Where is hot in August?

The weather in August is, in many ways, very similar to that of July, with places close to home offering some of the best conditions worldwide.

Although August is typically Europe's second warmest month of the year after July, you'd struggle to notice any real difference, while sea temperatures actually peak during August, so it's the warmest month to take a dip - in Europe at least.

Hottest places
up to 6 hours
up to 10 hours
10 hours or more

Looking to spend August in the UK? Check out our handpicked list of places to visit in the UK for the best weather in August.

Hottest places to go in August

Below are average maximum temperatures at popular countries, regions and places in August. Select a holiday destination to see more weather parameters.

August weather: where's hot?

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

August weather by world areas

Places with the best weather in August

As the weather in August is so favourable close to home, you don't need to travel far to soak up some serious sun. If you're looking for a long haul jaunt with the promise of good weather, there are plenty of places offering just this further afield as well.

We've pulled together a list of some of the best holiday destinations near and far, explaining a bit about what you can expect to find and just why we believe they have some of the best weather in August:

up to 6 hours
up to 10 hours
10 hours or more

Mediterranean Sea, Sardinia © Michele Testini - Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0

Up to 6 hours from the UK

Just about everywhere in Europe enjoys hot weather in August but some places are hotter than others. To highlight the main differences between the likes of Tenerife in the west and Cyprus in the east, we've divided the short haul destinations by temperature.

Hot: Costa del Sol, Tenerife, Majorca & Crete

From the Canary Islands in the Atlantic to the Algarve in Portugal and Costa del Sol in southern Spain, conditions are excellent.

These destinations tend to have between nine and 11 hours of sunshine a day, while temperatures, moderated by the cooling effect of the Atlantic Ocean, reach the high twenties, possibly 30°C, during the day.

Atlantic sea temperatures are coolest in the Algarve at around 21°C, but a degree or two warmer in Tenerife and on the Costa del Sol. There's also little chance of rain, so plenty of opportunities to enjoy the pleasant weather.

Moving east towards the Balearic Islands of Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza, the weather is similar, as daytime temperatures are prevented from rising too high by the surrounding sea.

When compared with the Costa del Sol, it's a touch cooler temperature wise, although the sea is warmer around the Balearics, sitting comfortably in the mid-twenties in August.

Mykonos, Greece © Ion Androutsopoulos - Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Heading further east still, it might surprise you that centrally located islands in the Aegean Sea - such as Mykonos, Santorini and Crete - see temperatures no higher than the Balearic Islands, although they're a touch sunnier with 12 to 13 hours of sunshine a day, with only moderate heat and humidity.

The reason for these cooler temperatures is that during the height of summer the Greek islands lie in the path of the 'Meltemi' winds, a relatively dry northerly wind that brings cooler air and clearer conditions from higher latitudes.

These winds keep temperatures lower than they would otherwise be but can be a bit of a pain if they blow too strongly.

They can disrupt ferry schedules, and sunbathing in the wind can be more difficult, though they're great for windsurfing.

Overall, they keep temperatures in check and offer relief from high heat and humidity even when blowing lightly.

Hotter: Malta, Zante, Corfu & Benidorm

Further west in the likes of Malta sees no cooling north wind at this time, so it's slightly warmer than the Greek islands.

Daytime temperatures usually reach 30°C with 11 hours of sunshine and high heat and humidity, although there's often a good breeze from the sea to moderate temperatures.

In the Adriatic, Zante and Corfu are also hotter than the Aegean islands with daytime temperatures reaching 31°C or 32°C, high heat and humidity, and up to 12 hours of sunshine a day in Zante. The sea temperatures here sits around 26°C.

Navagio Beach, Zante Greece © RHiNO NEAL - Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Although further north than the Costa del Sol, conditions on the Costa Blanca are generally warmer as it's that bit further away from the Atlantic Ocean.

In Benidorm, for example, the weather includes temperatures up to 32°C with high heat and humidity, compared with 30°C in Malaga where heat and humidity is only moderate. Sea temperatures in Benidorm are also warmer than Malaga by a couple of degrees.

Hottest: Turkey, Rhodes, Cyprus & Sharm el Sheikh

Although long hours of sunshine (up to 13) feature in the eastern Med (such as Turkey and Cyprus), it's also very hot in August, not just in terms of maximum daytime temperatures but also owing to the high levels of heat and humidity, which a lot of people may find very uncomfortable.

Destinations such as Bodrum and Marmaris in the southwest of Turkey generally have more sunshine than anywhere else in the Med with 13 hours a day, closely followed by some of the nearby Greek islands of Rhodes, Kos and Samos.

You can expect to see daytime temperatures up to 33°C in Bodrum and Marmaris coupled with high heat and humidity.

In terms of sea temperatures, Bodrum and Marmaris see around 25°C, while further east you can expect 27°C to 28°C in Cyprus and around Antalya in Turkey.

Hotter still is Sharm el Sheikh, and August is the hottest month of the year in the Sinai - too hot for many. The average maximum temperature is 35°C each day dropping by only 10°C at night. Heat and humidity is very high, though it's still a fairly dry heat being a desert climate.

The sun is very strong, however, and it's not advisable to lie out in the heat of the day, at least not without some serious SPF. Expect the sea to be a balmy 28°C.

Up to 10 hours from the UK

After the Mediterranean, the east coast of the United States would be the next closest region with fine warm weather.

From Florida to New York, daytime temperatures normally reach the low thirties, with eight to nine hours of sunshine.

However, it's the heat and humidity that you have to watch out for on the east coast as it's higher than in the Med. In fact, it's normally very high in August, which some people may find rather uncomfortable.

There's also a chance of a tropical storm affecting things in and around Florida, something to be aware of.

Afternoon thunderstorm Florida © Scott Hecker - Flickr CC BY 2.0

Further south in the Caribbean, the weather remains good even though it's the middle of the wet season.

Typically the wet season is made up of short sharp showers, not prolonged periods of rain, so there's normally quite a lot of sunshine (eight hours on average on most Caribbean islands) with mornings generally sunnier than afternoons.

Uvero Alto Beach, Dominican Republic © Ted Murphy - Flickr CC BY 2.0

The disadvantage for those that don't like it too hot is that there's very high heat and humidity at this time of year and, similar to Florida, there's always the risk of a storm affecting the weather.

On average Antigua is affected by just one storm a month in August, while Barbados only experiences one storm in August every four to five years.

As a general rule, the further south you are in the Caribbean in August, the less likely you are to have your break interrupted by a passing tropical storm.

10 hours or more from the UK

As for those really far-flung shores, looking west, the weather in California is beautifully sunny and warm.

Most of California has a climate similar to the Mediterranean, with clear sunny days in August and very little chance of any rain.

For example, in Los Angeles usually has 11 hours of sunshine a day and daytime highs ranging from the mid-twenties on the beach to the high twenties inland.

Los Angeles California, City of Angels © Chones - Fotolia.com

Although there are many beautiful beaches along the coast, the sea temperature is pretty chilly at around 20°C, while heat and humidity is low rising to moderate inland.

If you're thinking of travelling inland to the Central Valley or Mohave Desert, conditions are a lot hotter.

In Palm Springs, the weather sees temperatures rise above 40°C on a daily basis, and heat and humidity is extreme.

The Central Valley is less hot but you can expect temperatures above 35°C most days with very high heat and humidity.

At least everywhere in California cools off a lot during the night so there is some respite after the sun has set.

If you fancy heading east towards Asia, you need to know that the monsoon season is still in full swing over India (where it is very hot and often wet) and the northern Indian Ocean.

Meanwhile, north of the equator in southeast Asia, it's very hot and humid with the possibility of tropical storms affecting the weather from the South China Sea.

Gili Meno Beach, Lombok, Indonesia © Dmitrii Fadeev - Dreamstime.com

The story is quite different south of the equator in Indonesia, however, where Bali and Lombok continue to experience delightful weather as it's the drier, slightly cooler season.

Temperatures rise to 30°C most days with 10 hours of sunshine on average and little chance of rain.

While August in Dubai is very sunny (around 10 hours of sunshine) and extremely hot (average high 40°C) it's also very humid.

This produces some of the most uncomfortable conditions found anywhere, and afternoons can be particularly uncomfortable as humidity levels rise, so be aware.

Unlike some desert areas such as those in California, the humidity persists through the night so it can still be incredibly hot and humid after dark.

Much like July, Europe and the Med offer a multitude of destinations with fantastic weather in August, nice and close to home.

If, however, you're keen to explore further afield, there are some beautiful places with a real variety of conditions from similar to the Med to scorching hot and more tropical.

If you'd like to find out more about wonderful destinations in August, visit our where to go on holiday in August section, and don't forget to check out the very latest travel deals and discounts from major holiday providers.