Big Clifty, KY climate
Big Clifty has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 9 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Big Clifty feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Big Clifty weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 25° | 3.8" | 4.0" | 11 | 26° – 43° |
| February | 48° | 27° | 4.0" | 2.1" | 10 | 26° – 45° |
| March | 58° | 35° | 4.8" | 0.8" | 12 | 39° – 59° |
| April | 69° | 44° | 5.1" | 0.1" | 11 | 50° – 62° |
| May | 77° | 53° | 5.5" | 0 | 11 | 59° – 72° |
| June | 85° | 62° | 4.8" | 0 | 11 | 69° – 78° |
| July | 88° | 65° | 4.7" | 0 | 9 | 72° – 82° |
| August | 87° | 63° | 3.6" | 0 | 7 | 71° – 81° |
| September | 81° | 56° | 3.6" | 0 | 8 | 65° – 74° |
| October | 70° | 45° | 4.0" | 0 | 8 | 54° – 63° |
| November | 58° | 35° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 39° – 52° |
| December | 47° | 28° | 4.7" | 2.4" | 12 | 26° – 49° |
| Year | 68° | 45° | 52.4" | 9.4" | 117 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Big Clifty
Big Clifty gets 52 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 117 days a year.
About 178 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 21 and the first one by October 18. That leaves about 178 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 50% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Big Clifty
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Big Clifty, 81% of that work is heating and 19% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Big Clifty compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Big Clifty averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.9°). The shift is smaller than in 70% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Big Clifty’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 26° to 49°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Big Clifty’s climate
What is the coldest month in Big Clifty?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Big Clifty?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 65°. About 26 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Big Clifty get?
About 9 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Big Clifty?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 18, and the last spring frost by April 21.
What is the rainiest month in Big Clifty?
May, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 52 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Big Clifty itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Leitchfield 2 N, KY (8 mi, snow) and Millerstown 4e, KY (11 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.