The climate of North Carolina (United
States of America)
The state of North Carolina is located along the east coast of the
United States. The state has always been home to Indians including the
Cherokee. A large part of the original inhabitants were forced to move
to Oklahoma around 1830. However, a part managed to stay in North
Carolina while others moved back later. North Carolina has a warm
maritime climate (type Cfa according to the Köppen climate
classification) with warm summers, mild winters and no distinct wet or
dry season.
The climate of North Carolina is very favorable for
the cultivation of tobacco, soy beans, cotton and melons. These
agricultural products are mainly cultivated on the flat lands which
can be found in the eastern part of the state. The central part of
North Carolina, which is also known as the Piedmont region has a
slightly bleaker climate which is caused by the fact that the Atlantic
Ocean has less influence here. Because of this, summers are warmer and
winters are colder here than along the coast. The coldest part of the
state is the west where the Appalachians can be found. This is mainly
caused by the altitudes here. In some places the mountains are 2
kilometers high. This part of the state can also record the most
snowfall which may cause a lot of inconvenience. During a snowstorm in
1993, which lasted three days 150 centimeters of snow fell on Mount
Mitchell.
During the summer heat waves can be recorded on a
regular basis. During a heat wave temperatures are well above 30
degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) for a few days in a row. In
July and August temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees
Fahrenheit) can be recorded locally. During the winter, when cold air
from the Arctic is supplied temperatures may drop far below zero,
especially in the interior. During the winter glazed frost is not
uncommon in the central part of North Carolina. Another phenomenon
which may occur in North Carolina are hurricanes. North Carolina gets
hit by a hurricane once every 10 years on average. A hurricane may
form here during hurricane season which is from July till December.
Tropical storms may also cause tornadoes in North Carolina. On average
the state gets hit by a tornado about 20 times per year. However,
during some years more tornadoes can be recorded. In 2011 for
instance, at least 25 tornadoes have been recorded. These storms
caused at least 24 casualties during that year.
Climate information of places in North Carolina
The climate information given on this page is only brief. Specific
information on weather and climate can be found on the pages per
region or city. The following climate information is available for
North Carolina:
Climate information
Throughout North Carolina several climate figures and temperatures can
be recorded. The figures below are for Raleigh and cannot be seen as
an average for this state. For climate figures for other places and
regions in North Carolina please, visit the individual climate pages.
More climate information
Climate tables are useful but they don’t give an overall picture of
the climate and possible weather conditions during a period of time.
How high the chances are of hot or cold weather or hurricanes can
often not be found in these tables. This is why we offer extra climate
information per month. The figures below apply to Raleigh. For climate
figures on specific regions and places please, visit the relevant
individual climate pages
Disclaimer
The information at this site was carefully composed from climate data collected by meteorological services, meteorological offices, climate experts and other sources. “More climate info” is based on statistics, climate data and personal experience. No rights can be derived from this site. Weather has no memory and gives no guaranties. Nothing is as changeable and unpredictable as the weather. The authors of this site feel in no way responsible for any damages caused by misinterpretation or other circumstances that may influence your holiday or trip to a certain destination. We provide information, it’s up to the reader to use it to it’s benefit.
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