Charlotte has cold winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 29 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Charlotte at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What a year in Charlotte feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
29 inches of snow, 38 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 94 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 171 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 25 and the first by October 14.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Charlotte’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
171 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 25 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 14.
About 29" a winter over 10 days with an inch or more, most in January.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 90% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 10 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 84°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August, September and October.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Charlotte averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°).
A smaller shift than in 79% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Charlotte compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Iowa.
Charlotte weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 13° | 1.4" | 8.7" | 7 | 12° – 33° |
| February | 33° | 17° | 1.7" | 6.8" | 6 | 11° – 37° |
| March | 47° | 28° | 2.4" | 4.7" | 7 | 29° – 52° |
| April | 60° | 38° | 3.8" | 0.9" | 10 | 40° – 56° |
| May | 71° | 50° | 4.4" | 0 | 11 | 55° – 67° |
| June | 81° | 60° | 5.0" | 0 | 9 | 67° – 74° |
| July | 84° | 64° | 4.2" | 0 | 8 | 67° – 80° |
| August | 82° | 61° | 4.1" | 0 | 8 | 66° – 78° |
| September | 75° | 53° | 3.8" | 0 | 7 | 58° – 69° |
| October | 63° | 41° | 2.9" | 0.2" | 7 | 47° – 57° |
| November | 47° | 30° | 2.3" | 1.4" | 7 | 31° – 48° |
| December | 34° | 19° | 1.9" | 6.0" | 7 | 12° – 37° |
| Year | 59° | 39° | 37.7" | 28.7" | 94 |
Heating and cooling a home in Charlotte
90% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 11° to 37°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Charlotte’s climate
What is the coldest month in Charlotte?
January, with a typical high of 29° and a low of 13°.
What is the hottest month in Charlotte?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 64°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Charlotte get?
About 29 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Charlotte?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 14, and the last spring frost by April 25.
What is the rainiest month in Charlotte?
June, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Charlotte.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Charlotte itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at De Witt, IA (11 mi, snow) and Maquoketa, IA (13 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.