Raleigh, NC Climate & Monthly Averages
Raleigh has a humid subtropical climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 90° by day; January is the coldest at 51°.
Sunshine is a defining feature of Raleigh's climate
Raleigh is a humid subtropical city - hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. July is the warmest month at 90°F (32°C) and January the coolest at 51°F (10°C), over 50.8 inches (1290 mm) of precipitation a year.
How sun, temperature and rain fit together
Warmth peaks in July: highs of 90°F (32°C), lows of 72°F (22°C). January is the coolest month, with highs of 51°F (10°C) and lows near 34°F (1°C). Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 101°F (38°C) and the lowest daily minimum 7°F (-14°C). Three of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is April through May.
Snow falls on roughly 2 days a year, mostly January through February. Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 3 months of the year, June through August being the unbroken run. June is the brightest month at 11.6 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 9.1. Precipitation concentrates in September - 6.2 inches (158 mm) on 12 days - and thins out by October.
More climate facts for Raleigh
- Hottest month: July - highs near 90°F (32°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 51°F (10°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 101°F (38°C) high · 7°F (-14°C) low
- Wettest month: September (12 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (11.6 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 21°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 10°C
- Snow: about 2 days a year
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 3
- Average humidity: 71%
The most comfortable sunny-weather window
Best time to visit Raleigh
Aim for March to May and October to November if you get the choice: warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up, and highs average 70°F (21°C) against roughly 9 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in March.
What to pack
Pack for Raleigh with lightweight, breathable clothing and serious sun protection, a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and a compact umbrella or rain shell. July nights average 72°F (22°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 51° | 34° | 10 | 4.3 in | 6.7 h/day | 10.0 h | 31% | 69% |
| February | 56° | 38° | 10 | 3.6 in | 7.0 h/day | 10.8 h | 34% | 69% |
| March | 63° | 43° | 11 | 3.6 in | 8.1 h/day | 11.9 h | 34% | 65% |
| April | 72° | 51° | 10 | 3.9 in | 10.1 h/day | 13.1 h | 32% | 63% |
| May | 80° | 60° | 12 | 4.1 in | 10.6 h/day | 14.0 h | 37% | 69% |
| June | 86° | 68° | 12 | 4.3 in | 11.6 h/day | 14.6 h | 39% | 69% |
| July | 90° | 72° | 15 | 4.8 in | 11.5 h/day | 14.4 h | 47% | 74% |
| August | 87° | 71° | 14 | 5.1 in | 10.8 h/day | 13.5 h | 46% | 76% |
| September | 82° | 65° | 12 | 6.2 in | 9.5 h/day | 12.3 h | 40% | 76% |
| October | 72° | 55° | 7 | 3.3 in | 8.7 h/day | 11.2 h | 23% | 74% |
| November | 62° | 44° | 8 | 3.5 in | 7.8 h/day | 10.2 h | 25% | 71% |
| December | 55° | 39° | 9 | 3.9 in | 6.7 h/day | 9.7 h | 29% | 74% |
Raleigh month by month
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Raleigh's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
- Daylight
- 10.0 h
- Snow
- 1 day
February
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 7.0 h
- Daylight
- 10.8 h
March
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 8.1 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
April
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 10.1 h
- Daylight
- 13.1 h
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 14.0 h
June
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 14.6 h
July
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 11.5 h
- Daylight
- 14.4 h
August
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 13.5 h
September
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
October
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 8.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.2 h
November
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 7.8 h
- Daylight
- 10.2 h
December
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
- Daylight
- 9.7 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Raleigh's coolest part of the year: January, December, February.
Seasonal weather under Raleigh's sunnier skies
Spring (March through May)
Through spring, Raleigh is pleasantly warm: 71°F (22°C) by day, 52°F (11°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 32 of the 90 days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Raleigh brings hot afternoons, with daytime highs averaging 88°F (31°C) and nights around 70°F (21°C); rain falls on around 40 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.3 hours of sun a day. With the moisture factored in, afternoons feel hotter than the reading suggests - the humidity and dew point converter shows why.
Fall (September through November)
Through fall, Raleigh is mild and warm: 72°F (22°C) by day, 55°F (13°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 27 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter is mild here - highs near 54°F (12°C), nights near 37°F (3°C), and expect showers on roughly 28 days across the season, plus about 2 snowy days.
How unusual is Raleigh?
- Raleigh sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 62°F (16°C) as an annual average, 50.8 inches (1290 mm) of precipitation and 9.1 hours of sun a day.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.
Raleigh temperature extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.