Morganton sits near the top of U.S. towns for precipitation, with 59 inches a year
Deep winter brings January lows near 27°. In January, nights here are milder than in 68% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 0.4° rise. Radiators earn their keep from November to March, the months that average under 50°.
A year in Morganton at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Morganton’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Morganton’s place in Georgia beside it.
What a year in Morganton feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 176 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first by October 19. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Blairsville Exp Stn, GA, 17 miles from the town’s center, 160 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Morganton’s center in zone 7b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 7°. 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 3 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Blairsville Exp Stn, GA, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 59 inches a year; March is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 140 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Morganton
83% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Blairsville Exp Stn, GA.
Living with Morganton’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
176 frost-free days in zone 7b. The last frost comes by Apr 26 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 19.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June, September and October.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Morganton from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (63%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 11%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Morganton and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Morganton yet.
Climates most like Morganton’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morganton, GA | 27° | 86° | 59" | 3.1" |
| London, KY | 25° | 86° | 53" | 5.7" |
| Lawrenceburg, TN | 29° | 89° | 58" | 1.9" |
| Mount Airy, NC | 27° | 87° | 52" | 8.2" |
| Big Stone Gap, VA | 26° | 84° | 52" | 9.2" |
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 Morganton averaged 0.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.5°).
A smaller shift than in all but 136 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 Morganton compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Morganton’s place among Georgia’s.
Morganton weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Morganton’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Blairsville Exp Stn, GA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 49° | 27° | 5.3" | 0.5" | 12 | 0 | 31° – 44° |
| February | 53° | 30° | 5.0" | 0.4" | 12 | 0 | 31° – 50° |
| March | 61° | 36° | 5.4" | 1.0" | 13 | 0 | 41° – 58° |
| April | 70° | 43° | 5.0" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| May | 77° | 51° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| June | 83° | 59° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| July | 86° | 63° | 5.0" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 71° – 77° |
| August | 85° | 62° | 5.1" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 80° | 56° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| October | 71° | 44° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 54° – 62° |
| November | 60° | 35° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| December | 52° | 30° | 5.4" | 1.2" | 12 | 0 | 31° – 51° |
| Year | 69° | 45° | 58.5" | 3.1" | 140 | 1 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 31° to 51°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Morganton’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 Morganton’s center.
- Snow: Blairsville Exp Stn, GA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Blairsville Exp Stn, GA, 17 miles from the town’s center, 160 ft higher; 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 Morganton’s climate
What is the weather like in Morganton?
A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 27°, and about 3 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 68% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 53% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Morganton in winter?
January nights average 27°. About 104 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 31°.
How much snow does Morganton get?
About 3.1 inches in a normal winter at Blairsville Exp Stn, GA, most of it in December, with snow on the ground about 1 days a year.
How hot does it get in Morganton?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 63°. About 8 days a year reach 90° (Blairsville Exp Stn, GA).
When is the first and last frost in Morganton?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 26 and the first fall frost by October 19, about 176 frost-free days, at Blairsville Exp Stn, GA.
What growing zone is Morganton in?
Zone 7b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 7°.
What is the best time of year to visit Morganton?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, June, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Morganton getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than all but 136 U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Morganton.
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.