More precipitation falls on Waves than on 94% of U.S. towns: 56 inches a year
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 86°. Winter and summer sit 48° apart. In January, nights here are milder than in 85% of U.S. towns. Radiators earn their keep from December to February, the months that average under 50°.
A year in Waves at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Waves’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Waves’ place in North Carolina beside it.
What a year in Waves feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 292 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 1 and the first by December 20. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Frisco 2nne, NC, 23 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Waves’ center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 24°. 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 56 inches of rain a year
September is the wettest month and April the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Waves
52% 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 Frisco 2nne, NC.
Living with Waves’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
292 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Mar 1 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 20.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June, September, October and November. 1.3 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Waves from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (82%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Waves and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Waves yet.
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 Waves averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.0°).
A smaller shift than in 82% 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 Waves compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Waves’ place among North Carolina’s.
Waves weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Waves’ center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 38° | 4.4" | 39° – 51° |
| February | 54° | 39° | 3.8" | 37° – 54° |
| March | 59° | 44° | 4.1" | 47° – 58° |
| April | 68° | 53° | 3.6" | 56° – 66° |
| May | 75° | 61° | 4.0" | 63° – 73° |
| June | 83° | 70° | 4.6" | 71° – 80° |
| July | 86° | 74° | 5.4" | 77° – 82° |
| August | 85° | 73° | 6.1" | 76° – 82° |
| September | 81° | 69° | 6.4" | 73° – 80° |
| October | 73° | 60° | 4.8" | 63° – 73° |
| November | 63° | 49° | 4.1" | 51° – 61° |
| December | 57° | 43° | 4.2" | 39° – 61° |
| Year | 70° | 56° | 55.5" |
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 61°. July is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Waves’ 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 Waves’ center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Frisco 2nne, NC, 23 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 Waves’ climate
What is the weather like in Waves?
A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 38°. Milder January nights than 85% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 54% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Waves in winter?
January nights average 38°. About 17 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 39°.
How hot does it get in Waves?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 74°. About 11 days a year reach 90° (Frisco 2nne, NC).
When is the first and last frost in Waves?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 1 and the first fall frost by December 20, about 292 frost-free days, at Frisco 2nne, NC.
What growing zone is Waves in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 24°.
What is the best time of year to visit Waves?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, June, September, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Waves getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 82% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Waves.
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.