Knoxville, Tennessee Weather
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias. Day 78 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Knoxville weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 5Overcast——87°60°—
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast——89°65°+2°
- SundayJun 7Drizzle—0.06″75°67°-14°
- MondayJun 8Showers44%0.11″74°66°-1°
- TuesdayJun 9Showers42%0.01″82°67°+8°
- WednesdayJun 10Light Drizzle33%—86°69°+4°
- ThursdayJun 11Drizzle21%—88°71°+2°
AQI 45 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI down 43 over the last 6 hours — air quality is improving sharply. PM2.5 at 6.7 µg/m³ (AQI 37) with a 0.92 fine-to-coarse ratio and 5 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 35. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~93%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.
- Present
- AQI 35
- UV peak
- 3.3 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- overcast
- Projected peak
- AQI 8
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 6.7 µg/m³ (AQI 37) with a 0.92 fine-to-coarse ratio and 5 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.92
- Wind
- light
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- stagnant smoke
Trends
Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.
Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.
- Moonrise
- 4:26 AM
- Moonset
- 2:51 PM
- In sign
- ♒︎ Aquarius
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias
Knoxville at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 16°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: March 23 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 5, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.
SPC Convective Outlook
Storm Prediction Center — Knoxville
SPC has placed Knoxville in the General Thunderstorms category for severe thunderstorms tomorrow.
- TODAYNONENo severe risk
- TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
- DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.
Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | — |
| May | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
July brings Knoxville's warmest temperatures (~77°F mean), while January delivers the coldest (~37°F). December sees peak rainfall at 5.9 inches, compared to October's low of 3.0 inches.
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 37° | 5.2″ | 9 |
| February | 41° | 5.1″ | 8 |
| March | 49° | 5.3″ | 9 |
| April | 57° | 5.3″ | 8 |
| May | 66° | 4.5″ | 8 |
| June | 74° | 4.0″ | 7 |
| July | 77° | 5.8″ | 9 |
| August | 76° | 3.4″ | 7 |
| September | 71° | 4.1″ | 6 |
| October | 59° | 3.0″ | 5 |
| November | 48° | 4.1″ | 7 |
| December | 40° | 5.9″ | 9 |
Regional context
As part of the humid subtropical climate region, Knoxville shares temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions with other nearby cities in this climate zone.
Similar climates: Nashville, TN, Memphis, TN, Chattanooga, TN, Clarksville, TN, Murfreesboro, TN.
Naturalist notes
Late April brings the emergence of mayapple colonies across Tennessee woodlands, their umbrella-shaped leaves unfurling in shaded forest floors.
Wood thrushes return to Knoxville's deciduous forests by early May, their flute-like songs echoing through the canopy during evening hours.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Knoxville?
- Spring's final frost in Knoxville usually occurs around mid-March, while the first fall frost appears around mid-December.
- What is the rainy season in Knoxville?
- December ranks as the wettest month, averaging about 5.9 inches of rain, while the city's annual total reaches roughly 56 inches.
- What is the warmest month in Knoxville?
- July typically brings the warmest weather, with temperatures averaging about 77°F.
- What is the coldest month in Knoxville?
- January delivers the coldest temperatures, averaging about 37°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Knoxville?
- Plant cool-season crops like peas and lettuce around the last spring frost in mid-March, but delay warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Knoxville get?
- Knoxville experiences about 90 rainy days per year on average.
- What hardiness zone is Knoxville?
- Check the USDA's online lookup tool using the city ZIP code to find Knoxville's current hardiness zone designation, which reflects the lowest average winter temperature.
Climate
Knoxville, Tennessee experiences a humid subtropical climate zone. Winter temperatures in January hover near 37°F, while July averages reach 77°F — creating a 40°F seasonal swing.
Annual precipitation in Knoxville totals about 56 inches, distributed across roughly 90 rainy days throughout the year.
Location at 36.0°N latitude, along with proximity to large water bodies and elevation, determines the rhythm of seasons here. These factors influence what grows in the region, when frost occurs, and daily weather patterns.