Few U.S. towns get more rain and snow than Atlantic: 59 inches a year
Midwinter brings lows of about 37°. From frosty January to warm July, readings climb 52°. Its January nights stay gentler than in 84% of U.S. towns. Central heating does most of its work from January to February, in months below 50° on average.
A year in Atlantic at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Atlantic’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Atlantic’s place in North Carolina beside it.
What a year in Atlantic feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 261 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 11 and the first by November 30. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Cedar Is, NC, 7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Atlantic’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 19°. 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 59 inches of rain a year
September is the wettest month and April the driest. Rain falls on about 111 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.5" in a normal year at Morehead City 2 Wnw, NC, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Atlantic
43% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from December 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 Cedar Is, NC.
Living with Atlantic’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
261 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Mar 11 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 30.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, September, October and November.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Atlantic from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (87%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Atlantic and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Atlantic yet.
Climates most like Atlantic’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic, NC | 37° | 89° | 59" | 0.5" |
| Albertville, AL | 32° | 88° | 57" | 0.9" |
| Toccoa, GA | 33° | 89° | 57" | 1.4" |
| Kosciusko, MS | 34° | 91° | 58" | 1.3" |
| Travelers Rest, SC | 32° | 88° | 60" | 1.9" |
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 Atlantic averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°).
A smaller shift than in 66% 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 Atlantic compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Atlantic’s place among North Carolina’s.
Atlantic weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Atlantic’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Morehead City 2 Wnw, NC. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56° | 37° | 4.5" | 0.3" | 9 | 0 | 40° – 52° |
| February | 58° | 39° | 3.7" | 0.2" | 9 | 0 | 40° – 57° |
| March | 64° | 44° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| April | 72° | 53° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| May | 79° | 61° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 66° – 75° |
| June | 85° | 69° | 4.8" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 74° – 81° |
| July | 89° | 73° | 6.0" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 78° – 83° |
| August | 87° | 72° | 7.7" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 77° – 82° |
| September | 83° | 68° | 7.8" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 73° – 79° |
| October | 75° | 58° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| November | 66° | 47° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 51° – 62° |
| December | 60° | 41° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 39° – 63° |
| Year | 73° | 55° | 59.1" | 0.5" | 111 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 39° to 63°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Atlantic’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 Atlantic’s center.
- Snow: Morehead City 2 Wnw, NC.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Cedar Is, NC, 7 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 Atlantic’s climate
What is the weather like in Atlantic?
A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 37°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 84% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 71% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Atlantic in winter?
January nights average 37°. About 34 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 40°.
How much snow does Atlantic get?
About 0.5 inches in a normal winter at Morehead City 2 Wnw, NC, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Atlantic?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 73°. About 49 days a year reach 90° (Cedar Is, NC).
When is the first and last frost in Atlantic?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 11 and the first fall frost by November 30, about 261 frost-free days, at Cedar Is, NC.
What growing zone is Atlantic in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 19°.
What is the best time of year to visit Atlantic?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, September, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Atlantic getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 66% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Atlantic.
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.