Lake Junaluska, NC climate
Lake Junaluska has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 11 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lake Junaluska feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lake Junaluska 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 | 46° | 25° | 4.4" | 2.6" | 11 | 3 | 28° – 41° |
| February | 51° | 28° | 3.9" | 1.6" | 11 | 2 | 31° – 48° |
| March | 58° | 33° | 4.4" | 3.0" | 13 | 1 | 38° – 54° |
| April | 67° | 40° | 4.4" | 0.4" | 11 | 0 | 49° – 58° |
| May | 75° | 49° | 4.1" | 0.3" | 12 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| June | 80° | 56° | 4.5" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| July | 83° | 60° | 4.8" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 68° – 74° |
| August | 81° | 60° | 4.1" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| September | 76° | 54° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| October | 67° | 42° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 51° – 59° |
| November | 57° | 32° | 3.6" | 0.5" | 9 | 0 | 39° – 50° |
| December | 49° | 28° | 4.5" | 2.5" | 11 | 2 | 28° – 49° |
| Year | 66° | 42° | 50.1" | 10.9" | 140 | 9 |
“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 Lake Junaluska
Lake Junaluska gets 50 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 140 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 9 days of the year.
About 167 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first one by October 14. That leaves about 167 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 64% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Lake Junaluska
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lake Junaluska, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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 Lake Junaluska 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 Lake Junaluska averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.9°). The shift is smaller than in 89% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lake Junaluska’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 28° to 49°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Lake Junaluska’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lake Junaluska?
January, with a typical high of 46° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Lake Junaluska?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 60°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lake Junaluska get?
About 11 inches in a normal winter, most of it in March.
When is the first frost in Lake Junaluska?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 14, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in Lake Junaluska?
July, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 50 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lake Junaluska itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Waynesville 1 E, NC (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.