Raleigh, NC Climate


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United States / North Carolina / Durham-Chapel Hill Metro Area / Wake County / Raleigh / Zip Codes
Raleigh, NC has a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. Summers in the city are hot and humid, with temperatures often reaching into the 90s (F) and plenty of sunshine. Winters are mild, with temperatures rarely getting below freezing. Spring and fall are pleasant times of year to visit Raleigh, as temperatures remain mild and sunny days make for excellent outdoor activities. Rainfall is abundant throughout the year, providing plenty of lush greenery in all directions.

Raleigh, North Carolina gets 46 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Raleigh averages 4 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 213 sunny days per year in Raleigh. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Raleigh gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 108 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.

Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 90 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 30
Rain: averages 46 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 4 inches of snow a year

Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Raleigh is 7.5 (10=best), which means it is more comfortable than most places in North Carolina.

6.7 Summer - 6.7 Winter
May, September and October are the most pleasant months in Raleigh, while July and January are the least comfortable months.

  ClimateRaleigh, North CarolinaUnited States
  45.8 in.38.1 in.
  3.7 in.27.8 in.
  108.3 days106.2 days
  213 days205 days
  89.5°85.8°
  29.9°21.7°
  7.57
  4.94.3
  315 ft.2443 ft.
Climate
YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for Raleigh with an average high temperature of 89.5°, which ranks it as warmer than most places in North Carolina. In Raleigh, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Raleigh are May, September and April.
In Raleigh, there are 40.6 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in North Carolina.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Raleigh with an average of 29.9°. This is about average compared to other places in North Carolina.
In Raleigh, there are 65.7 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is about average compared to other places in North Carolina.
In Raleigh, there are 0.0 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is about average compared to other places in North Carolina.
Humidity in Raleigh can be uncomfortable during the summer, but comfortable for most of the year. The most uncomfortably humid months are July, August and June. The humid season runs from June-September and the most comfortable months are October-May.
August is the wettest month in Raleigh with 4.6 inches of rain, and the driest month is April with 3.1 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 29% of yearly precipitation and 23% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 45.8 inches in Raleigh means that it is drier than most places in North Carolina.
July is the rainiest month in Raleigh with 10.6 days of rain, and October is the driest month with only 7.0 rainy days. There are 108.3 rainy days annually in Raleigh, which is less rainy than most places in North Carolina. The rainiest season is Autumn when it rains 28% of the time and the driest is Winter with only a 21% chance of a rainy day.
An annual snowfall of 3.7 inches in Raleigh means that it is snowier than most places in North Carolina. January is the snowiest month in Raleigh with 1.9 inches of snow, and 3 months of the year have significant snowfall.
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Janie · Raleigh, NC
Feels like a town, amenities of a city
Over 1 years ago

I moved to Raleigh in 2018. Before that, I lived in Orange County CA, Boulder CO, South Africa, Northern California, Arizona, and Toronto. I say all this to give  More

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Jaylin · Raleigh, NC
Great for most, but not for..
Over 1 years ago

Excellent for a great many people or categories of people. As far as prices: ratio of wage and job opportunity here with housing remains one of the better ones in the  More

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Kevin · Raleigh, NC
My Blue Heaven
Over 1 years ago

I attended university here in the early 90s and came back around 2005 and never left. I'm surprised at the other negative reviews honestly. Yes, housing is pricey in  More

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