Pilot Mountain, NC climate
Pilot Mountain has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 28°, and about 6 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Pilot Mountain feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Pilot Mountain 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° | 28° | 3.9" | 2.5" | 9 | 2 | 31° – 44° |
| February | 52° | 30° | 3.1" | 1.8" | 10 | 1 | 33° – 48° |
| March | 60° | 37° | 4.1" | 0.6" | 11 | 0 | 43° – 57° |
| April | 70° | 44° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| May | 77° | 53° | 4.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 60° – 71° |
| June | 84° | 61° | 4.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 69° – 76° |
| July | 87° | 66° | 4.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 73° – 79° |
| August | 85° | 65° | 4.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| September | 80° | 58° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| October | 70° | 46° | 3.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 55° – 63° |
| November | 60° | 36° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 43° – 53° |
| December | 51° | 30° | 4.0" | 1.3" | 11 | 1 | 31° – 51° |
| Year | 69° | 46° | 48.8" | 6.2" | 128 | 4 |
“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 Pilot Mountain
Pilot Mountain gets 49 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 128 days a year.
About 209 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 6 and the first one by October 31. That leaves about 209 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 78% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Pilot Mountain
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Pilot Mountain, 76% of that work is heating and 24% 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 Pilot Mountain 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 Pilot Mountain averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°). The shift is larger than in 63% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Pilot Mountain’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 51°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Pilot Mountain’s climate
What is the coldest month in Pilot Mountain?
January, with a typical high of 48° and a low of 28°.
What is the hottest month in Pilot Mountain?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 66°. About 24 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Pilot Mountain get?
About 6 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Pilot Mountain?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 31, and the last spring frost by April 6.
What is the rainiest month in Pilot Mountain?
July, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 49 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Pilot Mountain itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at King, NC (9 mi, snow) and Rural Hall, NC (14 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.