Climate Comfort Score
78/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 59°F annual avg 2 stations
Louisville, KY Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 59°F
- Avg annual temp
- 78/100
- Comfort score
- 48.3"
- Annual precip
- 221d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 2 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky averages 59°F a year and scores 78/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 74% of U.S. cities.
- 59°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 78/100
- comfort score, milder than 74% of U.S. cities
- 48.3"
- annual precipitation · 13" snow
- 221 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
59°F (15°C)
Avg High
68°F
Avg Low
50°F
Annual Precip
48.3"
Annual Snow
13.4"
Comfort Score
78/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
59°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
48.3"
Plus 13.4" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Louisville) 78.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Louisville area.
How Louisville compares to every U.S. city
Louisville's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
78 Top 26% higher than 74% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Louisville
MethodologyZooming out from Louisville's own normal, the chart below shows how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has tracked the global mean since 1900 - the most recent decade sits warmer than the 30-year mean shown here.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44°F (6°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 3.4" | 4.5" | 21.3 | 0.0 |
| February | 48°F (9°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 3.4" | 4.1" | 16.7 | 0.0 |
| March | 58°F (15°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 4.6" | 2.1" | 9.5 | 0.0 |
| April | 70°F (21°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 4.8" | 0.1" | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| May | 78°F (25°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 5.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| June | 86°F (30°C) | 67°F (20°C) | 76°F (25°C) | 4.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 8.6 |
| July | 89°F (32°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 80°F (27°C) | 4.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 14.3 |
| August | 88°F (31°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 79°F (26°C) | 3.7" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 12.6 |
| September | 82°F (28°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 3.7" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 5.5 |
| October | 71°F (21°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 3.7" | 0.1" | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| November | 58°F (14°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 3.4" | 0.3" | 8.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 47°F (8°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 4.1" | 2.2" | 16.8 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 3.4"
Snow: 4.5"
11.2 days with precipitation
February 3.4"
Snow: 4.1"
10.4 days with precipitation
March 4.6"
Snow: 2.1"
12.1 days with precipitation
April 4.8"
Snow: 0.1"
11.9 days with precipitation
May 5.2"
12.6 days with precipitation
June 4.3"
10.5 days with precipitation
July 4.0"
10.2 days with precipitation
August 3.7"
8.2 days with precipitation
September 3.7"
7.9 days with precipitation
October 3.7"
Snow: 0.1"
7.9 days with precipitation
November 3.4"
Snow: 0.3"
9.8 days with precipitation
December 4.1"
Snow: 2.2"
11.8 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
November 7
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
March 31
50% probability date
Growing Season
221 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
3,936
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,742
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 65% | 8.6 | 14% | 51% |
| February | 62% | 9.1 | 18% | 48% |
| March | 57% | 9.0 | 16% | 42% |
| April | 62% | 8.2 | 18% | 36% |
| May | 66% | 7.3 | 13% | 29% |
| June | 66% | 6.8 | 19% | 20% |
| July | 66% | 6.2 | 25% | 18% |
| August | 66% | 6.1 | 26% | 18% |
| September | 65% | 6.4 | 37% | 20% |
| October | 65% | 7.4 | 21% | 38% |
| November | 68% | 8.2 | 15% | 50% |
| December | 71% | 8.3 | 13% | 54% |
What Louisville's climate means for you
Louisville runs 59°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 221 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near March 31 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 3,936 heating and 1,742 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Louisville, KY
In Louisville, Kentucky, the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals put the annual average temperature at 59°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 68°F to a mean daily low of 50°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. As thirty-year averages computed from 2 weather stations, these numbers smooth out year-to-year noise into a working baseline for a typical month.
Beyond temperature, Louisville averages 48.3 inches of precipitation annually, with 13.4 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 221 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near March 31 and the first fall freeze near November 7. Turning to energy use, 3,936 heating degree days and 1,742 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Louisville scores 78/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows in the monthly tables above, summer brings July-driven heat, and winter brings January-driven cold - use that rhythm for planning. These figures are thirty-year averages rather than forecasts, so a specific year may still run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than what's shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Louisville, KY? ▼
The average annual temperature in Louisville, Kentucky is 59°F. The warmest month averages 89°F (32°C) and the coldest averages 28°F (-2°C).
How much rain does Louisville get? ▼
Louisville receives 48.3 inches of precipitation annually, including 13.4 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Louisville? ▼
Louisville has a climate comfort score of 78/100 (Good), milder than 74% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Louisville? ▼
Louisville has approximately 221 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around March 31 and the first fall freeze around November 7.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Louisville? ▼
Louisville has 3,936 heating degree days and 1,742 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Louisville climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 2 weather stations near Louisville.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00093821. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.