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Winter Weather - Introduction

Precipitation Types Atmospheric Patterns Impacts Winter Storm Database Climatology


What is Winter Weather in North Carolina?

North Carolina winter weather consists of storms that produce snow, sleet, freezing rain or a wintry mix of multiple precipitation types. It is not uncommon to experience every mode of wintry precipitation in any given storm, due to the nature and atmospheric conditions that are commonly found in NC winter storms.

Along with wintry precipitation, NC winter weather also includes outbreaks of bitterly cold, Arctic air that can send overnight lows well into the teens and even single digits! Monthly average temperatures are the coldest in January. However, it is not uncommon to see these values much higher or lower depending on the weather pattern. Below are the coldest average highs and lows (which occur in mid-January) for Boone (located in the mountains), Raleigh (located in the piedmont), and Wilmington (located at the coast) which illustrates the amount of variation in temperatures across the state in winter.

· Boone: Normal January high: 39.3°F; Normal January low: 19.6°F

· Raleigh: Normal January high: 49.8°F; Normal January low: 29.6°F

· Wilmington: Normal January high: 56.2°F; Normal January low: 33.3°F

 

Geographic Influences

Due to NC’s proximity to the Appalachian Mountains, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf Stream, and Gulf of Mexico, various weather patterns can result in winter weather across the state.  

Frequency of Winter Weather in North Carolina

The frequency of winter weather, precipitation amounts that occur in an event, and the accompanying impacts vary significantly across the state due in large part to the influence of the Appalachian Mountains and the accompanying elevation differences ranging from the high elevations of the Appalachian mountains to the low elevations along the coast.

 
 
Average Annual NC Snowfall Events
 The number of snowfall events per year in NC varies significantly.
The Northwestern mountains see the most snowfall events annually, while the coastal regions see the fewest.

 


Average Annual NC Sleet and Freezing Rain Events

The number of sleet and freezing rain events correlate well with the strength and location of low-level cold air "wedged" against the Appalachian Mountains.
A maximum exists from Greensboro to Winston-Salem and northward.



Due to the high variability, infrequency of events, and spacial distribution,

winter weather is one of, if not the most difficult types of weather to forecast in North Carolina.



Precipitation Types Atmospheric Patterns Impacts Winter Storm Database Climatology