Chapel Hill, NC climate
Chapel Hill has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 29°, and about 3 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Chapel Hill feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Chapel Hill 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 | 52° | 29° | 3.6" | 1.5" | 11 | 0 | 35° – 47° |
| February | 55° | 32° | 3.0" | 0.9" | 10 | 0 | 34° – 51° |
| March | 63° | 38° | 4.2" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 43° – 59° |
| April | 73° | 46° | 3.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| May | 80° | 56° | 3.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| June | 87° | 64° | 4.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| July | 90° | 69° | 4.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 76° – 82° |
| August | 88° | 67° | 4.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 74° – 83° |
| September | 82° | 61° | 4.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| October | 73° | 48° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| November | 62° | 38° | 3.3" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 45° – 56° |
| December | 54° | 32° | 3.6" | 0.2" | 11 | 0 | 34° – 54° |
| Year | 72° | 48° | 46.9" | 2.8" | 124 | 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 Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill gets 47 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 124 days a year.
About 218 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 31 and the first one by November 3. That leaves about 218 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 81% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Chapel Hill
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Chapel Hill, 69% of that work is heating and 31% 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.
Chapel Hill and its neighbors
Chapel Hill borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.2°. Durham has both the coldest January nights (29°) and the hottest July afternoons (90°). Chapel Hill’s January low is 29° and its July high 90°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Chapel Hill 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 Chapel Hill averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.4°). The shift is smaller than in 61% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Chapel Hill’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 34° to 54°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Chapel Hill’s climate
What is the coldest month in Chapel Hill?
January, with a typical high of 52° and a low of 29°.
What is the hottest month in Chapel Hill?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 69°. About 44 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Chapel Hill get?
About 3 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Chapel Hill?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 3, and the last spring frost by March 31.
What is the rainiest month in Chapel Hill?
September, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Chapel Hill itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Chapel Hill 2 W, NC (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.