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Russell County Kentucky courthousePhoto: W.marsh · CC BY-SA 3.0
Climate in Jamestown · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Jamestown gets more rain and snow than 93% of U.S. towns: 54 inches of precipitation a year

On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 86°. Expect the heaviest rain or snow in July and the lightest in October. By January nights alone, it runs milder than 65% of U.S. towns. For walks and days out, the stretch from April to June and September to October brings highs of 69–84°.

Less snow than 70% of U.S. towns#26Least snow  of 132 in KY
Milder January nights than 65% of U.S. towns#33Mildest winters  of 135 in KY
All KY rankings →

A year in Jamestown at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan45°26°
Feb49°29°
Mar58°36°
Apr69°44° Last frost ~Apr 18
May76°54°
Jun84°61° 5 days 90°+
Jul86°66° 9 days 90°+Wettest
Aug86°64° 8 days 90°+
Sep80°57° 3 days 90°+
Oct70°45° First frost ~Oct 24
Nov now58°35°
Dec48°29°

What stands out about Jamestown’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Jamestown’s place in Kentucky beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Jamestown feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
47° / 28°
2 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
68° / 44°
Last frost around Apr 18
Summer
85° / 64°
25 days reach 90°
Fall
69° / 46°
First frost around Oct 24
Best months to be outsideAprMayJunSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 189 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 18 and the first by October 24. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Jamestown Wwtp, KY, 1.1 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

111
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
122nd fewest of 135 in Kentucky
Fewer freezing nights than 52% of U.S. towns
1
nights at or below 0°
69th fewest of 135 in Kentucky
Fewer nights at or below 0° than 54% of U.S. towns
25
days that reach 90°
96th most of 135 in Kentucky
More 90° days than 58% of U.S. towns
<1
days that reach 100°
75th most of 135 in Kentucky
More 100° days than 57% of U.S. towns
7aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 7a

The 2023 USDA map puts Jamestown’s center in zone 7a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 2°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

24
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

8.8
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 5 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Jamestown Wwtp, KY, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 54 inches a year; July is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 124 days a year.

54"
Rain + melted snow a year
2nd wettest of 135 in Kentucky
Wetter than 93% of U.S. towns
4.9"
Snow in a normal winter
26th least snowy of 132 in Kentucky
Less snow than 70% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

5.4"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

3"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Jamestown

81% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.

4,541 heating degree daysLess heating than 65% of U.S. towns
1,083 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 59% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Jamestown Wwtp, KY.

Living here

Living with Jamestown’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

189 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by Apr 18 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 24.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June, September and October. 4.4 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Jamestown from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (46%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 20%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door & far away

Jamestown and similar climates

TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Jamestown yet.

Climates most like Jamestown’s, farther away

TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Jamestown, KY26°86°54"4.9"
Cullowhee, NC26°85°54"4.3"
Paris, TN28°89°54"5.2"
Wayne, PA24°86°49"7.6"
Rainsville, AL31°87°57"5.0"

Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Jamestown averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.0°).

+0.9°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 84% of U.S. towns.

Winter+1.5°now 38°, was 36°
Spring+1.1°now 56°, was 55°
Summer+0.4°now 74°, was 74°
Fall+0.6°now 57°, was 57°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Jamestown compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Jamestown’s place among Kentucky’s.

Summer heat86° July high
Hotter July afternoons than 58% of U.S. towns90th hottest of 135 in Kentucky
Winter cold26° January low
Milder January nights than 65% of U.S. towns33rd mildest of 135 in Kentucky
Precipitation54" a year
Wetter than 93% of U.S. towns2nd wettest of 135 in Kentucky
Snow4.9" a winter
Less snow than 70% of U.S. towns26th least snowy of 132 in Kentucky
Hot days25 days at 90°+
More 90° days than 58% of U.S. towns96th most of 135 in Kentucky
Freezing nights111 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 52% of U.S. towns122nd fewest of 135 in Kentucky
Growing season189 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 56% of U.S. towns95th longest of 135 in Kentucky
Month by month

Jamestown weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Jamestown’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Jamestown Wwtp, KY. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet days30-yr range
January45°26°4.6"1.1"1128° – 43°
February49°29°4.4"2.8"1027° – 48°
March58°36°5.2"1.0"1239° – 57°
April69°44°5.0"0.0"1250° – 62°
May76°54°5.2"0.0"1258° – 73°
June84°61°4.9"0.0"1068° – 77°
July86°66°5.4"0.0"1271° – 80°
August86°64°3.9"0.0"870° – 80°
September80°57°3.8"0.0"864° – 75°
October70°45°3.3"0.0"854° – 63°
November58°35°3.7"0.0"940° – 52°
December48°29°5.1"0.0"1327° – 49°
Year67°45°54.3"4.9"124
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 27° to 49°. July is the most reliable, staying within 8°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Jamestown’s numbers come from

Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →

  • Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Jamestown’s center.
  • Snow: Jamestown Wwtp, KY (NOAA station in town).
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Jamestown Wwtp, KY, 1.1 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
  • Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  • Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
  • Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).

Common questions about Jamestown’s climate

What is the weather like in Jamestown?

A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 5 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 65% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 58% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Jamestown in winter?

January nights average 26°. About 111 nights a year reach 32° or below and 1 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 28°.

How much snow does Jamestown get?

About 4.9 inches in a normal winter at Jamestown Wwtp, KY, most of it in February.

How hot does it get in Jamestown?

July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 66°. About 25 days a year reach 90° (Jamestown Wwtp, KY).

When is the first and last frost in Jamestown?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 18 and the first fall frost by October 24, about 189 frost-free days, at Jamestown Wwtp, KY.

What growing zone is Jamestown in?

Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 2°.

What is the best time of year to visit Jamestown?

By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, June, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.

Is Jamestown getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 84% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Jamestown.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.