Louisville, KY Climate & Monthly Averages
Louisville has a humid subtropical climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 87° by day; January is the coldest at 43°.
Louisville's climate is a story of contrasts
Louisville runs one of the wider annual swings in our dataset: 24°C separates the average July from the average January. Afternoons reach 87°F (31°C) at the peak of summer and 43°F (6°C) at the depth of winter, with 129 days of measurable precipitation through the year.
July
87° by day 70° at nightJanuary
43° by day 28° at nightThe two ends of the year
Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 2 months, January through February. January is the coolest month, with highs of 43°F (6°C) and lows near 28°F (-2°C). At its warmest, in July, Louisville runs to 87°F (31°C) in the afternoon and back to 70°F (21°C) by dawn. The wettest month is April (5.5 inches (139 mm) across 12 days) and the driest November.
Sunshine averages 8.7 hours a day over the year, peaking in July at 11.7 hours. Snow falls on roughly 6 days a year, mostly December through March. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 99°F (37°C) and the lowest daily minimum -8°F (-22°C).
More climate facts for Louisville
- Hottest month: July - highs near 87°F (31°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 43°F (6°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 99°F (37°C) high · -8°F (-22°C) low
- Wettest month: April (12 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (11.7 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 24°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 10°C
- Snow: about 6 days a year
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 1
- Average humidity: 71%
Four distinct parts of the year in Louisville
Spring (March through May)
Through spring, Louisville is mild: 67°F (19°C) by day, 47°F (8°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 37 of the 90 days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer brings hot afternoons here - highs near 86°F (30°C), nights near 68°F (20°C), and rain falls on around 36 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 in Louisville settles into easy warmth, with daytime highs averaging 69°F (21°C) and nights around 51°F (11°C); expect showers on roughly 25 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter is chilly here - highs near 47°F (8°C), nights near 30°F (-1°C), and rain falls on around 32 of the 90 days, plus about 4 snowy days.
Louisville 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 Louisville
Best time to visit Louisville
The best time to visit Louisville is generally September to November and March, when warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 70°F (21°C), with rain on about 10 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in September.
What to pack
Pack for Louisville 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 | 43° | 28° | 11 | 3.9 in | 5.6 h/day | 9.8 h | 35% | 70% |
| February | 49° | 30° | 10 | 4.5 in | 6.7 h/day | 10.7 h | 36% | 68% |
| March | 58° | 38° | 12 | 4.8 in | 7.9 h/day | 11.8 h | 38% | 67% |
| April | 66° | 46° | 12 | 5.5 in | 9.1 h/day | 13.1 h | 41% | 68% |
| May | 76° | 58° | 12 | 4.1 in | 10.1 h/day | 14.2 h | 40% | 73% |
| June | 84° | 65° | 11 | 4.4 in | 11.6 h/day | 14.8 h | 36% | 72% |
| July | 87° | 70° | 14 | 5.1 in | 11.7 h/day | 14.6 h | 44% | 76% |
| August | 85° | 68° | 11 | 3.5 in | 11.2 h/day | 13.6 h | 36% | 75% |
| September | 82° | 63° | 7 | 3.5 in | 10.0 h/day | 12.4 h | 25% | 72% |
| October | 70° | 52° | 8 | 3.5 in | 8.4 h/day | 11.1 h | 27% | 71% |
| November | 56° | 39° | 9 | 3.4 in | 6.7 h/day | 10.0 h | 30% | 71% |
| December | 49° | 33° | 11 | 3.9 in | 5.5 h/day | 9.5 h | 35% | 74% |
Louisville from the coldest month to the hottest
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Louisville's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 5.6 h
- Daylight
- 9.8 h
- Snow
- 2 days
February
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
- Daylight
- 10.7 h
- Snow
- 2 days
March
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 7.9 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 1 day
April
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 9.1 h
- Daylight
- 13.1 h
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.1 h
- Daylight
- 14.2 h
June
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 14.8 h
July
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 14.6 h
August
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 13.6 h
September
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 10.0 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 8.4 h
- Daylight
- 11.1 h
November
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
- Daylight
- 10.0 h
December
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 5.5 h
- Daylight
- 9.5 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Louisville's coolest part of the year: January, February, December.
Where Louisville sits among other climates
- Louisville sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 58°F (14°C) as an annual average, 50.0 inches (1270 mm) of precipitation and 8.7 hours of sun a day.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.