Clay has chilly winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 11 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Clay at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Clay’s climate
Read from where Clay sits among Ohio’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
What a year in Clay feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 192 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 18 and the first by October 29.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
11 inches of snow, 43 of rain and melt
July is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 132 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Living with Clay’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
192 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 18 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 29.
About 11" a winter over 4 days with an inch or more, most in January.
Months averaging under 55° run from November through March. Heating is 84% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 27 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 87°.
The nicest months are April, May, June, September and October.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Clay averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.0°).
A smaller shift than in 76% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
Clay and its neighbors
Harrison has the coldest January nights next door (24°) and Gallipolis Ferry the hottest July afternoons (86°). Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
How Clay compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Ohio.
Clay 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 | 42° | 24° | 3.1" | 4.1" | 12 | 25° – 42° |
| February | 46° | 26° | 3.1" | 2.7" | 11 | 23° – 43° |
| March | 56° | 33° | 4.1" | 2.6" | 12 | 39° – 55° |
| April | 68° | 42° | 3.6" | 0 | 12 | 49° – 60° |
| May | 76° | 52° | 4.5" | 0 | 13 | 58° – 71° |
| June | 84° | 60° | 4.1" | 0 | 12 | 68° – 76° |
| July | 87° | 65° | 4.8" | 0 | 11 | 71° – 80° |
| August | 86° | 64° | 3.4" | 0 | 9 | 71° – 79° |
| September | 80° | 56° | 3.6" | 0 | 8 | 65° – 74° |
| October | 69° | 45° | 2.9" | 0 | 9 | 53° – 62° |
| November | 56° | 34° | 2.8" | 0 | 10 | 39° – 50° |
| December | 46° | 29° | 3.6" | 1.3" | 13 | 27° – 47° |
| Year | 66° | 44° | 43.4" | 10.7" | 132 |
Heating and cooling a home in Clay
84% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 27° to 47°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Clay’s climate
What is the coldest month in Clay?
January, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Clay?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 65°. About 27 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Clay get?
About 11 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Clay?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 29, and the last spring frost by April 18.
What is the rainiest month in Clay?
July, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 43 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Clay.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Clay itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Winfield Locks, WV (20 mi, snow) and Hogsett Rc Byrd Dam, WV (2 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.