Winston-Salem Tobacco Historic District · Photo: Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States · CC0Afternoon heat in Aquadale beats that of 81% of U.S. towns
On a normal January night the air cools to about 32°. In January, nights here are milder than in 74% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 1.0° above 1901–2000. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly March 29 to November 4.
A year in Aquadale at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Aquadale’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Aquadale’s place in North Carolina beside it.
What a year in Aquadale feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 220 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 29 and the first by November 4. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Albemarle, NC, 12 miles from the town’s center, 120 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Aquadale’s center in zone 8a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 13°. 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 46 inches of rain a year
July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain falls on about 87 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.8" in a normal year at Albemarle, NC, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Aquadale
67% 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 Albemarle, NC.
Living with Aquadale’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
220 frost-free days in zone 8a. The last frost comes by Mar 29 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 4.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, September and October.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Aquadale from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (57%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 11%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Aquadale and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Aquadale yet.
Climates most like Aquadale’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquadale, NC | 32° | 91° | 46" | 0.8" |
| Jackson, GA | 33° | 91° | 49" | 0.6" |
| Emporia, VA | 29° | 90° | 48" | 1.4" |
| Clemson University, SC | 33° | 90° | 50" | 2.2" |
| Walnut Ridge, AR | 28° | 90° | 49" | 0.9" |
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 Aquadale averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.3°).
A smaller shift than in 75% 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 Aquadale compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Aquadale’s place among North Carolina’s.
Aquadale weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Aquadale’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Albemarle, NC. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 32° | 3.7" | 0.4" | 8 | 37° – 48° |
| February | 57° | 34° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 7 | 37° – 54° |
| March | 64° | 40° | 3.8" | 0.4" | 8 | 46° – 62° |
| April | 74° | 49° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 7 | 56° – 66° |
| May | 81° | 57° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 7 | 64° – 74° |
| June | 87° | 65° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 8 | 72° – 80° |
| July | 91° | 69° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 76° – 84° |
| August | 89° | 68° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 8 | 76° – 84° |
| September | 83° | 62° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 6 | 69° – 78° |
| October | 74° | 50° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 6 | 58° – 66° |
| November | 63° | 40° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 6 | 47° – 57° |
| December | 55° | 34° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 35° – 56° |
| Year | 73° | 50° | 46.1" | 0.8" | 87 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 35° to 56°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Aquadale’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 Aquadale’s center.
- Snow: Albemarle, NC.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Albemarle, NC, 12 miles from the town’s center, 120 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 Aquadale’s climate
What is the weather like in Aquadale?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 32°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 74% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 81% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Aquadale in winter?
January nights average 32°. About 66 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 37°.
How much snow does Aquadale get?
About 0.8 inches in a normal winter at Albemarle, NC, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Aquadale?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 69°. About 39 days a year reach 90° (Albemarle, NC).
When is the first and last frost in Aquadale?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 29 and the first fall frost by November 4, about 220 frost-free days, at Albemarle, NC.
What growing zone is Aquadale in?
Zone 8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 13°.
What is the best time of year to visit Aquadale?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Aquadale getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 75% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Aquadale.
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.