Climate Comfort Score
87/100
Excellent
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 63°F annual avg 2 stations
Memphis, TN Climate
Average temperature, precipitation, and a comfort score, drawn from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 63°F
- Avg annual temp
- 87/100
- Comfort score
- 54.9"
- Annual precip
- 245d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 2 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee averages 63°F a year and scores 87/100 on the comfort index - excellent, milder than 89% of U.S. cities.
- 63°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 87/100
- comfort score, milder than 89% of U.S. cities
- 54.9"
- annual precipitation · 3" snow
- 245 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
63°F (17°C)
Avg High
73°F
Avg Low
54°F
Annual Precip
54.9"
Annual Snow
2.7"
Comfort Score
87/100
Excellent
Avg Annual Temperature
63°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
54.9"
Plus 2.7" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Memphis) 87.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Excellent for the Memphis area.
How Memphis compares to every U.S. city
Memphis's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
87 Top 11% higher than 89% 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 Memphis
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For Memphis, the NOAA 1991-2020 normal captures average conditions across that spread - notably, the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean itself.
- 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 | 51°F (11°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 4.1" | 0.9" | 14.9 | 0.0 |
| February | 56°F (13°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 4.5" | 1.0" | 10.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 64°F (18°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 5.7" | 0.5" | 3.5 | 0.0 |
| April | 73°F (23°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 5.9" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| May | 82°F (28°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 5.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.1 |
| June | 89°F (32°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 80°F (27°C) | 4.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 15.5 |
| July | 92°F (33°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 83°F (28°C) | 4.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 22.1 |
| August | 92°F (33°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 82°F (28°C) | 3.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 20.2 |
| September | 86°F (30°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 3.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 10.2 |
| October | 75°F (24°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 4.0" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 0.9 |
| November | 63°F (17°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 4.7" | 0.1" | 4.3 | 0.0 |
| December | 53°F (12°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 5.5" | 0.2" | 11.5 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 4.1"
Snow: 0.9"
10.0 days with precipitation
February 4.5"
Snow: 1.0"
9.9 days with precipitation
March 5.7"
Snow: 0.5"
11.5 days with precipitation
April 5.9"
9.6 days with precipitation
May 5.3"
10.6 days with precipitation
June 4.0"
8.9 days with precipitation
July 4.8"
9.5 days with precipitation
August 3.4"
7.6 days with precipitation
September 3.0"
7.1 days with precipitation
October 4.0"
7.5 days with precipitation
November 4.7"
Snow: 0.1"
9.0 days with precipitation
December 5.5"
Snow: 0.2"
10.2 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
November 16
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
March 16
50% probability date
Growing Season
245 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
2,875
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
2,314
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 | 63% | 8.8 | 24% | 40% |
| February | 61% | 9.5 | 23% | 41% |
| March | 60% | 9.5 | 21% | 35% |
| April | 64% | 8.9 | 21% | 32% |
| May | 68% | 7.6 | 14% | 27% |
| June | 67% | 7.1 | 17% | 16% |
| July | 67% | 6.5 | 20% | 17% |
| August | 66% | 6.9 | 28% | 15% |
| September | 62% | 7.2 | 38% | 17% |
| October | 66% | 7.4 | 31% | 30% |
| November | 66% | 8.3 | 26% | 37% |
| December | 69% | 8.7 | 22% | 43% |
What Memphis's climate means for you
Memphis runs 63°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 245 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near March 16 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 2,875 heating and 2,314 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: Memphis, TN
The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Memphis, Tennessee as a location with an annual average temperature of 63°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 73°F to a mean daily low of 54°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from 2 weather stations, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Memphis should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 54.9 inches, with 2.7 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 245 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near March 16 and the first fall freeze near November 16. And on the energy front, 2,875 heating degree days and 2,314 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Memphis scores 87/100 (Excellent), 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 Memphis, TN? ▼
The average annual temperature in Memphis, Tennessee is 63°F. The warmest month averages 92°F (33°C) and the coldest averages 33°F (1°C).
How much rain does Memphis get? ▼
Memphis receives 54.9 inches of precipitation annually, including 2.7 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Memphis? ▼
Memphis has a climate comfort score of 87/100 (Excellent), milder than 89% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Memphis? ▼
Memphis has approximately 245 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around March 16 and the first fall freeze around November 16.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Memphis? ▼
Memphis has 2,875 heating degree days and 2,314 cooling degree days annually, a fairly balanced heating/cooling split. 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 Memphis climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 2 weather stations near Memphis.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00013893. 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.