Dayton, OH Climate & Monthly Averages
Dayton has a humid subtropical climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 84° by day; January is the coldest at 38°.
Dayton's climate is a story of contrasts
Seasons are the whole story in Dayton. The gap between an average July and an average January is 25°C - hot, humid summers and generally mild winters - which in practice means 84°F (29°C) afternoons at one end of the calendar and 38°F (3°C) at the other.
July
84° by day 67° at nightJanuary
38° by day 24° at nightThe two ends of the year
Sunshine averages 8.5 hours a day over the year, peaking in July at 11.8 hours. January sits at the other end of the year: 38°F (3°C) by day, 24°F (-5°C) at night. July is the warm end of the year, averaging 84°F (29°C) by day and 67°F (20°C) overnight. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 95°F (35°C) and bottoms at -17°F (-27°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
May is the wettest month at 4.6 inches (117 mm) over 14 days; September is the driest.
Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 3 months, December through February.
More climate facts for Dayton
- Hottest month: July - highs near 84°F (29°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 38°F (3°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 95°F (35°C) high · -17°F (-27°C) low
- Wettest month: May (14 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (11.8 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 25°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 10°C
- Snow: about 12 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 3
- Average humidity: 71%
Four distinct parts of the year in Dayton
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Dayton is crisp but comfortable, with daytime highs averaging 62°F (17°C) and nights around 44°F (6°C); rain falls on around 38 of the 90 days, plus about 2 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer brings hot afternoons here - highs near 82°F (28°C), nights near 65°F (18°C), and rain falls on around 37 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.5 hours of sun a day. With the moisture factored in, afternoons feel hotter than the reading suggests - the humidity and dew point converter shows why.
Fall (September through November)
Fall is crisp but comfortable here - highs near 66°F (19°C), nights near 49°F (9°C), and expect showers on roughly 25 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Dayton is chilly, with daytime highs averaging 42°F (5°C) and nights around 26°F (-3°C); rain falls on around 31 of the 90 days, plus about 8 snowy days.
Dayton temperature extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
Choosing a season in Dayton
Best time to visit Dayton
Aim for August to October and April if you get the choice: warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up, and highs average 72°F (22°C) against roughly 10 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in August.
What to pack
Pack for Dayton with light clothing for the warm months, a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Note the gap between afternoon and night: July pairs 84°F (29°C) with 67°F (20°C).
Monthly highs, lows and seasonal change
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38° | 24° | 10 | 3.5 in | 5.2 h/day | 9.6 h | 34% | 72% |
| February | 43° | 26° | 10 | 3.6 in | 6.5 h/day | 10.6 h | 35% | 70% |
| March | 52° | 34° | 12 | 4.6 in | 7.4 h/day | 11.8 h | 40% | 67% |
| April | 62° | 43° | 12 | 4.2 in | 8.8 h/day | 13.2 h | 40% | 67% |
| May | 73° | 54° | 14 | 4.6 in | 10.1 h/day | 14.4 h | 45% | 71% |
| June | 81° | 63° | 12 | 4.4 in | 11.6 h/day | 15.0 h | 41% | 69% |
| July | 84° | 67° | 13 | 4.2 in | 11.8 h/day | 14.7 h | 42% | 73% |
| August | 82° | 65° | 11 | 3.5 in | 11.2 h/day | 13.7 h | 36% | 73% |
| September | 78° | 60° | 8 | 2.9 in | 9.9 h/day | 12.4 h | 27% | 70% |
| October | 66° | 49° | 9 | 2.9 in | 8.2 h/day | 11.1 h | 30% | 70% |
| November | 52° | 37° | 8 | 2.9 in | 6.4 h/day | 9.9 h | 27% | 71% |
| December | 44° | 30° | 11 | 3.3 in | 4.9 h/day | 9.4 h | 35% | 75% |
Dayton from the coldest month to the hottest
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Dayton's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 5.2 h
- Daylight
- 9.6 h
- Snow
- 4 days
February
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.5 h
- Daylight
- 10.6 h
- Snow
- 3 days
March
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 7.4 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 2 days
April
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 8.8 h
- Daylight
- 13.2 h
May
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 10.1 h
- Daylight
- 14.4 h
June
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 15.0 h
July
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 11.8 h
- Daylight
- 14.7 h
August
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 13.7 h
September
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 9.9 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 8.2 h
- Daylight
- 11.1 h
November
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 6.4 h
- Daylight
- 9.9 h
December
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 4.9 h
- Daylight
- 9.4 h
- Snow
- 1 day
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Dayton's coolest part of the year: January, February, December.
Where Dayton sits among other climates
- Dayton sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 54°F (12°C) as an annual average, 44.6 inches (1134 mm) of precipitation and 8.5 hours of sun a day.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.