Newport sits near the top of U.S. towns for precipitation, with 58 inches a year
Midsummer highs settle at about 88°. Expect the heaviest rain or snow in September and the lightest in April. By January nights alone, it runs milder than 80% of U.S. towns. Seedlings are safe outdoors from about March 26, with the first autumn frost due around November 16.
A year in Newport at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Newport’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Newport’s place in North Carolina beside it.
What a year in Newport feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 236 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 26 and the first by November 16. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Newport/morehead City Wfo, NC, 0.4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Newport’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 16°. 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 58 inches of rain a year
September is the wettest month and April the driest. Rain falls on about 126 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.8" in a normal year at Cherry Point Mcas, NC, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Newport
62% of the work is heating. 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 Newport/morehead City Wfo, NC.
Living with Newport’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
236 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Mar 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 Nov 16.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, September, October and November. 2.7 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Newport from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (85%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 3%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Newport and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Newport yet.
Climates most like Newport’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newport, NC | 35° | 88° | 58" | 0.8" |
| Albertville, AL | 32° | 88° | 57" | 0.9" |
| Toccoa, GA | 33° | 89° | 57" | 1.4" |
| Travelers Rest, SC | 32° | 88° | 60" | 1.9" |
| Kosciusko, MS | 34° | 91° | 58" | 1.3" |
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 Newport averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°).
A smaller shift than in 63% 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 Newport compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Newport’s place among North Carolina’s.
Newport weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Newport’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Cherry Point Mcas, NC. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56° | 35° | 4.1" | 0.6" | 10 | 0 | 40° – 51° |
| February | 59° | 37° | 3.6" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 39° – 57° |
| March | 65° | 42° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 61° |
| April | 72° | 51° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| May | 79° | 59° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 64° – 75° |
| June | 85° | 68° | 5.1" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| July | 88° | 72° | 6.4" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 77° – 82° |
| August | 87° | 71° | 7.3" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 76° – 81° |
| September | 83° | 66° | 7.7" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 71° – 78° |
| October | 75° | 55° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| November | 66° | 44° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| December | 60° | 38° | 4.0" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 38° – 61° |
| Year | 73° | 53° | 57.9" | 0.8" | 126 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 38° to 61°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Newport’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 Newport’s center.
- Snow: Cherry Point Mcas, NC.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Newport/morehead City Wfo, NC, 0.4 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 Newport’s climate
What is the weather like in Newport?
A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 35°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 80% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 69% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Newport in winter?
January nights average 35°. About 53 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 40°.
How much snow does Newport get?
About 0.8 inches in a normal winter at Cherry Point Mcas, NC, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Newport?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 72°. About 18 days a year reach 90° (Newport/morehead City Wfo, NC).
When is the first and last frost in Newport?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 26 and the first fall frost by November 16, about 236 frost-free days, at Newport/morehead City Wfo, NC.
What growing zone is Newport in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 16°.
What is the best time of year to visit Newport?
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 Newport getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 63% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Newport.
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.