Cape Carteret, NC climate
Cape Carteret has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 36°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Cape Carteret feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Cape Carteret 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 | 56° | 36° | 4.1" | 0.4" | 10 | 0 | 40° – 52° |
| February | 59° | 38° | 3.6" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 39° – 57° |
| March | 65° | 43° | 3.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| April | 72° | 52° | 3.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| May | 79° | 60° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| June | 85° | 69° | 5.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 73° – 82° |
| July | 88° | 73° | 6.5" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 77° – 83° |
| August | 87° | 71° | 7.3" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 77° – 82° |
| September | 83° | 67° | 7.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 72° – 79° |
| October | 75° | 55° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| November | 66° | 45° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| December | 59° | 39° | 4.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 38° – 61° |
| Year | 73° | 54° | 58.0" | 0.6" | 128 | 0 |
“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 Cape Carteret
Cape Carteret gets 58 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and April the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 128 days a year.
About 236 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 26 and the first one by November 16. That leaves about 236 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 87% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Cape Carteret
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Cape Carteret, 62% of that work is heating and 38% is cooling.
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.
Cape Carteret and its neighbors
Cape Carteret borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.3°. Bogue has the coldest January nights (35°) and Peletier the hottest July afternoons (88°). Cape Carteret’s January low is 36° and its July high 88°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Cape Carteret 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 Cape Carteret averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°). The shift is smaller than in 58% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Cape Carteret’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 38° to 61°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Common questions about Cape Carteret’s climate
What is the coldest month in Cape Carteret?
January, with a typical high of 56° and a low of 36°.
What is the hottest month in Cape Carteret?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 73°. About 18 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Cape Carteret get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.6 inches.
When is the first frost in Cape Carteret?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 16, and the last spring frost by March 26.
What is the rainiest month in Cape Carteret?
September, with 7.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 58 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Cape Carteret itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at New River Mcaf, NC (18 mi, snow) and Newport/morehead City Wfo, NC (12 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.