Old Fort, NC climate
Old Fort has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, 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 Old Fort feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Old Fort 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 | 49° | 27° | 4.5" | 1.9" | 9 | 0 | 31° – 44° |
| February | 53° | 30° | 3.8" | 2.1" | 8 | 0 | 32° – 51° |
| March | 61° | 36° | 4.6" | 1.4" | 10 | 0 | 40° – 58° |
| April | 71° | 43° | 4.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| May | 78° | 51° | 4.9" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| June | 84° | 60° | 4.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| July | 87° | 64° | 5.1" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 72° – 79° |
| August | 86° | 63° | 5.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 71° – 78° |
| September | 80° | 57° | 5.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| October | 70° | 45° | 4.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 54° – 62° |
| November | 60° | 35° | 4.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| December | 52° | 30° | 4.4" | 1.7" | 9 | 1 | 31° – 52° |
| Year | 69° | 45° | 56.0" | 7.1" | 119 | 1 |
“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 Old Fort
Old Fort gets 56 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 119 days a year.
About 183 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 21 and the first one by October 23. That leaves about 183 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 56% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Old Fort
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Old Fort, 83% of that work is heating and 17% 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 Old Fort 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 Old Fort averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°). The shift is smaller than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Old Fort’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 52°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Old Fort’s climate
What is the coldest month in Old Fort?
January, with a typical high of 49° and a low of 27°.
What is the hottest month in Old Fort?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 64°. About 11 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Old Fort get?
About 7 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Old Fort?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 23, and the last spring frost by April 21.
What is the rainiest month in Old Fort?
August, with 5.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 56 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Old Fort itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Marion, NC (10 mi, snow) and Old Ft Ag 3 W, 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.