Climate & Weather in Clearwater
Clearwater has a humid subtropical climate defined by hot, humid summers and mild winters -- average highs range from about 65.8°F in January to 87.6°F in August, with roughly 234 sunny days and 51 inches of rain per year. Hurricane season runs June through November and is the defining weather-planning fact for anyone relocating here, even though a direct hit in any given year is relatively rare.
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Learn moreTemperature
Average high temperatures in Clearwater range from about 65.8°F in January to 87.6°F in August, with summer highs commonly reaching around 90°F. Winters are mild by most U.S. standards -- freezing temperatures are rare -- which is a core part of the draw for snowbirds and retirees relocating from colder climates.
Rainfall and Sunshine
Clearwater receives about 51 inches of rain per year on average, with rainfall fairly evenly distributed across the year though June through September run noticeably wetter (roughly 7 inches each in June and July), driven mainly by afternoon thunderstorms and tropical systems. The city also averages about 234 sunny days a year, which is the practical flip side of the summer rain pattern: mornings are commonly clear even in the wettest months, with storms building in the afternoon.
Hurricane Season
Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, with the statistical peak in August through October. Direct hits on Clearwater specifically are relatively infrequent, but storm-surge and coastal-flooding exposure is a real, well-documented risk (FEMA rates Pinellas County 'Very High' for coastal flood risk -- see the insurance-hazard-costs topic page) even for storms that make landfall elsewhere on the Gulf Coast. Plan any move, insurance binding, or major purchase with this season's timing in mind rather than treating it as a background risk.
Humidity and Daily Comfort
As a humid subtropical climate, Clearwater's summer months combine high heat with high humidity, which affects daily comfort more than the raw temperature numbers suggest -- afternoon heat indices commonly feel several degrees hotter than the air temperature alone. Air conditioning is a year-round utility expense rather than a seasonal one for most of the year; see the cost-of-living topic page for the broader utilities cost picture.
Key takeaways
- Average highs run 65.8°F (January) to 87.6°F (August); winters are mild with rare freezing temperatures.
- About 51 inches of rain and 234 sunny days per year on average; summer (June-September) is noticeably wetter than the rest of the year.
- Hurricane season runs June 1-November 30, peaking August-October; storm-surge and coastal-flooding exposure is real even without a direct hit, per FEMA's "Very High" coastal flood risk rating for Pinellas County.
- Humid subtropical summers mean high heat-index days and near-year-round air-conditioning use, a real factor in utility costs.
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