Memphis, TN Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Memphis
Seasons are the whole story in Memphis. The gap between an average July and an average January is 23°C - hot, humid summers and generally mild winters - which in practice means 90°F (32°C) afternoons at one end of the calendar and 50°F (10°C) at the other.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 90°F (32°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 50°F (10°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 101°F (38°C) high · -6°F (-21°C) low
- Wettest month: March (14 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (12.3 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 2 days a year
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 3
- Average humidity: 71%
Temperatures through the year
At its warmest, in July, Memphis runs to 90°F (32°C) in the afternoon and back to 74°F (24°C) by dawn. January bottoms out at 50°F (10°C) in daylight, 34°F (1°C) after dark. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 101°F (38°C) and the lowest daily minimum -6°F (-21°C). Snowfall is rare but not unheard of.
Rain, sun and snow
Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 3 months of the year, June through August being the unbroken run. March is the wettest month at 6.7 inches (169 mm) over 14 days; September is the driest. Sunshine averages 9.0 hours a day over the year, peaking in July at 12.3 hours.
How Memphis compares
- Memphis sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 63°F (17°C) as an annual average, 55.0 inches (1396 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 | 50° | 34° | 10 | 4.7 in | 6.4 h/day | 10.0 h | 32% | 71% |
| February | 55° | 37° | 11 | 6.2 in | 6.6 h/day | 10.9 h | 39% | 71% |
| March | 64° | 45° | 14 | 6.7 in | 7.7 h/day | 11.9 h | 44% | 70% |
| April | 71° | 52° | 11 | 5.5 in | 9.0 h/day | 13.0 h | 37% | 69% |
| May | 80° | 62° | 12 | 4.6 in | 10.9 h/day | 14.0 h | 40% | 72% |
| June | 87° | 70° | 10 | 3.7 in | 12.0 h/day | 14.5 h | 32% | 71% |
| July | 90° | 74° | 12 | 4.0 in | 12.3 h/day | 14.3 h | 39% | 73% |
| August | 88° | 72° | 12 | 3.8 in | 10.7 h/day | 13.5 h | 37% | 74% |
| September | 85° | 67° | 7 | 2.7 in | 10.4 h/day | 12.3 h | 23% | 69% |
| October | 74° | 56° | 7 | 3.2 in | 8.8 h/day | 11.2 h | 22% | 67% |
| November | 62° | 45° | 8 | 4.3 in | 7.4 h/day | 10.3 h | 28% | 71% |
| December | 55° | 39° | 11 | 5.8 in | 6.2 h/day | 9.8 h | 35% | 74% |
Memphis month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Memphis's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.0 h
February
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 6.6 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
March
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 7.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
April
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 9.0 h
- Daylight
- 13.0 h
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.9 h
- Daylight
- 14.0 h
June
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 12.0 h
- Daylight
- 14.5 h
July
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 12.3 h
- Daylight
- 14.3 h
August
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 13.5 h
September
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 10.4 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
October
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 8.8 h
- Daylight
- 11.2 h
November
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 7.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.3 h
December
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 6.2 h
- Daylight
- 9.8 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Memphis
Spring (March through May)
Spring brings comfortable warmth here - highs near 71°F (22°C), nights near 53°F (12°C), and rain falls on around 37 of the 90 days.
Summer (June through August)
Through summer, Memphis is hot: 89°F (31°C) by day, 72°F (22°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 33 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.7 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 is mild and warm here - highs near 74°F (23°C), nights near 56°F (13°C), and expect showers on roughly 22 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter is brisk and cold here - highs near 53°F (12°C), nights near 37°F (3°C), and rain falls on around 32 of the 90 days.
Climate questions, answered
How cold does Memphis get in winter?
Is Memphis humid?
How sunny is Memphis?
How hot does Memphis get in summer?
Best time to visit Memphis
Aim for September to December and February if you get the choice: warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up, and highs average 67°F (19°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 Memphis with lightweight, breathable clothing and serious sun protection, a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Even in July, lows of 74°F (24°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Memphis 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.