Summer afternoons in Red Cross are warmer than in 79% of U.S. towns
January nights here settle around 31°. June is the wettest month, February the driest. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 74% of U.S. towns. Central heating does most of its work from December to February, in months below 50° on average.
A year in Red Cross at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Red Cross’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Red Cross’ place in North Carolina beside it.
What a year in Red Cross 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, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Red Cross’ center in zone 8a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 12°. 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
June 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 Red Cross
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 Red Cross’ 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 Red Cross from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (64%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 11%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Red Cross and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Red Cross in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Red Cross’, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Cross, NC | 31° | 90° | 46" | 0.8" |
| Rockmart, GA | 32° | 90° | 50" | 0.7" |
| Emporia, VA | 29° | 90° | 48" | 1.4" |
| Walnut Ridge, AR | 28° | 90° | 49" | 0.9" |
| Kennett, MO | 29° | 90° | 51" | 2.9" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Red Cross averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°).
A smaller shift than in 81% 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 Red Cross compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Red Cross’ place among North Carolina’s.
Red Cross weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Red Cross’ 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 | 52° | 31° | 3.7" | 0.4" | 8 | 36° – 48° |
| February | 56° | 34° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 7 | 37° – 53° |
| March | 64° | 40° | 3.9" | 0.4" | 8 | 46° – 61° |
| April | 73° | 48° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 7 | 56° – 65° |
| May | 80° | 57° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 7 | 64° – 74° |
| June | 87° | 65° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 8 | 72° – 80° |
| July | 90° | 69° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 8 | 76° – 83° |
| August | 88° | 68° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 8 | 75° – 84° |
| September | 83° | 62° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 6 | 68° – 78° |
| October | 73° | 50° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 6 | 58° – 66° |
| November | 63° | 39° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 6 | 46° – 56° |
| December | 55° | 34° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 35° – 55° |
| Year | 72° | 50° | 46.0" | 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 55°. July is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Red Cross’ 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 Red Cross’ center.
- Snow: Albemarle, NC.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Albemarle, NC, 12 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 Red Cross’ climate
What is the weather like in Red Cross?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 31°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 74% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 79% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Red Cross in winter?
January nights average 31°. About 66 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 36°.
How much snow does Red Cross get?
About 0.8 inches in a normal winter at Albemarle, NC, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Red Cross?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 69°. About 39 days a year reach 90° (Albemarle, NC).
When is the first and last frost in Red Cross?
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 Red Cross in?
Zone 8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 12°.
What is the best time of year to visit Red Cross?
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 Red Cross getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 81% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Red Cross.
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.