Dayton, OH Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Dayton
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.
Climate quick facts
- 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%
Temperatures through 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.
Rain, sun and snow
Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 3 months, December through February.
How Dayton compares
- 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.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| 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 month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Dayton's year (left is the coldest night, right is the 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
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons 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.
Climate questions, answered
Is Dayton hot in summer?
Is Dayton humid?
When does Dayton drop below freezing?
How cold does Dayton get in winter?
How much sun does Dayton get?
What should I wear 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.
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).
Dayton temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.