Lexington, Kentucky Weather
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias. Day 78 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Lexington weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 5Overcast——85°61°—
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast——87°66°+2°
- SundayJun 7Drizzle31%0.16″70°65°-17°
- MondayJun 8Showers32%0.41″74°63°+4°
- TuesdayJun 9Showers47%0.01″81°67°+7°
- WednesdayJun 10Light Drizzle44%—84°70°+3°
- ThursdayJun 11Drizzle25%—85°69°+1°
AQI 34 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI down 18 over the last 6 hours — air quality is improving sharply. PM2.5 at 5.9 µg/m³ (AQI 33) with a 0.91 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 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
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 5.9 µg/m³ (AQI 33) with a 0.91 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.91
- 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
- 4:33 AM
- Moonset
- 2:49 PM
- In sign
- ♒︎ Aquarius
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias
Lexington at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 12°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: April 4 (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 — Lexington
SPC has placed Lexington 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 | — | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| May | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | — | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
July brings Lexington's warmest temperatures (~77°F mean) while January delivers the coldest (~34°F). Rainfall reaches its peak in May (5.4 inches) and drops to its lowest point in November (3.4 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34° | 3.4″ | 7 |
| February | 38° | 3.6″ | 7 |
| March | 46° | 4.5″ | 8 |
| April | 56° | 4.4″ | 8 |
| May | 65° | 5.4″ | 9 |
| June | 73° | 5.0″ | 8 |
| July | 77° | 5.1″ | 8 |
| August | 76° | 3.7″ | 7 |
| September | 69° | 3.4″ | 5 |
| October | 58° | 3.7″ | 6 |
| November | 46° | 3.4″ | 6 |
| December | 38° | 4.2″ | 8 |
Regional context
Lexington belongs to a humid subtropical climate region that extends across nearby cities. This climate zone creates similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions throughout the area.
Similar climates: Louisville, KY, Bowling Green, KY, Elizabethtown, KY, Owensboro, KY, Covington, KY.
Naturalist notes
Late April brings the distinctive calls of wood thrushes returning to Lexington's woodlands as trees leaf out.
Redbud trees bloom in early April, their purple-pink flowers appearing before the leaves unfold.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Lexington?
- Lexington's last spring frost typically falls around mid-April, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-November.
- What is the rainy season in Lexington?
- May receives the most rainfall with about 5.4 inches on average; the city gets roughly 50 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Lexington?
- July records the warmest temperatures, averaging about 77°F.
- What is the coldest month in Lexington?
- January brings the coldest weather, averaging about 34°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Lexington?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be planted around the last spring frost (mid-April); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) should wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Lexington get?
- Lexington experiences about 84 rainy days per year on average.
- What hardiness zone is Lexington?
- Lexington's USDA hardiness zone depends on its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
Lexington, Kentucky experiences a humid subtropical climate zone. January temperatures hover near 34°F while July averages 77°F — a 43°F seasonal swing.
Throughout the year, Lexington receives about 50 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 84 rainy days.
Seasonal patterns emerge from the city's latitude (38.0°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation. These factors determine what grows here, when frost arrives, and the daily weather patterns.