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Shaded-relief map of Richmond, Kentucky: rivers, roads, the city limits and where the water drains.
KENTUCKY · MADISON COUNTY

Richmond

39,581 people, 940 ft above sea level in Madison County.

940 ftElevation, city center
39,581People, 2024 estimate
22 sq miLand area
Sunny 45°
Sunny now Dew point 29° · NNW 10 mph · high 46°
City of Richmond River Interstate 2 miles
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The Richmond plate. Relief from Copernicus GLO-30; rivers and lakes from USGS NHD; watersheds from the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset; roads and city limits from Census TIGER 2024.

MILE1
TODAY

Today in Richmond

NWS forecast and National Blend of Models · updated 3:00 PM EST
RIGHT NOW Lexington Blue Grass Airport (KLEX) · 2:54 PM
Sunny
45° Sunny Feels like 40° · high of 46° near 3 PM
WindNNW 10 mphno gusts
Humidity53%rising to 96% by morning
Pressure30.20 in →steady
Visibility10 mihaze-free
CloudsClear
UV index—no forecast
Dew point 29° · Dryabout the same for three days
DryComfortableStickyMuggyOppressive
NEXT RAIN
Clear
Not this weeknone in the forecast for a week
LIKELY AMOUNT—nothing expected
LAST RAINNov. 120.08 in · 2 dry days
ALERTS & OUTLOOKS
No watches or warnings for Madison County
NWS Louisville and the Storm Prediction Center · checked 3:46 PM
SUN & MOON
↑ 7:16 AM5:27 PM ↓
10 h 10 m of daylight, 2 minutes less than yesterday
Waxing crescent, 25% lit. Next full moon: Nov. 24.
AIR & POLLEN
13
GOODAir quality index · fine particles
Tomorrow: None, good. No pollen source yet.

The next three days, hour by hour

Sky: clear, cloudy, night Rain likely National Blend of Models
SATURDAY, NOV. 14
SUNDAY, NOV. 15
MONDAY, NOV. 16
TUESDAY, NOV. 17
3p
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
9a
Noon
3p
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
9a
Noon
3p
6p
9p
Mid
3a
6a
9a
Noon
partly cloudy day
mostly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
mostly cloudy day
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy day
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
clear day
clear night
clear night
clear night
clear night
mostly sunny
clear day
clear day
TEMPERATURE °F
46°
31°
50°
30°
51°
30°
CHANCE OF RAIN
50%
WIND, MPH
10
6
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HOW IT FEELS · DEW POINT
Dry: dew points 28 to 36°

The next seven days, and how sure we are

Forecast, with the range 8 in 10 ensemble members agree on Normal, about 56° / 37°
SAT Nov. 14 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
46° 30°
0% rain — NW 10 A
SUN Nov. 15 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
50° 28°
0% rain — N 5 B
MON Nov. 16 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
54° 28°
0% rain — ENE 3 B
TUE Nov. 17 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
58° 31°
0% rain — E 3 A
WED Nov. 18 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
62° 34°
0% rain — SE 2 A
THU Nov. 19 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
64° 40°
0% rain — S 3 B
FRI Nov. 20 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
66° 41°
0% rain — ESE 3 B
How sure are we? AModels agree: highs within 4° BSome spread: within 8° CWide spread: check back
Range from the National Blend of Models percentiles · graded on Forecast Scores
AIR MAIL

Where today’s air came from

The air arriving over Richmond about 5,000 feet above the ground was over British Columbia three days ago, and over the northern Plains a day ago, about 2,310 miles back along its path. Near the ground the air came from the Canadian Prairies; at 10,000 feet, from the open Pacific. It has stayed over land, which is why it feels dry. Traced back 72 hours through NOAA’s hourly RAP analyses and the GFS beyond them, nine paths at each of three heights.

THIS WEEK IN 1993 Nov. 14, 1993

The hottest this week has been

77° on Nov. 14, 1993, the hottest reading for this week of the year since 1979. Next is 77° in 2020.

77°
77°
20201993
Source: NOAA RCC-ACIS, the Crab Orchard 6 N record since 1979.
MILE2
THE GROUND

What Richmond stands on

Richmond’s center stands about 940 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 810 ft to 1,010 ft, a difference of 200 ft: gently rolling country. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Bear Mountain, about 1,710 ft, 15 miles south.

Under the town center the state geologic map shows Ashlock Formation, Grant Lake and Calloway Creek Limestones, and Fairview Formation, undivided, from the Ordovician, 445 to 487 million years old.

The section below crosses 3 rock units mapped at the surface.

Richmond, cut in half from southwest to northeast

A section southwest to northeast, 24 miles through the town center
600 ft800 ft1,000 ft RICHMOND940 ftPaint Lick Creekabout 810 ftLow point580 ftKentucky Riverabout 590 ft ← SWNE →

Heights every 0.1 mile from the Copernicus GLO-90 surface model; vertical exaggeration about 44×. The colored band under the surface is the rock the state geologic map shows at the surface, not a picture of what lies beneath.

Rock at the surface along the line

Ashlock Formation, Grant Lake and Calloway Creek Limestones, and Fairview Formation, undivided

Limestone. Age: Ordovician, 445 to 487 million years old. About 12 mi of the line.

Drakes Formation

Dolostone. Age: Ordovician, 445 to 487 million years old. About 8 mi of the line.

Garrard Siltstone and Kope and Clays Ferry Formations, undivided

Shale, limestone. Age: Ordovician, 445 to 487 million years old. About 5 mi of the line.

From the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation (Horton and others, 2017), the states’ geologic maps joined at a common scale.

Heights from Copernicus GLO-90 (a surface model: it includes buildings and tree canopy); summits from USGS GNIS; rivers from USGS NHDPlus HR; rock from the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation.

MILE3
THE WATER

Where Richmond’s rain goes

A raindrop that lands in Richmond reaches the Gulf of America by way of the Taylor Fork, Silver Creek, the Kentucky, the Ohio and the Mississippi: about 1,570 river miles.

THE WAY DOWN, TO SCALE
Richmond≈ 1,570 mi · the Gulf of America
FROM THE CENTER OF RICHMOND ≈ 1,570 mi to the Gulf of America Taylor Fork → Silver Creek → Kentucky → Ohio → Mississippi

970 miles of the trip are on the Mississippi.

Traced down the USGS NHDPlus V2.1 river network from the Census center point of Richmond; river miles along the main stem, rounded.

MILE5
THE ALMANAC

Richmond’s year

1991–2020 normals · records since 1979 · Crab Orchard 6 N, 19 mi south-southwest

Richmond has a humid subtropical climate. Summer afternoons average 86° in July; winter nights fall to about 27° in January. A normal year brings about 7 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 51 inches of water.

45°27°50°30°59°36°70°45°77°54°83°61°86°65°86°63°80°57°70°46°58°37°48°30° JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 1 TODAY RICHMOND 50.6 in rain and snowmelt
Normal high to low, by month Record high to low, by day Rain by month Freezing
July, average86° / 65°high / low, the warmest month
January, average45° / 27°high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow50.6 inwettest months: July and June
Snow a year7.4 insnowiest: January
Hottest on record105°FJune 30, 2012
Coldest on record−24°FJanuary 21, 1985
Wettest day on record4.48 inJanuary 1, 2022
Snowiest day on record12.0 inJanuary 22, 2016
Climate typeHumid subtropicalKöppen Cfa

AROUND THE RING

1Lows below freezingDec. 3 to Feb. 27; normal lows fall below 32°
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Richmond normally reaches 59° and falls to 37°. The record high is 77°, in 1993; the record low 8°, in 1986. The most rain on this date, 1.35 in, fell in 2024.

MONTH BY MONTH
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Normal high45°50°59°70°77°83°86°86°80°70°58°48°
Normal low27°30°36°45°54°61°65°63°57°46°37°30°
Rain and melt, in3.673.494.744.615.095.125.193.613.933.533.544.03
Snow, inches3.01.81.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.21.4
Record high76° (2002)79° (2018)87° (2026)90° (1986)92° (1991)105° (2012)103° (1999)104° (1988)100° (2011)96° (2019)84° (2016)77° (1982)
Record low−24° (1985)−15° (2015)−12° (2015)17° (1982)27° (2020)32° (1988)45° (1988)36° (1986)29° (1993)19° (1987)8° (2000)−18° (1989)

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1979 at Crab Orchard 6 N, 19 miles south-southwest. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.

MILE7
ON THE NETWORK

Around Richmond on the Forecast Network

Neighboring plates

Lexington-Fayette urban county KY · 23 MI 23 miles north Georgetown KY · 39 MI 39 miles north Louisville KY · 79 MI 79 miles west Louisville KY · 86 MI 86 miles northwest Cincinnati OH · 98 MI 98 miles north Indianapolis IN · 173 MI 173 miles northwest
FORECASTCITY
Map of Richmond, Kentucky. Explore the plate
KENTUCKY · MADISON

Richmond

39,581 people, 940 ft above sea level in Madison County.

940 ftElevation
39,581People
22 sq miLand
Sunny 45°
SunnyDew point 29°
1

Today in Richmond

NEXT 15 HOURS
Now partly cloudy day 46° 0%
6p partly cloudy night 43° 0%
9p mostly cloudy night 38° 0%
12a partly cloudy night 35° 0%
3a partly cloudy night 32° 0%
6a partly cloudy night 31° 0%
Clear
NEXT RAINNone this week
→
Sat0%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
30
46
A
Sun0%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
28
50
B
Mon0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
28
54
B
Tue0%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
31
58
A
Wed0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
34
62
A
Thu0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
40
64
B
Fri0%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
41
66
B
Letters show how sure the forecast is: A, models agree; B, some spread; C, check back. Sample data.
THIS WEEK IN 1993 · NOV. 14, 1993

77°, the hottest this week of the year has been since 1979.

2

What Richmond stands on

Richmond’s center stands about 940 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 810 ft to 1,010 ft, a difference of 200 ft: gently rolling country. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Bear Mountain, about 1,710 ft, 15 miles south.

Richmond, southwest to northeast Richmond940 ftPaint Lick Creekabout 810 ftKentucky Riverabout 590 ft ← SWNE → 24 miles through the town center; vertical exaggeration about 83×. Colors: rock at the surface.
Elevation, center940 ft
Within 3 miles810 to 1,010 ft
Lie of the landGently rolling (200 ft of relief)
High point nearbyBear Mountain, 1,710 ft, 15 mi south
Rock at the surfaceAshlock Formation, Grant Lake and Calloway Creek Limestones, and Fairview Formation, undivided
Its ageOrdovician, 445 to 487 million years old
5

Richmond’s year

Richmond has a humid subtropical climate. Summer afternoons average 86° in July; winter nights fall to about 27° in January. A normal year brings about 7 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 51 inches of water.

JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 1 50.6 in
July, average86° / 65° · high / low, the warmest month
January, average45° / 27° · high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow50.6 in · wettest months: July and June
Snow a year7.4 in · snowiest: January
Hottest on record105°F · June 30, 2012
Coldest on record−24°F · January 21, 1985
Wettest day on record4.48 in · January 1, 2022
Snowiest day on record12.0 in · January 22, 2016
Climate typeHumid subtropical · Köppen Cfa
1Lows below freezing · Dec. 3 to Feb. 27; normal lows fall below 32°
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Richmond normally reaches 59° and falls to 37°. The record high is 77°, in 1993; the record low 8°, in 1986. The most rain on this date, 1.35 in, fell in 2024.

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1979 at Crab Orchard 6 N, 19 miles south-southwest. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.
3

Where the rain goes

≈ 1,570 mito the Gulf of AmericaTaylor Fork → Silver Creek → Kentucky → Ohio → Mississippi

A raindrop that lands in Richmond reaches the Gulf of America by way of the Taylor Fork, Silver Creek, the Kentucky, the Ohio and the Mississippi: about 1,570 river miles.

970 miles of the trip are on the Mississippi.