Kentucky climate

World Climates covers 4 places in Kentucky. By annual mean temperature, the warmest is Meads (13 °C56 °F) and the coolest is Lexington-Fayette (13 °C55 °F). The wettest is Louisville with 1,272 mm50 in of precipitation per year, the driest Meads with 1,093 mm43 in.

The most common climate types (Köppen classification computed from these averages) are hot-summer humid continental (Dfa, 3 places) and humid subtropical (Cfa, 1 place).

The highest monthly average high is in Meads (31 °C89 °F in August); the lowest monthly average low is in Lexington-Fayette (−5 °C24 °F in January).

Across the places in Kentucky, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are September and October (4 and 1 of 4 places respectively).

Temperature and rainfall across Kentucky

Annual mean temperatures in Kentucky range from 13 °C55 °F to 13 °C56 °F. The typical place (the median of all 4) has a year average of 13 °C55 °F. Annual precipitation ranges from 1,093 mm43 in to 1,272 mm50 in. The median place receives about 1,231 mm48 in in an average year.

In 4 places of 4, the coldest month has an average low below 0 °C (32 °F). In 2 places, the warmest month has an average high above 30 °C (86 °F). No place here gets less than 250 mm (10 in) of precipitation a year. None gets more than 2,000 mm (79 in) a year.

Averaged over all 4 places, July is the warmest month, with a mean of 25 °C77 °F. January is the coldest, with 0 °C32 °F. The wettest month on average is May (127 mm5.0 in). The driest is January (80 mm3.1 in). Single places can differ a lot from this average, so check the page of each city.

The table below lists the places sorted by population. The largest ones covered here are Louisville, Lexington and Lexington-Fayette. Each city page has a chart and a table for every month. It also shows the best time to visit and what to pack. The figures are 25-year averages for 2001–2025 from NASA POWER. They describe grid cells of roughly 50–70 km, not single weather stations.

Climate of each place in Kentucky

Louisville has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa). Its year average is 13 °C56 °F. The warmest month is July, with an average high of 30 °C86 °F. The coldest is January, with an average low of −5 °C24 °F. About 1,272 mm50 in of precipitation falls in a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are September.

Lexington has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa). Its year average is 13 °C55 °F. The warmest month is July, with an average high of 29 °C85 °F. The coldest is January, with an average low of −5 °C24 °F. About 1,231 mm48 in of precipitation falls in a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are September.

Lexington-Fayette has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa). Its year average is 13 °C55 °F. The warmest month is July, with an average high of 29 °C85 °F. The coldest is January, with an average low of −5 °C24 °F. About 1,231 mm48 in of precipitation falls in a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are September.

Meads has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Its year average is 13 °C56 °F. The warmest month is July, with an average high of 31 °C88 °F. The coldest is January, with an average low of −4 °C24 °F. About 1,093 mm43 in of precipitation falls in a year. July is the wettest month and November the driest. By our comfort score, the best months to visit are September and October.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the warmest place in Kentucky?

By annual mean temperature, the warmest place in Kentucky is Meads at 13 °C56 °F. The coolest is Lexington-Fayette at 13 °C55 °F.

Where does it rain the most in Kentucky?

Louisville gets the most precipitation, 1,272 mm50 in in an average year. The driest place is Meads with 1,093 mm43 in.

How many places in Kentucky does this site cover?

World Climates has climate data for 4 places in Kentucky. Each one has a page with monthly averages for temperature, rainfall, humidity and daylight.

When is the best time to visit Kentucky?

It depends on the place. Across Kentucky, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are September and October. Check the page of each city for its own best months.