Raleigh has milder winter nights than 92% of U.S. towns
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 92°. Its yearly precipitation tops that of 90% of U.S. towns. Compared with 1901–2000, the average now sits 1.2° higher. Plan time outside from October to April, when highs sit at 68–83°.
A year in Raleigh at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Raleigh’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Raleigh’s place in Florida beside it.
What a year in Raleigh feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 274 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 4 and the first by December 4. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Gainesville 11 Wnw, FL, 16 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Raleigh’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 24°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 52 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain falls on about 114 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Gainesville Rgnl Airport, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Raleigh
29% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. No month averages under 55°.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Gainesville 11 Wnw, FL.
Living with Raleigh’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
274 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Mar 4 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Dec 4.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, October, November and December. 0.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Raleigh from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (38%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 12%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Raleigh and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Raleigh yet.
Climates most like Raleigh’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, FL | 43° | 92° | 52" | 0.0" |
| Alvin, TX | 45° | 92° | 53" | 0.0" |
| Bainbridge, GA | 39° | 92° | 52" | 0.0" |
| Port Royal, SC | 41° | 91° | 49" | 0.0" |
| Headland, AL | 39° | 91° | 56" | 0.1" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Raleigh averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.9°).
A smaller shift than in 60% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Raleigh compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Raleigh’s place among Florida’s.
Raleigh weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Raleigh’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Gainesville Rgnl Airport. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 68° | 43° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 49° – 62° |
| February | 72° | 46° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 50° – 68° |
| March | 77° | 51° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 57° – 70° |
| April | 82° | 56° | 2.7" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| May | 88° | 63° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 72° – 79° |
| June | 91° | 70° | 7.5" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 78° – 84° |
| July | 92° | 72° | 7.5" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 80° – 84° |
| August | 91° | 72° | 8.0" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 79° – 83° |
| September | 89° | 70° | 5.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 77° – 83° |
| October | 83° | 61° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| November | 76° | 51° | 1.9" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 58° – 71° |
| December | 70° | 46° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 48° – 68° |
| Year | 82° | 59° | 52.4" | 0.0" | 114 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 48° to 68°. July is the most reliable, staying within 4°.
Where Raleigh’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Raleigh’s center.
- Snow: Gainesville Rgnl Airport.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Gainesville 11 Wnw, FL, 16 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Raleigh’s climate
What is the weather like in Raleigh?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 43°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 92% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 86% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Raleigh in winter?
January nights average 43°. About 20 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 49°.
How much snow does Raleigh get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Gainesville Rgnl Airport, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Raleigh?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 72°. About 101 days a year reach 90° and 2 reach 100° (Gainesville 11 Wnw, FL).
When is the first and last frost in Raleigh?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 4 and the first fall frost by December 4, about 274 frost-free days, at Gainesville 11 Wnw, FL.
What growing zone is Raleigh in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 24°.
What is the best time of year to visit Raleigh?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Raleigh getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 60% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Raleigh.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.