Elon, NC climate
Elon has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 30°, and about 2 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Elon feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Elon 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 | 50° | 30° | 3.5" | 1.1" | 10 | 1 | 35° – 46° |
| February | 54° | 32° | 2.8" | 0.4" | 9 | 1 | 34° – 50° |
| March | 62° | 38° | 4.0" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 44° – 58° |
| April | 71° | 46° | 3.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 54° – 63° |
| May | 78° | 55° | 3.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| June | 85° | 64° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 71° – 79° |
| July | 89° | 68° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 75° – 82° |
| August | 87° | 67° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 73° – 82° |
| September | 81° | 60° | 4.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| October | 71° | 48° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| November | 61° | 38° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 44° – 56° |
| December | 53° | 33° | 3.4" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 34° – 54° |
| Year | 70° | 48° | 44.8" | 1.8" | 116 | 2 |
“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 Elon
Elon gets 45 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 116 days a year.
About 226 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 29 and the first one by November 9. That leaves about 226 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 84% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Elon
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Elon, 67% of that work is heating and 33% 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.
Elon and its neighbors
Elon borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.2°. Gibsonville has the coldest January nights (30°) and Burlington the hottest July afternoons (89°). Elon’s January low is 30° and its July high 89°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Elon 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 Elon averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°). The shift is smaller than in 52% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Elon’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 Elon’s climate
What is the coldest month in Elon?
January, with a typical high of 50° and a low of 30°.
What is the hottest month in Elon?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 68°. About 50 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Elon get?
About 2 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Elon?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 9, and the last spring frost by March 29.
What is the rainiest month in Elon?
September, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 45 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Elon itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Graham 2 Ene, NC (8 mi, snow) and Burlington Fire Stn #5, NC (4 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.