Best Time to Drive: Roan Mountain, TN to Memphis, TN

The best overall window to drive from Roan Mountain, TN to Memphis, TN is September to October. May is especially comfortable, and 7 AM to 10 AM is usually the easiest departure window. The main things to watch are heavy rain and ponding.

Best overall window

September to October

This stretch gives the steadiest mix of comfort, daylight, and lower weather friction.

Easiest departure pattern

7 AM to 10 AM

A morning departure gives you more room to adjust if rain slows the drive down.

Most challenging stretch

December

February is one of the harder months for this route because the weather friction stacks up faster.

Why This Route Scores Differently

This route is long enough that weather comfort across the whole day matters more than just departure conditions.

The current best window is September to October, when the drive is more likely to feel steady end to end.

This score uses multiple NOAA sample points along the route instead of a single state-wide climate average.

Month-by-Month Driving Conditions

Jan

Fair 39°F

Feb

Fair 43°F

Mar

Fair 50°F

Apr

Good 59°F

May

Good 68°F

Jun

Good 75°F

Jul

Fair 78°F

Aug

Good 78°F

Sep

Good 71°F

Oct

Great 61°F

Nov

Fair 49°F

Dec

Challenging 42°F

Best Good/Fair Challenging

Average Conditions by Month

January

Avg high / low 49 / 29°F

Moisture 4.3 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Wet stretches

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

February

Avg high / low 53 / 33°F

Moisture 4.4 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Wet stretches

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

March

Avg high / low 61 / 39°F

Moisture 5.4 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

7 AM to 10 AM

Storm-prone

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Rain is common enough that extra buffer time makes sense.

April

Avg high / low 71 / 48°F

Moisture 5.3 in rain

Rating Good

Best departure

7 AM to 10 AM

Storm-prone Patchy fog

Daytime temperatures usually stay in a comfortable driving range.

Rain is common enough that extra buffer time makes sense.

May

Avg high / low 79 / 57°F

Moisture 5.2 in rain

Rating Good

Best departure

7 AM to 10 AM

Storm-prone Patchy fog

Daytime temperatures usually stay in a comfortable driving range.

Rain is common enough that extra buffer time makes sense.

June

Avg high / low 86 / 65°F

Moisture 4.3 in rain

Rating Good

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Warm afternoons Wet stretches

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

July

Avg high / low 88 / 69°F

Moisture 4.8 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Warm afternoons Wet stretches Holiday traffic

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

August

Avg high / low 88 / 67°F

Moisture 3.9 in rain

Rating Good

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Warm afternoons

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

September

Avg high / low 82 / 60°F

Moisture 3.6 in rain

Rating Good

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Steady driving window

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

October

Avg high / low 73 / 49°F

Moisture 3.8 in rain

Rating Great

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Steady driving window

Daytime temperatures usually stay in a comfortable driving range.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

November

Avg high / low 61 / 38°F

Moisture 4.2 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Wet stretches Holiday traffic

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

December

Avg high / low 51 / 32°F

Moisture 4.9 in rain

Rating Challenging

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Wet stretches Holiday traffic

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

Seasonal Hazards on This Route

Heavy rain and ponding

Mar - May

Short intense downpours can make a same-day drive feel longer than the raw route time suggests.

Tropical weather window

Jun - Nov

Track tropical systems and leftover Gulf moisture closely, especially if your travel day is not flexible.

Best Departure Time by Season

Spring

7 AM to 10 AM

A morning departure gives you more room to adjust if rain slows the drive down.

Summer

8 AM to 11 AM

Mid-morning is usually the steadiest all-around departure window.

Fall

8 AM to 11 AM

Mid-morning is usually the steadiest all-around departure window.

Winter

9 AM to 12 PM

Waiting for a little daylight and warmer pavement usually makes the drive easier.

How This Score Was Built

Source

Route-sampled NOAA climate normals

High confidence. Built from 4 NOAA-backed route checkpoints rather than a single statewide estimate.

Origin zone

Southeast

Destination zone

Southeast

Route sample points

Late route

Late route checkpoint

TN ROAN MTN 3SW (2.6 mi away)

Late route

Late route checkpoint

TN statewide fallback (0 mi away)

Late route

Late route checkpoint

TN SHELBY BOTTOMS NATURE CTR (2.1 mi away)

Destination

Memphis, TN

TN MEMPHIS INTL AP 72334 (7.3 mi away)

Ready to plan? See the full trip plan from Roan Mountain, TN to Memphis, TN with stops, fuel costs, and directions.

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