Nags Head, NC climate
Nags Head has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 35°, and about 1 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Nags Head feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Nags Head 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 | 51° | 35° | 3.9" | 0.7" | 8 | 0 | 37° – 50° |
| February | 53° | 36° | 3.3" | 0.4" | 8 | 0 | 34° – 52° |
| March | 59° | 42° | 3.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 45° – 58° |
| April | 68° | 51° | 3.2" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| May | 75° | 59° | 3.4" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| June | 83° | 68° | 4.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| July | 86° | 73° | 5.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 76° – 82° |
| August | 85° | 72° | 5.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 76° – 81° |
| September | 81° | 68° | 5.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 71° – 77° |
| October | 72° | 58° | 4.3" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| November | 62° | 47° | 3.5" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 50° – 59° |
| December | 55° | 39° | 3.6" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 37° – 59° |
| Year | 69° | 54° | 50.1" | 1.1" | 87 | 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 Nags Head
Nags Head gets 50 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and April the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 87 days a year.
About 266 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 15 and the first one by December 6. That leaves about 266 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 92% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Nags Head
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Nags Head, 63% of that work is heating and 37% 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.
How Nags Head 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 Nags Head averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.0°). The shift is smaller than in 73% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Nags Head’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 37° to 59°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Nags Head’s climate
What is the coldest month in Nags Head?
January, with a typical high of 51° and a low of 35°.
What is the hottest month in Nags Head?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 73°. About 21 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Nags Head get?
About 1 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Nags Head?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by December 6, and the last spring frost by March 15.
What is the rainiest month in Nags Head?
July, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 50 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Nags Head itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Manteo Airport, NC (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.