September in Duck Creek Village brings 69 to 72F afternoons, nights in the 40s on the slopes and the first freeze of the fall around mid month. Station data on the cold front that ends summer, the snow question, Labor Day and the valley towns below.
What Is the Weather Like in Duck Creek Village in September?
September in Duck Creek Village averages 69 to 72F in the afternoon and 37 to 45F at night, measured at three stations near village elevation. The first freeze of the fall arrives around the middle of the month in the meadows and at the summit, and around the first of October on the slopes. Snow almost never stays on the ground in September.
September is the month summer ends on this plateau, and some years it ends in a single cold front.
| September in Duck Creek Village | Number |
|---|---|
| Average daytime high | 69 to 72F, 61F at the summit |
| Average overnight low | 43 to 45F on slopes, 37F in meadows |
| Nights at or below freezing | 1 to 2 on slopes, 8 in meadows |
| Precipitation | 1.1 to 2.0 in, on 3 to 5 days |
| Daylight | 13 h 2 m on Sep 1, 11 h 53 m on Sep 30 |
Three stations near the village set the September numbers
Duck Creek Village has no working weather station, so the numbers come from three neighbors. The Assay fire weather station sits at 8,100 feet, six miles east. Panguitch Lake reports from 8,300 feet, and the Harris Flat snow site from 7,800 feet in a meadow five miles southeast. Their September afternoons average 71.9, 68.7 and 70.0F.
Nights split by terrain, the same pattern our October weather post found. Assay averages 44.7F and Panguitch Lake 43.0F. Harris Flat averages 36.5F, because cold air drains off the slopes after dark and pools in flat meadow ground. A September day there swings 33 degrees from dawn to afternoon on average. Midway Valley, at 9,830 feet near the Highway 14 summit, runs ten degrees cooler by day, with a 60.6F average high.
The month cools as it goes. At Harris Flat, highs average 74.1F over the first ten days and 66.3F over the last ten, and lows drop from 40.5F to 32.9F. Panguitch Lake falls from 72.1F to 65.6F by day. You also lose 70 minutes of daylight, from sunset at 8:01 pm on September 1 to 7:17 pm on September 30.
The first freeze of the fall arrives in September
At the stations near Duck Creek Village, the first night at or below 32F lands in September in most years, and the date depends on where you stand.
| First fall freeze | Record |
|---|---|
| Midway Valley, summit | Median September 15, September in 16 of 16 years |
| Harris Flat, meadow | Median September 17, by September 30 in 14 of 14 years |
| Panguitch Lake and Assay, slopes | Median October 1 to 2 |
| Coldest September night on record | 18.3F at Harris Flat, September 28, 2013 |
First night at or below 32F each fall at NRCS SNOTEL stations 626, 514 and 1148 and NCEI RAWS station Assay, 2011 to 2026. Chart by Duck Creek Village Inn from public data.
On the slopes the freeze is a coin toss for the month. Panguitch Lake froze in September in 5 of 12 years and Assay in 6 of 14. The Harris Flat meadow froze in August twice, on August 26, 2024 and August 7, 2020.
Summer can end in one push. Labor Day weekend 2020 reached 91F at Assay on September 6. A cold front followed, and by September 9 the afternoon high had fallen to 52F with a 26F night. Harris Flat went from 87.8F to a 48.2F afternoon over the same three days. A September trip can see both halves of that swing, so check the weather page the week you drive up.
Labor Day falls on September 6, 2027. Over the last 14 Labor Days, Harris Flat ranged from a 65F afternoon in 2023 to 87F in 2022.
Rain eases off and snow seldom sticks on the ground
| September rain and snow | Number |
|---|---|
| Precipitation rank | 8th or 9th of 12 months |
| Days with 0.1 in or more | 3.5 to 4.9 |
| Driest Septembers | 0.1 in at Harris Flat in 2018 and 2020 |
| Snow on the ground, village height | 0 days since 2011 |
| Snow on the ground, summit | 1 in, in 2013 and 2016 |
The National Weather Service defines the monsoon as June 15 through September 30, and on this plateau the storms fade as the month goes on. September ranks 8th of 12 months for precipitation at Harris Flat and 9th at Panguitch Lake and Midway Valley, well behind the August peak our August weather post covers. The NWS rule still applies on a stormy afternoon: when thunder roars, go indoors, and stay inside 30 minutes after the last rumble.
The snow sensors at Harris Flat and Panguitch Lake have not recorded snow on the ground on a single September day since 2011. Midway Valley logged one inch in 2013 and again in 2016. A flurry can still fall and melt before the sensor takes its reading, so pack a hat, but plan on dry trails.
The aspens were already turning gold by the middle of September in 2026. The hero photo above shows Duck Creek Pond on September 15, 2026, and our fall colors post tracks the peak by elevation. Point Supreme Campground at Cedar Breaks closes in mid September, according to the National Park Service, while the visitor center stays open into October.
The valley towns below run 5 to 30 degrees warmer by day
| September normal, 1991 to 2020 | High and low |
|---|---|
| Cedar City, 5,590 ft | 80.6F and 45.5F |
| Kanab, 4,900 ft | 84.8F and 52.0F |
| St. George, 2,857 ft | 92.4F and 60.7F |
| Las Vegas | 94.9F and 72.4F |
| Phoenix | 100.4F and 78.1F |
The Las Vegas September normal low of 72.4F sits above the average September afternoon at all three mountain stations near the village. Phoenix runs warmer still, with a 78.1F normal low. A drive up from either city trades a warm night for a sweater after sunset.
One valley runs the other way. Panguitch, at 6,615 feet on the Bryce road, averages a September low of 35.4F, 7.6 degrees colder than Panguitch Lake 1,700 feet higher. For your next mountain stay, our cabins and rooms sit at 8,464 feet on Highway 14.
Quick answers about September in Duck Creek Village
Does it snow in Duck Creek Village in September? Snow almost never sticks. The village-height snow sensors have not recorded snow on the ground on any September day since 2011, and the summit logged one inch in two Septembers.
When is the first frost in Duck Creek Village? The median first freeze falls on September 15 at the summit and September 17 in the meadows. On the slopes around the village it comes around October 1 or 2.
How cold does it get at night in September? Lows average 43 to 45F on the slopes and 36.5F in the meadows, and they drop about seven degrees from the start of the month to the end. The coldest September night on record at Harris Flat is 18.3F.
Is September a good time to visit Duck Creek Village? Afternoons in the high 60s and low 70s, less rain than August and the first gold aspens make it one of the best months of the year for hiking. Pack for a freezing night anyway.
What should I pack for Duck Creek in September? Shorts and a sun hat for the afternoon, a fleece or puffy jacket for after dark, and a rain shell for the odd thunderstorm. Our elk bugling post covers the other reason to bring warm layers for a dawn outing.
Hero photo: Duck Creek Pond, September 15, 2026, by Andrew Oakeson for Duck Creek Village Inn.
