Charlotte gets about 208 inches of snow a winter, more than all but 9 U.S. towns
High summer brings afternoon highs near 78°. By July afternoons alone, it runs cooler than 96% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 1.1° above 1901–2000. For walks and days out, the stretch from May to September brings highs of 67–78°.
A year in Charlotte at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Charlotte’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Charlotte’s place in New York beside it.
What a year in Charlotte feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 158 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 8 and the first by October 13. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Jamestown 4 Ene, NY, 14 miles from the town’s center, 420 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Charlotte’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −9°. 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 208 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Perrysburg, NY, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 47 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 126 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Charlotte
94% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Jamestown 4 Ene, NY.
Living with Charlotte’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
158 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by May 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 Oct 13.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 18 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Charlotte from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (84%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 4%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Charlotte and its neighbors
Cherry Creek the hottest July afternoons (80°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Charlotte’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NY | 15° | 78° | 47" | 208" |
| Jericho, VT | 9° | 79° | 43" | 139" |
| Truckee, CA | 19° | 82° | 35" | 183" |
| Incline Village, NV | 22° | 73° | 38" | 179" |
| Ishpeming, MI | 5° | 77° | 33" | 197" |
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 Charlotte averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°).
A smaller shift than in 71% 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 Charlotte compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Charlotte’s place among New York’s.
Charlotte weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Charlotte’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Perrysburg, NY. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 15° | 3.6" | 66.0" | 15 | 25 | 14° – 32° |
| February | 32° | 15° | 2.7" | 46.3" | 10 | 25 | 8° – 32° |
| March | 41° | 22° | 3.1" | 21.9" | 9 | 18 | 24° – 44° |
| April | 55° | 34° | 3.6" | 6.7" | 11 | 2 | 38° – 50° |
| May | 67° | 45° | 3.8" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 49° – 62° |
| June | 75° | 54° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| July | 78° | 58° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| August | 77° | 56° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| September | 70° | 50° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| October | 58° | 41° | 4.7" | 0.3" | 13 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| November | 46° | 30° | 4.0" | 15.7" | 10 | 6 | 32° – 45° |
| December | 35° | 21° | 4.3" | 51.3" | 14 | 19 | 19° – 39° |
| Year | 55° | 37° | 47.1" | 208.3" | 126 | 96 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 8° to 32°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Charlotte’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 Charlotte’s center.
- Snow: Perrysburg, NY.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Jamestown 4 Ene, NY, 14 miles from the town’s center, 420 ft lower; 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 Charlotte’s climate
What is the weather like in Charlotte?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 208 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 86% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Charlotte in winter?
January nights average 15°. About 152 nights a year reach 32° or below and 9 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 14°.
How much snow does Charlotte get?
About 208 inches in a normal winter at Perrysburg, NY, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 96 days a year.
How hot does it get in Charlotte?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 58°. About 5 days a year reach 90° (Jamestown 4 Ene, NY).
When is the first and last frost in Charlotte?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 8 and the first fall frost by October 13, about 158 frost-free days, at Jamestown 4 Ene, NY.
What growing zone is Charlotte in?
Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −9°.
What is the best time of year to visit Charlotte?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Charlotte getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 71% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Charlotte.
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.