Kentucky annual temperatures and extremes

Hottest temperature ever recorded: 114 F, Greensburg, central Kentucky, 7/28/1930

Coldest temperature ever recorded: -37 F, Shelbyville, northern Kentucky, 1/19/1994

Hottest location ranked by highest average annual temperature: Franklin,, southern Kentucky, 59.9 F

Coldest location ranked by lowest average annual temperature: Falmouth, northern Kentucky 53.3 F

January 1963 produced record breaking cold in Kentucky as an Arctic air mass settled over the entire
state. Local blizzard conditions on January 23 brought four to six inches of snow. Louisville and Lexington
broke their record low temperature that had stood for ninety years with -20°F and -21°F respectively. That 
morning's low was -34°F at Bonnieville in Hart County, breaking the old Kentucky record of -33°F.

The summer of 1936 turned out to be the hottest summer ever recorded at Louisville, Lexington, and Bowling
Green. Every day from July 8 through 15, all major reporting stations in Kentucky reported 100 degree
temperatures. At night temperatures dropped only into the upper 70s and lower 80s.

Mean annual temperatures in Kentucky range from 53 degrees Fahrenheit (° F) in the northeast to 59 F in the southwest, but there is significant seasonal variation in temperature. Summer days are typically sunny, warm and humid. Most areas of the State receive more than 60 percent of available sunshine during summer. The average daily high temperature for July increases from about 86 in the east to 90° F in the west. High temperatures exceed 90° F an average of 20 days per year in the north and east and 40 or more days in the south and west. Temperatures in Kentucky occasionally exceed 100° F. The passage of frontal systems is less frequent during summer, so weather patterns are typically more persistent. But when they do arrive, cold fronts bring pleasant conditions that may persist for a few days.

Winters are rarely harsh. In January, average daily high temperatures increase from 38 F in the north to 44° F in the south. Cloudy skies are more frequent in winter, as most areas receive near 40 percent of available sunshine. Polar air masses occasionally affect Kentucky for short periods. Temperatures dip below 0° F an average of about five days in the north and two days in the south. Spring and fall are generally pleasant seasons, though temperatures can change dramatically with the passage of frontal systems. The diurnal temperature range is about 20° F during the summer and winter but increases to near 25° F during the spring and fall, when warm days and cool nights are prevalent.

City	Avg High Temp	Avg Low Temp	Avg Annual Temp	Avg # days > 90F	Avg # days < 32F	Record High Temp	Record Low Temp
Jackson	65.9	47.1	56.5	14	79	101 / 1988	-18 / 1985
Lexington	64.9	45.4	55.2	22	95	103 / 1952	-21 / 1963
Louisville	66.6	47.0	56.8	36	86	105 / 1954	-22 / 1994
Paducah	67.8	47.2	57.5	44	88	106 / 1952	-15 / 1985
Kentucky annual average temperature - 55.59 degrees, 15th warmest state in the U.S. Record Hottest year in Kentucky - 1921 / Avg temperature 59.14 degrees Record Coldest year in Kentucky - 1917 / Avg temperature 52.55 degrees Kentucky average Summer temperature (June, July, August) 74.5 F degrees, 15th warmest U.S. summer state Kentucky average Winter temperature (December, January, February) 35.9 F degrees, 33rd coldest U.S. winter state