Columbia, KY climate
Columbia has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 5 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Columbia feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Columbia 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 | 45° | 26° | 4.1" | 1.1" | 11 | 28° – 43° |
| February | 50° | 29° | 4.3" | 2.8" | 10 | 27° – 48° |
| March | 59° | 36° | 5.0" | 1.0" | 12 | 39° – 58° |
| April | 70° | 44° | 4.8" | 0 | 12 | 50° – 62° |
| May | 77° | 54° | 5.0" | 0 | 12 | 59° – 73° |
| June | 85° | 62° | 4.6" | 0 | 10 | 69° – 78° |
| July | 88° | 66° | 5.0" | 0 | 12 | 72° – 80° |
| August | 87° | 64° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 71° – 81° |
| September | 81° | 57° | 4.0" | 0 | 8 | 65° – 76° |
| October | 71° | 45° | 3.5" | 0 | 8 | 54° – 63° |
| November | 58° | 35° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 40° – 52° |
| December | 49° | 29° | 4.9" | 0 | 13 | 28° – 49° |
| Year | 68° | 45° | 52.1" | 4.9" | 124 |
“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 Columbia
Columbia gets 52 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 124 days a year.
About 192 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 15 and the first one by October 24. That leaves about 192 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 66% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Columbia
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Columbia, 76% of that work is heating and 24% is cooling.
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 Columbia 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 Columbia averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.2°). The shift is smaller than in 77% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Columbia’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 28° to 49°. July is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Columbia’s climate
What is the coldest month in Columbia?
January, with a typical high of 45° and a low of 26°.
What is the hottest month in Columbia?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 66°. About 41 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Columbia get?
About 5 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Columbia?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 15.
What is the rainiest month in Columbia?
July, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 52 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Columbia itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Jamestown WWTP, KY (15 mi, snow) and Greensburg, KY (15 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.