Morehead, KY climate
Morehead has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 7 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Morehead feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Morehead 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 | 43° | 24° | 3.5" | 2.8" | 11 | 25° – 43° |
| February | 47° | 27° | 3.4" | 2.2" | 9 | 24° – 44° |
| March | 57° | 33° | 4.5" | 0.8" | 11 | 39° – 57° |
| April | 69° | 42° | 4.5" | 0 | 10 | 49° – 59° |
| May | 76° | 51° | 5.2" | 0 | 11 | 57° – 70° |
| June | 84° | 59° | 4.7" | 0 | 10 | 68° – 76° |
| July | 87° | 64° | 5.5" | 0 | 10 | 71° – 80° |
| August | 86° | 62° | 3.8" | 0 | 8 | 70° – 79° |
| September | 80° | 55° | 3.8" | 0 | 7 | 64° – 73° |
| October | 69° | 44° | 3.3" | 0.1" | 7 | 53° – 62° |
| November | 57° | 33° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 39° – 50° |
| December | 47° | 28° | 4.1" | 0.6" | 10 | 27° – 48° |
| Year | 67° | 44° | 49.5" | 6.5" | 111 |
“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 Morehead
Morehead gets 50 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 111 days a year.
About 189 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 17 and the first one by October 25. That leaves about 189 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 63% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Morehead
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Morehead, 82% of that work is heating and 18% 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 Morehead 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 Morehead averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.0°). The shift is smaller than in 82% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Morehead’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 27° to 48°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Morehead’s climate
What is the coldest month in Morehead?
January, with a typical high of 43° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Morehead?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 64°. About 31 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Morehead get?
About 7 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Morehead?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 25, and the last spring frost by April 17.
What is the rainiest month in Morehead?
July, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 50 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Morehead itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Morehead State Police, KY (1 mi, snow) and Cave Run Lake, KY (7 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.