Fontana Dam, NC climate
Fontana Dam has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 27°, and about 9 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Fontana Dam feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Fontana Dam 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° | 5.3" | 3.2" | 14 | 3 | 29° – 44° |
| February | 52° | 30° | 5.1" | 3.5" | 13 | 2 | 31° – 50° |
| March | 60° | 36° | 5.5" | 0.9" | 14 | 1 | 40° – 57° |
| April | 69° | 43° | 4.6" | 0.2" | 13 | 0 | 52° – 60° |
| May | 76° | 51° | 4.3" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| June | 82° | 59° | 5.4" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| July | 85° | 63° | 4.6" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 71° – 77° |
| August | 85° | 62° | 4.5" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| September | 80° | 56° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| October | 70° | 44° | 3.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 54° – 62° |
| November | 59° | 34° | 4.6" | 0.3" | 11 | 0 | 41° – 52° |
| December | 51° | 30° | 5.3" | 1.3" | 14 | 1 | 30° – 51° |
| Year | 68° | 45° | 56.8" | 9.4" | 157 | 8 |
“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 Fontana Dam
Fontana Dam gets 57 inches of rain and melted snow a year. March is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 157 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 8 days of the year.
About 193 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 17 and the first one by October 27. That leaves about 193 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 67% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Fontana Dam
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Fontana Dam, 81% of that work is heating and 19% 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 Fontana Dam 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 Fontana Dam averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.7°). The shift is smaller than in 93% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Fontana Dam’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°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Fontana Dam’s climate
What is the coldest month in Fontana Dam?
January, with a typical high of 48° and a low of 27°.
What is the hottest month in Fontana Dam?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 63°. About 35 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Fontana Dam get?
About 9 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Fontana Dam?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 27, and the last spring frost by April 17.
What is the rainiest month in Fontana Dam?
March, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 57 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Fontana Dam itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Townsend 5s, TN (12 mi, snow) and Tapoco, NC (6 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.