The
Tennessee climate can vary greatly due to the state's diverse topography, but generally the climate is moderate, with warm summers and mild winters. Spring and fall tend to be the best time of year (early fall is the driest time of year), and therefore this is usually the best time to travel to Tennessee, as the summers can get hot, with high humidity, and the winters, though mild, tend to be wet. The
Sequatchie Valley, the Central Basin and the Gulf Coastal Plain are usually the warmest areas, and
Memphis (in the southwest) experiences an average temperature of 83°F (28°C) in the height
of summer (July). The mountainous region in the east tends to experience the heaviest snowfall in winter, with the lowest temperatures in the state. Snow does fall in the rest of Tennessee, but tends to melt very quickly. The
Smoky Mountains receive the highest annual precipitation levels in the state. The highest rainfall occurs in winter and early spring, with March being the wettest month and severe storms can occur, though usually infrequently.
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