Photo: Photogeographer · CC BY-SA 4.0Precipitation in South Mills tops that of 83% of U.S. towns: 50 inches a year
Sunny July days climb to about 89°. By January nights alone, it runs milder than 73% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.3° rise. Tender plants can go out after about March 27; in half of years the first frost comes by November 17.
A year in South Mills at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about South Mills’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with South Mills’ place in North Carolina beside it.
What a year in South Mills feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 238 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 27 and the first by November 17. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Elizabeth City, NC, 11 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts South Mills’ 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 50 inches of rain a year
July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain falls on about 121 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.2" in a normal year at Elizabeth City, NC, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in South Mills
60% 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 Elizabeth City, NC.
Living with South Mills’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
238 frost-free days in zone 8a. The last frost comes by Mar 27 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 17.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, September, October and November.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in South Mills from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (45%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 9%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →South Mills and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around South Mills yet.
Climates most like South Mills’, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Mills, NC | 31° | 89° | 50" | 0.2" |
| Cedartown, GA | 32° | 89° | 51" | 0.4" |
| Valley Falls, SC | 31° | 90° | 50" | 0.8" |
| Goodlettsville, TN | 29° | 90° | 52" | 1.2" |
| Fort Campbell North, KY | 28° | 89° | 53" | 0.5" |
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 South Mills averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°).
A smaller shift than in 55% 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 South Mills compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with South Mills’ place among North Carolina’s.
South Mills weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at South Mills’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Elizabeth City, NC. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 52° | 31° | 3.7" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 36° – 48° |
| February | 55° | 33° | 3.1" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 33° – 52° |
| March | 61° | 39° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 45° – 58° |
| April | 71° | 47° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| May | 78° | 56° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| June | 85° | 65° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| July | 89° | 70° | 5.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 75° – 82° |
| August | 87° | 68° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 74° – 80° |
| September | 82° | 63° | 5.1" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| October | 73° | 51° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| November | 63° | 41° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 46° – 57° |
| December | 55° | 35° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 34° – 56° |
| Year | 71° | 50° | 49.6" | 0.2" | 121 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 34° to 56°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where South Mills’ 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 South Mills’ center.
- Snow: Elizabeth City, NC.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Elizabeth City, NC, 11 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 South Mills’ climate
What is the weather like in South Mills?
A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 31°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 73% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 70% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in South Mills in winter?
January nights average 31°. About 58 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 36°.
How much snow does South Mills get?
About 0.2 inches in a normal winter at Elizabeth City, NC, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in South Mills?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 70°. About 40 days a year reach 90° (Elizabeth City, NC).
When is the first and last frost in South Mills?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 27 and the first fall frost by November 17, about 238 frost-free days, at Elizabeth City, NC.
What growing zone is South Mills 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 South Mills?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, September, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is South Mills getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 55% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in South Mills.
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.