Memphis Weather

Memphis has a mid-latitude, moist continental climate, which means it has four distinct seasons with cold winters and hot summers. Spring and autumn can be varied and unpredictable, and severe weather, including thunderstorms and strong winds, is possible during these transitory seasons. Memphis experiences a great deal of rainfall, but it comes mostly in the form of thundershowers and seldom causes cloudy days. This does not mean there are not plenty of sunny days. Memphis is sunny 64 percent of the year, which makes for more sunny days than Miami. The most popular times to visit Memphis are from April to October.

Summer

The summer months (late May to late September) are persistently hot (between 20C and 35C) and humid due to moisture encroaching from the Gulf of Mexico, and the humidity of the expansive Mississippi River makes it seem even hotter. Afternoon thunderstorms are frequent during some summers, but usually brief, lasting no longer than an hour.

Winter

Memphis winters often begin abruptly and are characterised by periods of sub-freezing (less than 0C) weather, interspersed with milder spells. Colder sub-freezing periods are usually short-lived (two to three days), but have lasted as long as several weeks during more severe winters, though temperatures typically remain above 12C. Memphis averages 5.7 inches of snow a year.

Average Temperature (°C)

40 30 20 10 0

Jan 4.2

Feb 6.7

Mar 11.7

Apr 17.1

May 21.7

Jun 26.1

Jul 28.1

Aug 27.2

Sep 23.4

Oct 17.2

Nov 11.3

Dec 6.5

Rainfall (mm)

150 112 75 38 0

Jan 94.7

Feb 110.4

Mar 137.4

Apr 138.6

May 126.4

Jun 90.6

Jul 96.2

Aug 87.1

Sep 89.6

Oct 76.4

Nov 129.5

Dec 145.7