Ohio, OH climate
Ohio has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 23 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Ohio feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Ohio 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 | 40° | 23° | 3.3" | 7.7" | 13 | 8 | 23° – 41° |
| February | 44° | 26° | 3.2" | 6.7" | 12 | 6 | 22° – 44° |
| March | 54° | 33° | 4.1" | 3.4" | 13 | 2 | 37° – 56° |
| April | 66° | 42° | 4.4" | 0.4" | 13 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| May | 75° | 52° | 4.9" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 57° – 71° |
| June | 83° | 61° | 4.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| July | 86° | 64° | 4.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 70° – 80° |
| August | 85° | 63° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 70° – 80° |
| September | 79° | 56° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| October | 67° | 45° | 3.1" | 0.2" | 9 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| November | 54° | 35° | 3.0" | 0.8" | 10 | 1 | 38° – 50° |
| December | 44° | 28° | 3.6" | 4.1" | 12 | 4 | 24° – 46° |
| Year | 65° | 44° | 45.7" | 23.3" | 136 | 22 |
“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 Ohio
Ohio gets 46 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 136 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 22 days of the year.
About 190 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 16 and the first one by October 25. That leaves about 190 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 64% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Ohio
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Ohio, 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.
Ohio and its neighbors
Ohio borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.4°. Monroe has the coldest January nights (23°) and New Richmond the hottest July afternoons (87°). Ohio’s January low is 23° and its July high 86°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Ohio 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 Ohio averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°). The shift is smaller than in 52% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Ohio’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 24° to 46°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Ohio’s climate
What is the coldest month in Ohio?
January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 23°.
What is the hottest month in Ohio?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 64°. About 27 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Ohio get?
About 23 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Ohio?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 25, and the last spring frost by April 16.
What is the rainiest month in Ohio?
May, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Ohio itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, KY (24 mi, snow) and Cincinnati Lunken Airport, OH (13 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.