Knoxville, TN Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Knoxville
A 22°C spread between its warmest and coolest months puts Knoxville among the more strongly seasonal places we cover. July averages 88°F (31°C) by day; January averages 47°F (9°C), with nights at 31°F (0°C).
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 88°F (31°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 47°F (9°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 100°F (38°C) high · -1°F (-18°C) low
- Wettest month: February (12 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (11.9 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 22°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 10°C
- Snow: about 4 days a year
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 2
- Average humidity: 72%
Temperatures through the year
January is the coolest month, with highs of 47°F (9°C) and lows near 31°F (0°C). At its warmest, in July, Knoxville runs to 88°F (31°C) in the afternoon and back to 70°F (21°C) by dawn. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 100°F (38°C) and bottoms at -1°F (-18°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records. June is the brightest month at 11.9 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 9.0.
Rain, sun and snow
Average lows drop to freezing in one month of the year, January. Days and nights are about 10°C apart on average - wider than roughly 76% of the cities we track. Precipitation concentrates in February - 6.0 inches (152 mm) on 12 days - and thins out by October. Snow falls on roughly 4 days a year, mostly December through February.
How Knoxville compares
- Knoxville sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 60°F (15°C) as an annual average, 50.3 inches (1279 mm) of precipitation and 9.0 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 | 47° | 31° | 12 | 4.4 in | 6.2 h/day | 10.0 h | 38% | 73% |
| February | 54° | 35° | 12 | 6.0 in | 6.4 h/day | 10.8 h | 44% | 73% |
| March | 61° | 41° | 12 | 5.1 in | 8.1 h/day | 11.9 h | 39% | 70% |
| April | 69° | 48° | 11 | 4.4 in | 9.8 h/day | 13.1 h | 36% | 69% |
| May | 78° | 58° | 12 | 3.8 in | 10.8 h/day | 14.1 h | 40% | 72% |
| June | 85° | 66° | 12 | 3.3 in | 11.9 h/day | 14.6 h | 40% | 69% |
| July | 88° | 70° | 15 | 4.0 in | 11.7 h/day | 14.4 h | 47% | 73% |
| August | 86° | 69° | 13 | 4.3 in | 11.1 h/day | 13.5 h | 42% | 74% |
| September | 83° | 64° | 9 | 3.4 in | 10.1 h/day | 12.4 h | 29% | 70% |
| October | 72° | 53° | 7 | 3.2 in | 9.0 h/day | 11.2 h | 24% | 71% |
| November | 60° | 41° | 8 | 3.5 in | 7.5 h/day | 10.2 h | 28% | 72% |
| December | 53° | 36° | 11 | 5.1 in | 5.8 h/day | 9.7 h | 35% | 77% |
Knoxville month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Knoxville's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 6.2 h
- Daylight
- 10.0 h
- Snow
- 2 days
February
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 6.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.8 h
- Snow
- 1 day
March
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 8.1 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
April
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 13.1 h
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 14.1 h
June
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.9 h
- Daylight
- 14.6 h
July
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 14.4 h
August
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 11.1 h
- Daylight
- 13.5 h
September
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 10.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 9.0 h
- Daylight
- 11.2 h
November
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 7.5 h
- Daylight
- 10.2 h
December
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 5.8 h
- Daylight
- 9.7 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Knoxville
Spring (March through May)
Through spring, Knoxville settles into easy warmth: 69°F (21°C) by day, 49°F (9°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 35 of the 90 days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Knoxville is hot, with daytime highs averaging 87°F (30°C) and nights around 68°F (20°C); rain falls on around 40 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.6 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)
Through fall, Knoxville brings comfortable warmth: 72°F (22°C) by day, 53°F (11°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 24 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Through winter, Knoxville is brisk and cold: 51°F (11°C) by day, 34°F (1°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 35 of the 90 days, plus about 4 snowy days.
Climate questions, answered
How cold does Knoxville get in winter?
How many hot months does Knoxville have?
How much do temperatures drop at night in Knoxville?
How warm is Knoxville on average?
Does it freeze in Knoxville?
Best time to visit Knoxville
Aim for September to November and April if you get the choice: warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up, and highs average 71°F (22°C) against roughly 9 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in September.
Pack for Knoxville with light clothing for the warm months, a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and a compact umbrella or rain shell. July nights average 70°F (21°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Knoxville 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.