Dayton, Ohio Weather
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias. Day 76 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Dayton weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Clear——81°51°—
- ThursdayJun 4Overcast——85°56°+4°
- FridayJun 5Overcast——79°60°-6°
- SaturdayJun 6Light Showers66%—79°63°0°
- SundayJun 7Heavy Drizzle66%—81°66°+2°
- MondayJun 8Light Drizzle11%—83°63°+2°
- TuesdayJun 9Light Drizzle12%—80°69°-3°
Ozone at AQI 88 — peak already passed at 1 PM under clear skies. AQI up 12 over the last 6 hours (gradual rise). Levels should ease through evening.
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 88 — peak already passed at 1 PM under clear skies. Levels should ease through evening.
- Present
- AQI 88
- UV peak
- 6.8 at earlier today
- Sky at peak
- clear
- Projected peak
- AQI 88
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 7.0 µg/m³ (AQI 39) with a 0.86 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.86
- 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
- 3:27 AM
- Moonset
- 12:35 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias
Dayton at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 5°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: April 15 (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 3, 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.
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 Dayton's warmest temperatures (~76°F mean) while January delivers the coldest (~28°F). Rainfall reaches its peak in April (4.5 inches) and drops to its lowest point in February (2.4 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 3.2″ | 7 |
| February | 31° | 2.4″ | 5 |
| March | 41° | 3.5″ | 8 |
| April | 53° | 4.5″ | 8 |
| May | 64° | 4.4″ | 9 |
| June | 73° | 4.4″ | 8 |
| July | 76° | 4.0″ | 7 |
| August | 75° | 3.1″ | 6 |
| September | 68° | 3.0″ | 5 |
| October | 55° | 3.0″ | 5 |
| November | 43° | 3.0″ | 6 |
| December | 33° | 3.1″ | 6 |
Regional context
Dayton falls within a humid subtropical climate region — part of a group that shares similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions across nearby cities.
Similar climates: Cincinnati, OH, Columbus, OH, Middletown, OH, Newark, OH, Springfield, OH.
Naturalist notes
Late April brings the first ruby-throated hummingbirds back to Dayton's gardens and parks.
May sees the unfurling of American beech leaves throughout local woodlands.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Dayton?
- Dayton's last spring frost typically falls around mid-April, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-November.
- What is the rainy season in Dayton?
- April is the wettest month with about 4.5 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 42 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Dayton?
- July is typically warmest, averaging about 76°F.
- What is the coldest month in Dayton?
- January is typically coldest, averaging about 28°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Dayton?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be sown around the last spring frost (mid-April); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Dayton get?
- Dayton averages about 80 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is Dayton?
- Dayton's USDA hardiness zone is determined by its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
Dayton, Ohio sits in a humid subtropical climate zone. January temperatures hover near 28°F while July averages 76°F — a 48°F seasonal swing.
Throughout the year, Dayton receives about 42 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 80 rainy days.
Weather patterns follow the city's latitude (39.8°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation — all of which shape what grows here, when frost is likely, and what the weather story looks like day to day.