Clay has chilly winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 18 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.
18 inches of snow, 46 of rain and melt
May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 141 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 178 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first by October 20.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
What a year in Clay feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Living with Clay’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
178 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 24 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 20.
About 18" a winter over 7 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 21 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from November through April. Heating is 87% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 10 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 85°.
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 →Clay and its neighbors
Hamer has the coldest January nights next door (22°) and Green the hottest July afternoons (85°). 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.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Clay averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°).
A bigger shift than in 57% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
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 | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39° | 22° | 3.3" | 6.9" | 13 | 9 | 22° – 41° |
| February | 43° | 24° | 3.1" | 5.0" | 12 | 6 | 22° – 43° |
| March | 53° | 32° | 4.2" | 3.4" | 13 | 3 | 36° – 54° |
| April | 65° | 41° | 4.4" | 0.2" | 13 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| May | 75° | 51° | 4.9" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 56° – 70° |
| June | 82° | 59° | 4.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| July | 85° | 63° | 4.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| August | 84° | 62° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| September | 79° | 54° | 3.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| October | 67° | 43° | 3.2" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| November | 54° | 33° | 3.2" | 0.2" | 11 | 1 | 37° – 49° |
| December | 44° | 27° | 3.6" | 2.2" | 13 | 3 | 23° – 46° |
| Year | 64° | 43° | 45.7" | 18.1" | 141 | 21 |
Heating and cooling a home in Clay
87% 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 23° to 46°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Clay’s climate
What is the coldest month in Clay?
January, with a typical high of 39° and a low of 22°.
What is the hottest month in Clay?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 63°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Clay get?
About 18 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 20, and the last spring frost by April 24.
What is the rainiest month in Clay?
May, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 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 Hillsboro, OH (16 mi) away. 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.