More precipitation falls on Aurora than on 93% of U.S. towns: 54 inches a year
On a normal January night the air cools to about 34°. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 79% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.2° more than in 1901–2000, led by December. Garden planting can start around March 8; autumn frost returns near December 5.
A year in Aurora at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Aurora’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Aurora’s place in North Carolina beside it.
What a year in Aurora feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 272 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 8 and the first by December 5. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Aurora 6 N, NC, 6 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Aurora’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 17°. 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 54 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and April the driest. Rain falls on about 115 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.2" in a normal year at Aurora 6 N, NC, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Aurora
56% 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 Aurora 6 N, NC.
Living with Aurora’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
272 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Mar 8 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 5.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, September, October and November. 0.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Aurora from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (80%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Aurora and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Aurora yet.
Climates most like Aurora’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora, NC | 34° | 89° | 54" | 0.2" |
| North Decatur, GA | 33° | 89° | 53" | 0.5" |
| Anniston, AL | 33° | 89° | 56" | 0.1" |
| Easley, SC | 32° | 89° | 52" | 1.0" |
| Clarksdale, MS | 34° | 91° | 55" | 0.4" |
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 Aurora averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°).
A smaller shift than in 64% 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 Aurora compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Aurora’s place among North Carolina’s.
Aurora weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Aurora’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Aurora 6 N, NC. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 55° | 34° | 4.0" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 39° – 51° |
| February | 58° | 36° | 3.4" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 39° – 56° |
| March | 65° | 42° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 48° – 60° |
| April | 73° | 50° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 57° – 67° |
| May | 80° | 59° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| June | 86° | 67° | 5.0" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 73° – 82° |
| July | 89° | 71° | 5.9" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 77° – 83° |
| August | 88° | 70° | 6.7" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 76° – 81° |
| September | 83° | 64° | 6.4" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| October | 75° | 53° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| November | 65° | 43° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| December | 58° | 38° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 36° – 60° |
| Year | 73° | 52° | 53.9" | 0.2" | 115 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 36° to 60°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Aurora’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 Aurora’s center.
- Snow: Aurora 6 N, NC.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Aurora 6 N, NC, 6 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 Aurora’s climate
What is the weather like in Aurora?
A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 34°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 79% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 74% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Aurora in winter?
January nights average 34°. About 30 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 39°.
How much snow does Aurora get?
About 0.2 inches in a normal winter at Aurora 6 N, NC, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Aurora?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 71°. About 43 days a year reach 90° (Aurora 6 N, NC).
When is the first and last frost in Aurora?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 8 and the first fall frost by December 5, about 272 frost-free days, at Aurora 6 N, NC.
What growing zone is Aurora in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 17°.
What is the best time of year to visit Aurora?
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 Aurora getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 64% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Aurora.
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.