Best time to visit Gulf Shores
The best time to visit Gulf Shores is April and October–November, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Gulf Shores, 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 | 15.3 °C / 60 °F | 10.8 °C / 51 °F | 110 mm / 4.3 in | good month |
| February | 16.6 °C / 62 °F | 12.5 °C / 55 °F | 110 mm / 4.3 in | good month |
| March | 18.9 °C / 66 °F | 15.6 °C / 60 °F | 107 mm / 4.2 in | good month |
| April | 21.8 °C / 71 °F | 18.9 °C / 66 °F | 100 mm / 3.9 in | best month |
| May | 25.3 °C / 78 °F | 22.8 °C / 73 °F | 102 mm / 4 in | good month |
| June | 28.3 °C / 83 °F | 26.1 °C / 79 °F | 119 mm / 4.7 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 29 °C / 84 °F | 26.9 °C / 80 °F | 133 mm / 5.2 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 29.3 °C / 85 °F | 27 °C / 81 °F | 181 mm / 7.1 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 28 °C / 82 °F | 25.3 °C / 78 °F | 151 mm / 5.9 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 24.7 °C / 76 °F | 21.2 °C / 70 °F | 90 mm / 3.6 in | best month |
| November | 20.1 °C / 68 °F | 16 °C / 61 °F | 91 mm / 3.6 in | best month |
| December | 17.5 °C / 64 °F | 13.4 °C / 56 °F | 140 mm / 5.5 in | good month |
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: good
- FFebruary: good
- MMarch: good
- AApril: best
- MMay: good
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: good
- Best
- April, October–November
- Good
- May, December–March
Why these months
January · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 77%, feels like (high) 12.8 °C / 55 °F, average daily high 15.3 °C / 60 °F, precipitation 110 mm / 4.3 in, wet days 9.1 days, average daily low 10.8 °C / 51 °F, days with heavy rain 3.9 days, relative humidity 73%.
February · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 15 °C / 59 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 76%, average daily high 16.6 °C / 62 °F, precipitation 110 mm / 4.3 in, wet days 8.5 days, average daily low 12.5 °C / 55 °F, days with heavy rain 3.4 days, relative humidity 76%.
March · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.5 °C / 65 °F, average daily high 18.9 °C / 66 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, precipitation 107 mm / 4.2 in, wet days 8.2 days, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, average daily low 15.6 °C / 60 °F, relative humidity 76%.
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 22.7 °C / 73 °F, average daily high 21.8 °C / 71 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, precipitation 100 mm / 3.9 in, wet days 7.2 days, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, average daily low 18.9 °C / 66 °F, relative humidity 76%.
May · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 28.2 °C / 83 °F, average daily high 25.3 °C / 78 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 86%, precipitation 102 mm / 4 in, wet days 8.5 days, days with heavy rain 3.4 days.
Against: average daily low 22.8 °C / 73 °F, relative humidity 77%.
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 25.7 °C / 78 °F, average daily high 24.7 °C / 76 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 87%, precipitation 90 mm / 3.6 in, wet days 7 days, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, relative humidity 70%, average daily low 21.2 °C / 70 °F.
November · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 19.3 °C / 67 °F, average daily high 20.1 °C / 68 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, precipitation 91 mm / 3.6 in, wet days 6.7 days, days with heavy rain 2.8 days, average daily low 16 °C / 61 °F, relative humidity 71%.
December · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 16 °C / 61 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, average daily high 17.5 °C / 64 °F, average daily low 13.4 °C / 56 °F, wet days 10.1 days, days with heavy rain 4.2 days, relative humidity 76%.
Against: precipitation 140 mm / 5.5 in.
Beach and swimming
Hot, dry and sunny. Penalises the monsoon hard.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: good
- JJune: good
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Good
- May–June, October
Why these months
May · good
In its favour: average daily high 25.3 °C / 78 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 86%, feels like (high) 28.2 °C / 83 °F, wet days 8.5 days, days with heavy rain 3.4 days, average daily low 22.8 °C / 73 °F, wind (daily max) 25 km/h / 15 mph.
Against: precipitation 102 mm / 4 in.
June · good
In its favour: average daily high 28.3 °C / 83 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 87%, feels like (high) 33.1 °C / 92 °F, days with heavy rain 3.3 days, average daily low 26.1 °C / 79 °F, wind (daily max) 23 km/h / 14 mph.
Against: precipitation 119 mm / 4.7 in, wet days 12.2 days.
October · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 87%, average daily high 24.7 °C / 76 °F, feels like (high) 25.7 °C / 78 °F, precipitation 90 mm / 3.6 in, wet days 7 days, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, average daily low 21.2 °C / 70 °F, wind (daily max) 27 km/h / 17 mph.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: good
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: best
- AApril: good
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: good
- Best
- February–March, November
- Good
- April, December–January
Why these months
January · good
In its favour: average daily high 15.3 °C / 60 °F, precipitation 110 mm / 4.3 in, wet days 9.1 days, feels like (high) 12.8 °C / 55 °F, average daily low 10.8 °C / 51 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, days with heavy rain 3.9 days, daylight per day 10.4 h, wind (daily max) 31 km/h / 19 mph.
February · best
In its favour: average daily high 16.6 °C / 62 °F, precipitation 110 mm / 4.3 in, wet days 8.5 days, feels like (high) 15 °C / 59 °F, average daily low 12.5 °C / 55 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 76%, days with heavy rain 3.4 days, daylight per day 11.1 h, wind (daily max) 29 km/h / 18 mph.
March · best
In its favour: average daily high 18.9 °C / 66 °F, wet days 8.2 days, precipitation 107 mm / 4.2 in, feels like (high) 18.5 °C / 65 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, daylight per day 12 h, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, average daily low 15.6 °C / 60 °F, wind (daily max) 29 km/h / 18 mph.
April · good
In its favour: average daily high 21.8 °C / 71 °F, wet days 7.2 days, precipitation 100 mm / 3.9 in, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, daylight per day 12.9 h, feels like (high) 22.7 °C / 73 °F, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, wind (daily max) 28 km/h / 17 mph.
Against: average daily low 18.9 °C / 66 °F.
November · best
In its favour: average daily high 20.1 °C / 68 °F, precipitation 91 mm / 3.6 in, wet days 6.7 days, feels like (high) 19.3 °C / 67 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, days with heavy rain 2.8 days, average daily low 16 °C / 61 °F, daylight per day 10.6 h, wind (daily max) 28 km/h / 17 mph.
December · good
In its favour: average daily high 17.5 °C / 64 °F, feels like (high) 16 °C / 61 °F, average daily low 13.4 °C / 56 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, wet days 10.1 days, daylight per day 10.2 h, wind (daily max) 29 km/h / 18 mph.
Against: precipitation 140 mm / 5.5 in, days with heavy rain 4.2 days.
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, 849 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) | 12.8 °C | 15 °C | 18.5 °C | 22.7 °C | 28.2 °C | 33.1 °C | 34.3 °C | 34.5 °C | 31.6 °C | 25.7 °C | 19.3 °C | 16 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 3.9 days | 3.4 days | 3.1 days | 3.1 days | 3.4 days | 3.3 days | 4.3 days | 5.1 days | 4.2 days | 2.5 days | 2.8 days | 4.2 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 3 am | 9 am | 6 pm | 5 am | 11 am | 6 am | 8 am | 8 am | 8 am | 10 am | 11 am | 11 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 8 h | 8.4 h | 10 h | 10.8 h | 11.8 h | 12.3 h | 11.9 h | 10.9 h | 10.5 h | 9.9 h | 8.9 h | 7.6 h |
| Relative humidity | 73% | 76% | 76% | 76% | 77% | 78% | 79% | 79% | 75% | 70% | 71% | 76% |
Sea temperature
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature 2022–2025 | 15 °C | 16.5 °C | 19.2 °C | 21.9 °C | 26.1 °C | 29 °C | 30.6 °C | 31.1 °C | 29.4 °C | 25.6 °C | 21.5 °C | 17.8 °C |
| Sea temperature (daily max) 2022–2025 | 15.3 °C | 16.8 °C | 19.4 °C | 22.2 °C | 26.4 °C | 29.2 °C | 30.8 °C | 31.3 °C | 29.6 °C | 25.7 °C | 21.6 °C | 18 °C |
- Very cold 10 °C or less
- Cold 10 to 15 °C
- Cool 15 to 20 °C
- Comfortable 20 to 25 °C
- Warm 25 to 28 °C
- Very warm over 28 °C
The words describe how the water feels to swim in. They are ours, not an official standard.
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 | 6.4 µg/m³ | 7.3 µg/m³ | 7.5 µg/m³ | 7.5 µg/m³ | 9.5 µg/m³ | 10.8 µg/m³ | 11.8 µg/m³ | 10.8 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 7 µg/m³ | 6.5 µg/m³ | 6.5 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 10.5 µg/m³ | 11.4 µg/m³ | 12.1 µg/m³ | 10.9 µg/m³ | 14.1 µg/m³ | 17.3 µg/m³ | 17.7 µg/m³ | 16.5 µg/m³ | 13.4 µg/m³ | 11.1 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ | 10.7 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.