Nashville has four seasons, and all four are genuine. None of them are extreme by the standards of the northern United States, but each is distinct enough that you’ll know which one you’re in. The classification is humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa), a climate zone that stretches across most of the American South.
Spring (March–May)
Spring in Nashville comes fast and isn’t subtle about it. Temperatures move from the 50s in early March to the high 70s by May. The Bradford pear trees and redbuds bloom in March, cherry blossoms follow, and the city goes visually green within a few weeks.
May is the wettest month of the year, averaging 5.7 inches of rain and about 12 rainy days. The trade-off for all that rain is genuinely lush greenery. Thunderstorms are frequent from March through May. Tornado season peaks in early spring. Nashville is in tornado country and takes it seriously. The 2020 tornado that tracked directly through Germantown and East Nashville in March killed five people and left tens of thousands without power.
Summer (June–August)
Hot and humid. Nashville’s average high in July sits around 89°F, but the real issue is humidity. The dew points in July and August regularly push into the uncomfortable range, making 88°F feel like something significantly worse. About half of summer days reach the 90s°F. Afternoon thunderstorms are common but brief.
For anyone moving from the upper Midwest or the coasts, the humidity is the adjustment. Nashville’s all-time record high is 109°F, set on June 29, 2012. Thirty-four consecutive days reached 90°F or above in the summer of 2007, a record for the city. Outdoor events and morning runs are manageable; standing in direct sun at 2 PM in August is not for the faint of heart.
Fall (September–November)
The most comfortable season in Nashville, and by October, the most beautiful. October is the driest month of the year (averaging only 3.2 inches of rain) and temperatures sit in the mid-60s to low-70s. The fall foliage is real but modest by New England standards, Nashville doesn’t have the density of maples that produce those explosive orange-and-red displays. What you get is varied: oaks, sweetgums, tulip poplars, and hickories turning yellow, orange, and deep red against the limestone ridges. Radnor Lake and Percy Warner Park are worth visiting specifically for fall color.
September retains summer heat (highs near 83°F) and cools steadily through November, which averages a high of about 60°F with lows dropping to the upper 30s by late November.
Winter (December–February)
Mild by northern standards, variable by local ones. Nashville winters produce more rain than snow (the city averages only 4–5 inches of snow per year), with highs typically in the mid-40s to low-50s and lows ranging from the upper 20s to mid-30s. January is the coldest month, with an average low of about 27°F and roughly 22 days below freezing.
The city is poorly equipped for ice and snow when it does come. A half-inch of ice can effectively shut Nashville down, schools close, accidents pile up on the hills, and the city waits it out. Nashville’s all-time record low is −17°F, set on January 21, 1985, though temperatures that extreme are once-in-a-generation events.
Winter has its quiet pleasures. Broadway is less crowded. The Parthenon in Centennial Park with bare trees and low winter light is genuinely beautiful. Restaurant reservations are easier to get.
The One-Word Summary Per Season
Spring: unpredictable. Summer: humid. Fall: perfect. Winter: mild but icy when it decides to matter.
Sources
- National Weather Service, Nashville Forecast Office climate data
- Southeast Regional Climate Center, Nashville historical averages
- Metro Nashville Emergency Management Agency, 2020 tornado records
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Tennessee climate records