Lexington, KY Climate & Monthly Averages
Lexington has a humid subtropical climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 86° by day; January is the coldest at 42°.
Lexington's climate is a story of contrasts
A 23°C spread between its warmest and coolest months puts Lexington among the more strongly seasonal places we cover. July averages 86°F (30°C) by day; January averages 42°F (6°C), with nights at 27°F (-3°C).
July
86° by day 68° at nightJanuary
42° by day 27° at nightThe two ends of the year
Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 2 months, January through February. July is the warm end of the year, averaging 86°F (30°C) by day and 68°F (20°C) overnight. January bottoms out at 42°F (6°C) in daylight, 27°F (-3°C) after dark. June is the brightest month at 11.6 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 8.7.
Snow falls on roughly 7 days a year, mostly November through March. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 97°F (36°C) and the lowest daily minimum -20°F (-29°C).
More climate facts for Lexington
- Hottest month: July - highs near 86°F (30°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 42°F (6°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 97°F (36°C) high · -20°F (-29°C) low
- Wettest month: February (12 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (11.6 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 23°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 10°C
- Snow: about 7 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 2
- Average humidity: 72%
Four distinct parts of the year in Lexington
Spring (March through May)
Through spring, Lexington stays on the cool side of mild: 65°F (18°C) by day, 46°F (8°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 39 of the 90 days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Lexington sits firmly in the heat, with daytime highs averaging 84°F (29°C) and nights around 66°F (19°C); rain falls on around 39 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.4 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, Lexington stays on the cool side of mild: 68°F (20°C) by day, 50°F (10°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 26 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter stays firmly cold here - highs near 46°F (8°C), nights near 30°F (-1°C), and rain falls on around 34 of the 90 days, plus about 5 snowy days.
Lexington 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 Lexington
Best time to visit Lexington
The best time to visit Lexington is generally April to June and August to October, when warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 76°F (24°C), with rain on about 11 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in April.
What to pack
Pack for Lexington with light clothing for the warm months, a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Even in July, lows of 68°F (20°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Monthly highs, lows and seasonal change
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42° | 27° | 12 | 4.0 in | 5.5 h/day | 9.8 h | 39% | 72% |
| February | 48° | 30° | 12 | 5.2 in | 6.5 h/day | 10.7 h | 41% | 69% |
| March | 56° | 37° | 12 | 4.7 in | 7.8 h/day | 11.8 h | 40% | 68% |
| April | 65° | 45° | 13 | 4.8 in | 9.1 h/day | 13.1 h | 42% | 69% |
| May | 75° | 56° | 14 | 4.3 in | 10.3 h/day | 14.2 h | 44% | 73% |
| June | 83° | 64° | 12 | 4.8 in | 11.6 h/day | 14.8 h | 41% | 71% |
| July | 86° | 68° | 14 | 5.0 in | 11.5 h/day | 14.5 h | 45% | 76% |
| August | 84° | 66° | 12 | 3.8 in | 11.0 h/day | 13.6 h | 39% | 75% |
| September | 80° | 62° | 8 | 3.6 in | 9.8 h/day | 12.4 h | 28% | 72% |
| October | 69° | 50° | 10 | 3.2 in | 8.6 h/day | 11.1 h | 31% | 71% |
| November | 55° | 39° | 9 | 3.5 in | 6.7 h/day | 10.1 h | 29% | 71% |
| December | 48° | 33° | 11 | 4.4 in | 5.5 h/day | 9.5 h | 35% | 74% |
Lexington from the coldest month to the hottest
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Lexington's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 5.5 h
- Daylight
- 9.8 h
- Snow
- 3 days
February
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 6.5 h
- Daylight
- 10.7 h
- Snow
- 2 days
March
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 7.8 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 1 day
April
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 9.1 h
- Daylight
- 13.1 h
May
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 10.3 h
- Daylight
- 14.2 h
June
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 14.8 h
July
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 11.5 h
- Daylight
- 14.5 h
August
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.0 h
- Daylight
- 13.6 h
September
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 8.6 h
- Daylight
- 11.1 h
November
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
- Daylight
- 10.1 h
December
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 5.5 h
- Daylight
- 9.5 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Lexington's coolest part of the year: January, December, February.
Where Lexington sits among other climates
- 29% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than all but 9% of the 3496 cities we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.