch out for: Easter closures, Good Friday closures.
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.1 °C / 74 °F, average daily high 23.4 °C / 74 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 78%, average daily low 11.7 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 67%.
Against: precipitation 119 mm / 4.7 in, days with heavy rain 4.5 days, wet days 9.4 days.
Also on: Spring blossoms (dogwood, cherry, azalea).
Watch out for: Easter closures, Good Friday closures.
May · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 80%, average daily low 16.7 °C / 62 °F, days with heavy rain 3.5 days.
Against: feels like (high) 28.9 °C / 84 °F, precipitation 106 mm / 4.2 in, wet days 10.6 days, average daily high 27.1 °C / 81 °F, relative humidity 71%, share of rain falling in the daytime 45%.
Watch out for: Memorial Day closures.
September · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 82%, precipitation 83 mm / 3.3 in, wet days 7.5 days, days with heavy rain 2.4 days, average daily low 18.9 °C / 66 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 31.8 °C / 89 °F, average daily high 29.5 °C / 85 °F, relative humidity 71%, share of rain falling in the daytime 47%.
Also on: Birmingham Artwalk, Sidewalk Film Festival.
Watch out for: Labor Day closures.
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.1 °C / 75 °F, average daily high 24.3 °C / 76 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, precipitation 84 mm / 3.3 in, wet days 6.7 days, days with heavy rain 2.8 days, average daily low 12.3 °C / 54 °F, relative humidity 70%.
Also on: Magic City Classic.
Watch out for: Columbus Day closures, Halloween closures.
November · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 16.5 °C / 62 °F, average daily high 18.3 °C / 65 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 75%, precipitation 88 mm / 3.5 in, wet days 7.6 days, days with heavy rain 2.8 days, relative humidity 70%, average daily low 6.3 °C / 43 °F.
Watch out for: Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday season travel crowds, Thanksgiving travel crowds and closures, Veterans Day closures.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Sugar Mountain Resort, 535 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 9.3 °C | 12.7 °C | 18 °C | 23.1 °C | 28.9 °C | 34.7 °C | 36.5 °C | 36 °C | 31.8 °C | 24.1 °C | 16.5 °C | 12.2 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 4.7 days | 4.9 days | 5.1 days | 4.5 days | 3.5 days | 3.2 days | 2.9 days | 2.7 days | 2.4 days | 2.8 days | 2.8 days | 4.7 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 1 pm | 4 am | 8 am | 9 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 2 am | 3 am | 6 am |
| Sunshine per day | 6.9 h | 6.9 h | 8.7 h | 10.2 h | 11.1 h | 12.1 h | 12.1 h | 11.2 h | 10.1 h | 9 h | 7.8 h | 6.2 h |
| Relative humidity | 68% | 68% | 65% | 67% | 71% | 71% | 74% | 73% | 71% | 70% | 70% | 74% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 8.5 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ | 8.4 µg/m³ | 12.6 µg/m³ | 16.2 µg/m³ | 16.6 µg/m³ | 13.8 µg/m³ | 12 µg/m³ | 8.1 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 9.1 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 16.1 µg/m³ | 17.5 µg/m³ | 16.1 µg/m³ | 15 µg/m³ | 20.5 µg/m³ | 26 µg/m³ | 25 µg/m³ | 20.8 µg/m³ | 18.7 µg/m³ | 13.2 µg/m³ | 15.3 µg/m³ | 17.2 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Spring blossoms (dogwood, cherry, azalea)
March and April
- Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival
24–31 August
- Birmingham Artwalk
1–7 September
- Sidewalk Film Festival
24–30 September
- Magic City Classic
October
Worth knowing before you go
- New Year's Day closures
1 January
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day closures
15–21 January, dates vary from year to year
- Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday season travel crowds
21 November–1 January, dates vary from year to year
- Presidents' Day closures
15–21 February, dates vary from year to year
- Good Friday closures
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Easter closures
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Memorial Day closures
25–31 May, dates vary from year to year
- Juneteenth closures
19 June
- Independence Day closures
4 July
- Labor Day closures
1–7 September, dates vary from year to year
- Columbus Day closures
8–14 October, dates vary from year to year
- Halloween closures
31 October
- Veterans Day closures
11 November
- Thanksgiving travel crowds and closures
21–30 November, dates vary from year to year
- Christmas closures
24–25 December