Dayton, Ohio Weather
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias. Day 78 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Dayton weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 5Overcast——88°60°—
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast69%—91°68°+3°
- SundayJun 7Heavy Drizzle69%—81°66°-10°
- MondayJun 8Drizzle24%0.06″70°66°-11°
- TuesdayJun 9Light Showers49%0.14″82°69°+12°
- WednesdayJun 10Light Drizzle35%—85°70°+3°
- ThursdayJun 11Thunderstorm30%—87°70°+2°
AQI 45 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI down 57 over the last 6 hours — air quality is improving sharply. PM2.5 at 7.0 µg/m³ (AQI 39) with a 0.91 fine-to-coarse ratio and 3 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 7.0 µg/m³ (AQI 39) with a 0.91 fine-to-coarse ratio and 3 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.91
- Wind
- calm
- 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
- 4:37 AM
- Moonset
- 2:43 PM
- In sign
- ♒︎ Aquarius
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias
Dayton at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 11°F below 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 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 — Dayton
SPC has placed Dayton in the Marginal Risk category for severe thunderstorms tomorrow.
- TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
- TOMORROWMRGLMarginal Risk
- DAY 3MRGLMarginal Risk
Isolated severe storms possible. Limited threat for hail or damaging wind.
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 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.