July is the hottest month in Nashville. The average high in July is 89°F, the average low is 70°F, and the combination of that heat with peak humidity makes it the most physically uncomfortable month of the year for most people.
The Numbers
July averages more than 13 days with highs reaching 90°F or above. The average daily mean temperature is roughly 79°F. The average relative humidity in July sits around 69%. That is not the highest in the country, but it is enough to make the heat feel meaningfully worse than the thermometer suggests.
August runs a close second, essentially indistinguishable from July in terms of heat, but slightly higher humidity. The two months together form the core of Nashville’s hot season, typically running from mid-June through mid-September.
Record Heat
Nashville’s all-time high temperature is 109°F, recorded on June 29, 2012. The hottest extended period on record was the summer of 1954, when the city recorded 20 days at or above 100°F. More recently, 2007 saw 34 consecutive days at or above 90°F from July 26 through August 28, the longest such streak on record.
About one day per year, on average, will reach 100°F. That’s not rare enough to be a novelty but not common enough to define the season.
What July Actually Feels Like
The humidity is the operative factor. A 90°F day in Denver or Phoenix feels very different from a 90°F day in Nashville. The moisture in the air slows the body’s cooling process. Late afternoon in July, roughly 2 to 5 PM, is the hardest stretch. Outdoor activity during those hours requires planning: water, shade, and an honest assessment of heat tolerance.
Morning hours before 9 or 10 AM are genuinely pleasant in July. Evenings cool somewhat after sunset, though the air stays warm and heavy through the night. Nighttime lows rarely drop below 68°F in July, which is part of why the month is fatiguing. There is limited overnight relief.
Practical Advice for Visiting in Summer
Nashville doesn’t slow down in summer. CMA Fest in June brings 90,000-plus people per day to an outdoor festival in full summer conditions. If you’re visiting in July or August, know that Broadway’s honky-tonks are air-conditioned. The Country Music Hall of Fame, the Ryman Auditorium, the Tennessee State Museum: all are indoors. Plan outdoor activities for the morning or evening and build indoor time into the middle of the day.
Hydration is not optional. Nashville’s combination of heat, humidity, and the fact that the city runs on alcohol in its tourist zones creates real dehydration risk for visitors who are drinking and walking in summer conditions.
Sources
- National Weather Service, Nashville Forecast Office, July climate normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, extreme weather records for Nashville
- Southeast Regional Climate Center, monthly temperature data