Gulf Shores has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 44°, and snow is almost unheard of.
A year in Gulf Shores at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Gulf Shores’s climate
Read from where Gulf Shores sits among Alabama’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
What a year in Gulf Shores feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Rain and snow in Gulf Shores
July is the wettest month and May the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 115 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
No measurable snow in a normal year.
A year-round growing season
Freezing nights are uncommon in Gulf Shores.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Gulf Shores’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
Only 79% of years see a freezing night, so tender plants can stay out most winters.
About 0.0" in a normal winter.
Months averaging under 55° run from January through January. Heating is 31% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 36 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 90°.
The nicest months are February, March, April, May, October, November and December. 7.9 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Gulf Shores and its neighbors
Foley has the coldest January nights next door (42°) and Foley the hottest July afternoons (91°). Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Gulf Shores averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.2°).
A smaller shift than in 93% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Gulf Shores compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Alabama.
Gulf Shores weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 61° | 44° | 4.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 45° – 60° |
| February | 64° | 47° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 47° – 65° |
| March | 70° | 53° | 5.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 55° – 69° |
| April | 76° | 59° | 4.9" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| May | 83° | 67° | 3.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 72° – 78° |
| June | 88° | 74° | 5.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 78° – 84° |
| July | 90° | 75° | 7.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 80° – 85° |
| August | 90° | 75° | 6.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 80° – 85° |
| September | 87° | 72° | 6.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 77° – 83° |
| October | 80° | 62° | 4.2" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| November | 70° | 52° | 4.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| December | 64° | 47° | 4.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 48° – 63° |
| Year | 77° | 61° | 61.8" | 0.0" | 115 | 0 |
Heating and cooling a home in Gulf Shores
31% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 47° to 65°. July is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Common questions about Gulf Shores’s climate
What is the coldest month in Gulf Shores?
January, with a typical high of 61° and a low of 44°.
What is the hottest month in Gulf Shores?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 75°. About 36 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Gulf Shores get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Gulf Shores?
Frost is uncommon. Only 79% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Gulf Shores?
July, with 7.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 62 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Gulf Shores.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Gulf Shores itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Dauphin Is #2, AL (22 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.