Knoxville, TN Climate & Monthly Averages
Knoxville has a humid subtropical climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 88° by day; January is the coldest at 47°.
Knoxville's climate is a story of contrasts
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).
July
88° by day 70° at nightJanuary
47° by day 31° at nightThe two ends of 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.
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.
More climate facts for Knoxville
- 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%
Four distinct parts of the year 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.
Knoxville 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 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.
What to pack
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.
Monthly highs, lows and seasonal change
| 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 from the coldest month to the hottest
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Knoxville's coldest night and 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
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Knoxville's coolest part of the year: January, December, February.
Where Knoxville sits among other climates
- 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.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.