The Old Farmer’s Almanac has released its September long-range weather outlook for the United States, pointing to a month of cool spells, scattered rain and a few sunnier windows across several regions. The forecast is broad, but it still maps out when showers are most likely to interrupt travel, outdoor plans and the slow shift into fall.
The first region listed is expected to spend September near 59 degrees, about 2 degrees below average, with 5.5 inches of precipitation, around 2 inches above average. That pattern helps explain why readers are looking now: this is not a day-by-day forecast, but a month-ahead guide built to give a sense of what kind of September may unfold.
The publication says its long-range forecasts combine solar science, climatology and meteorology. It compares solar patterns and historical weather conditions with current solar activity while also weighing climate data and large-scale signals such as El Niño and La Niña. That method is meant to describe broad regional patterns, not to pin weather down to a specific afternoon.
For the Atlantic Corridor, the month opens with scattered thunderstorms from September 1 to 12. Scattered showers are then expected in the north from September 13 to 23 while the south stays sunny, before the month ends with isolated showers and cool conditions during the final week. The region is forecast to average 68 degrees, 1 degree below normal, with 3 inches of precipitation, about 1 inch below average.
In the Appalachians, September starts sunny and warm before scattered showers bring cooler conditions from September 7 to 12. Isolated showers are expected in the north from September 13 to 23 while the south remains sunny, followed by showers and cool weather from September 24 to 27. The region is forecast at 63 degrees, 2 degrees below average, with precipitation about 2 inches below average.
The Southeast outlook calls for sunny and mild conditions to open September. Thunderstorms are expected before sunshine returns from September 8 to 18 with cooler weather, and another sunny and mild stretch follows through September 24. The region is forecast at 74 degrees, 1 degree below average, with 2 inches of precipitation, about 3 inches below average.
Florida is set apart from the rest of the outlook. It begins the month with scattered thunderstorms and conditions turning from warm to cooler through September 11. From September 12 to 20, the north is expected to be sunny while the south sees thunderstorms, and sunshine should continue in the north through the end of the month while isolated thunderstorms remain possible in the south. Florida is forecast at 80 degrees, 1 degree below average, with 7.5 inches of precipitation.
That is the catch in long-range forecasting: the Almanac offers date ranges and regional numbers, but it also warns that its outlook is built for broad patterns rather than exact day-to-day conditions. The value is in the shape of the month, not in a promise about one specific day, which means readers get a useful guide now and a test of the forecast as September actually arrives.
