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Climate in Memphis, Tennessee: Monthly Weather Averages

By the AverageClimate Editorial Team · Last updated: October 2026

Memphis sits at 254 feet above sea level, and its climate, as recorded at the Memphis International Airport, TN station, runs to a yearly mean of 63.4°F. The warmest month is July, averaging 82.8°F with typical highs of 91.9°F; the coldest is January, averaging 42.1°F with lows around 33.3°F. Across a normal year the city receives 54.9 in of precipitation and 2.7 in of snow. The full month-by-month picture below comes from the official 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals — the 30-year averages the National Weather Service itself uses — so it describes the Memphis climate you should actually plan around, whether you are timing a visit, weighing a move, or just settling an argument about which month is best.

Memphis climate month by month

The table below is the complete 1991–2020 normals profile for Memphis: average high, average low and mean temperature, rainfall, and snowfall for every month. Read down the Mean column to feel the year's rhythm — Memphis's temperature range runs from 42.1°F in January to 82.8°F in July.

How to read the colors:below freezingcoldcoolmildwarmhot. Bands are colored by each cell's own temperature, so a whole year reads at a glance.

Memphis through the seasons

Winter in Memphis averages highs of 50.9–55.5°F and lows of 33.3–36.7°F, a seasonal mean of 44.3°F. The three months together bring 14.2 in of precipitation — about 26% of the city's yearly total — with December the wettest of the three at 5.49 in. Snowfall averages 2.1 in over the season, most of it in February (1.0 in). It is a genuinely cold season — heavy coats, freezing nights, and the year's most changeable weather — without being locked below freezing around the clock.

Spring in Memphis averages highs of 64.2–81.7°F and lows of 44.3–62.4°F, a seasonal mean of 63.2°F. The three months together bring 16.9 in of precipitation — about 31% of the city's yearly total — with April the wettest of the three at 5.87 in. Snowfall averages 0.5 in over the season, most of it in March (0.5 in). The season is a transition: the average temperature climbs 17.9°F from March to May, and by late spring Memphis is firmly into warm territory, with May rainfall of 5.27 in to plan around.

Summer in Memphis averages highs of 89.4–91.9°F and lows of 70.4–73.6°F, a seasonal mean of 81.6°F. The three months together bring 12.2 in of precipitation — about 22% of the city's yearly total — with July the wettest of the three at 4.82 in. Summers are hot in the classic sense — most afternoons reach the 90s, and shade, water, and air conditioning shape the daily routine.

Fall in Memphis averages highs of 62.6–86.0°F and lows of 42.9–65.9°F, a seasonal mean of 64.4°F. The three months together bring 11.7 in of precipitation — about 21% of the city's yearly total — with November the wettest of the three at 4.69 in. Snowfall averages 0.1 in over the season, most of it in November (0.1 in). Temperatures ease off through the season — the monthly mean drops 23.3°F from September to November — and fall is when Memphis's weather turns crisp and dry, while nights stay mostly frost-free into December.

Best and worst months to visit Memphis

Ranking every month by its normals — mild mean temperatures score best, heavy rain and snow count against — the most comfortable months to visit Memphis are:

MaySeptemberOctober

May leads the list: average highs of 81.7°F, lows of 62.4°F, and 5.27 in of rain, with snow a non-factor at 0.0 in. The other picks, September and October, offer the same balance in Memphis's shoulder seasons. At the other end, January is usually the month to avoid — the least comfortable mix of temperature and rainfall, with a mean temperature of 42.1°F and 4.14 in of precipitation.

How Memphis compares

Across the 114 cities in our dataset, the typical city averages 57.8°F for the year and 35.7 in of precipitation. Memphis runs 5.6°F warmer than that typical city and wetter by 19.3 in a year, ranking #35 of 114 for annual warmth and #11 of 114 for precipitation (wettest first). Its year-round temperature swing — warmest month minus coldest — is 40.7°F, which puts it in the moderate, clearly seasonal camp.

Planning notes for Memphis

For anyone relocating: average lows never drop below freezing in any month, so hard freezes are events, not seasons; 2 months average highs of 90°F or more, making air conditioning a core cost of summer life; 5 months of the year average between 55°F and 80°F, the band most people find comfortable without heating or cooling. Those four facts, all straight from the normals table above, shape everything from a Memphis wardrobe to its utility bills.

Memphis climate FAQ

Source: 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) — ncei.noaa.gov. Station: Memphis International Airport, TN (USW00013893), elevation 254 ft. Figures checked October 2026.