Rocky Mount, NC climate
Rocky Mount has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 30°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade12° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 89°, and a typical Oct 1 in Rocky Mount peaks around 77°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Rocky Mount feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Rocky Mount 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 | 52° | 30° | 3.5" | 0.7" | 10 | 0 | 36° – 47° |
| February | 55° | 33° | 3.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 35° – 52° |
| March | 63° | 38° | 4.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 43° – 58° |
| April | 73° | 47° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| May | 79° | 56° | 3.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 74° |
| June | 87° | 64° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| July | 90° | 69° | 5.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 75° – 82° |
| August | 88° | 67° | 5.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 74° – 81° |
| September | 82° | 61° | 5.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 68° – 78° |
| October | 73° | 49° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 57° – 67° |
| November | 63° | 39° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 46° – 57° |
| December | 55° | 33° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 34° – 55° |
| Year | 71° | 49° | 47.1" | 0.7" | 114 | 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 Rocky Mount
Rocky Mount gets 47 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 114 days a year.
About 219 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 1 and the first one by November 5. That leaves about 219 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 82% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Rocky Mount
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Rocky Mount, 66% of that work is heating and 34% 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 Rocky Mount 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 Rocky Mount averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°). The shift is smaller than in 66% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Rocky Mount’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 34° to 55°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Rocky Mount’s climate
What is the coldest month in Rocky Mount?
January, with a typical high of 52° and a low of 30°.
What is the hottest month in Rocky Mount?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 69°. About 54 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Rocky Mount get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.7 inches.
When is the first frost in Rocky Mount?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 5, and the last spring frost by April 1.
What is the rainiest month in Rocky Mount?
September, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Rocky Mount itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Rocky Mt, NC (1 mi, snow) and Rocky Mt Wilson Airport, NC (9 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.