Van Lear, KY climate
Van Lear has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Van Lear feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Van Lear 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 | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 45° | 25° | 3.4" | 4.8" | 12 | 7 | 27° – 43° |
| February | 50° | 28° | 3.4" | 4.4" | 12 | 4 | 27° – 46° |
| March | 59° | 34° | 4.2" | 3.8" | 13 | 2 | 40° – 58° |
| April | 70° | 42° | 4.0" | 0.2" | 11 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| May | 78° | 51° | 4.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 58° – 71° |
| June | 84° | 60° | 4.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 68° – 75° |
| July | 87° | 64° | 5.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| August | 86° | 64° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| September | 81° | 56° | 3.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| October | 70° | 44° | 3.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| November | 59° | 34° | 3.0" | 0.8" | 9 | 1 | 40° – 51° |
| December | 48° | 28° | 4.1" | 3.4" | 12 | 4 | 27° – 49° |
| Year | 68° | 44° | 47.2" | 17.4" | 128 | 18 |
“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 Van Lear
Van Lear gets 47 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 128 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 18 days of the year.
About 188 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 19 and the first one by October 25. That leaves about 188 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 62% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Van Lear
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Van Lear, 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 Van Lear 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 Van Lear averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.8°). The shift is smaller than in 89% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Van Lear’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 49°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Van Lear’s climate
What is the coldest month in Van Lear?
January, with a typical high of 45° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Van Lear?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 64°. About 25 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Van Lear get?
About 17 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Van Lear?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 25, and the last spring frost by April 19.
What is the rainiest month in Van Lear?
July, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Van Lear itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Dunlow 1 Sw, WV (22 mi, snow) and Paintsville 1e, KY (4 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.