Bryson, NC climate
Bryson has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 7 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Bryson feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Bryson 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 | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 49° | 26° | 5.1" | 2.6" | 11 | 1 | 30° – 44° |
| February | 54° | 29° | 4.7" | 0.9" | 11 | 1 | 33° – 50° |
| March | 61° | 35° | 5.2" | 0.9" | 12 | 0 | 41° – 57° |
| April | 71° | 42° | 4.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| May | 78° | 51° | 4.0" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| June | 84° | 59° | 4.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 68° – 75° |
| July | 86° | 62° | 4.9" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 70° – 77° |
| August | 85° | 62° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 70° – 77° |
| September | 80° | 56° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| October | 71° | 44° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| November | 61° | 34° | 4.1" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| December | 52° | 29° | 5.4" | 2.0" | 11 | 1 | 30° – 51° |
| Year | 69° | 44° | 53.7" | 6.5" | 131 | 4 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Bryson
Bryson gets 54 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 131 days a year.
About 189 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 16 and the first one by October 24. That leaves about 189 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 63% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Bryson
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Bryson, 83% of that work is heating and 17% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Bryson compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Bryson averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.7°). The shift is smaller than in 94% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Bryson’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 30° to 51°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Bryson’s climate
What is the coldest month in Bryson?
January, with a typical high of 49° and a low of 26°.
What is the hottest month in Bryson?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 62°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Bryson get?
About 7 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Bryson?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 16.
What is the rainiest month in Bryson?
December, with 5.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 54 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Bryson itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Cherokee, NC (9 mi, snow) and Bryson City 4, NC (2 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.