Etowah, NC climate
Etowah has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 27°, and about 7 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Etowah feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Etowah 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 | 48° | 27° | 5.4" | 2.3" | 11 | 1 | 29° – 44° |
| February | 52° | 30° | 4.5" | 0.8" | 11 | 0 | 32° – 49° |
| March | 59° | 36° | 5.2" | 0.9" | 12 | 0 | 40° – 56° |
| April | 68° | 43° | 5.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 51° – 59° |
| May | 75° | 51° | 4.8" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| June | 81° | 59° | 5.1" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| July | 84° | 63° | 5.1" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 70° – 77° |
| August | 82° | 62° | 5.9" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 69° – 76° |
| September | 77° | 56° | 5.2" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| October | 68° | 45° | 4.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 53° – 60° |
| November | 58° | 34° | 4.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 42° – 52° |
| December | 50° | 30° | 5.3" | 2.7" | 11 | 1 | 31° – 50° |
| Year | 67° | 45° | 60.9" | 6.7" | 148 | 3 |
“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 Etowah
Etowah gets 61 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 148 days a year.
About 186 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 19 and the first one by October 23. That leaves about 186 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 59% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Etowah
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Etowah, 84% of that work is heating and 16% 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.
Etowah and its neighbors
Etowah borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.0°. Mills River has both the coldest January nights (27°) and the hottest July afternoons (84°). Etowah’s January low is 27° and its July high 84°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Etowah 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 Etowah averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.0°). The shift is smaller than in 74% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Etowah’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 31° to 50°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Etowah’s climate
What is the coldest month in Etowah?
January, with a typical high of 48° and a low of 27°.
What is the hottest month in Etowah?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 63°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Etowah get?
About 7 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Etowah?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 23, and the last spring frost by April 19.
What is the rainiest month in Etowah?
August, with 5.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 61 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Etowah itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Pisgah Forest 3 Ne, NC (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.