Ames (IA) Sunshine Hours by Month

When exploring climate, sunlight hours tell an important story. This page shows the total number of hours of direct sunlight per month and the average hours per day in Ames, Iowa, United States of America. These averages rely on historical data collected over 30 years, from 1990 to 2020.

Monthly hours of sunshine

Seasonal sunshine in Ames varies. It peaks at 335 hours in July and drops to 129 hours in December. The total annual amount of sun is 2700 hours.

Daily hours of sunshine

In Ames, summer days are longer and more sunny, with daily sunshine hours peaking at 11.2 hours in July. As the darker season arrives, the brightness of the sun becomes less. December sees a soft sun for only 4.3 hours per day.

Average percent of sunshine

On average the sun shines 72% of the time during the day in July, the highest percentage of any month. December has the lowest percentage at 45%.

Ames enjoys an average of 2700 hours of sunshine annually. Let’s compare this with some popular tourist destinations:

Athens, Greece, enjoys 2769 hours of sunshine each year, making it one of the sunniest destinations in the Mediterranean region.

In contrast, Juneau, Alaska, receives only about 1523 hours of sunshine per year and is known for its very short days in winter and frequently overcast conditions.

Toronto, Canada, sees around 2071 hours of sunshine each year, with especially long, bright summer days.

In Tokyo, Japan, the average annual sunshine is 1930 hours, with sunny periods between rainy seasons.

August, Ames’s wettest month, receives 113 mm (4.4 in) of rainfall and has a maximum daytime temperature of 28°C (82°F). During the driest month January you can expect a temperature of -2°C (28°F).

For more detailed insights into the city’s temperatures, check out our Temperature page. To explore more about precipitation patterns, visit our Ames Precipitation page.