Lexington, KY Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Lexington
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).
Climate quick facts
- 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%
Temperatures through 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.
Rain, sun and snow
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).
How Lexington compares
- 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.
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 | 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 month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Lexington's year (left is the coldest night, right is the 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
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons 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.
Climate questions, answered
How sunny is Lexington?
Is Lexington humid?
How often does it rain in Lexington?
Is Lexington hot in summer?
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.
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.
Lexington 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.