Sanford, NC climate
Sanford has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 31°, and about 2 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Sanford feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Sanford 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 31° | 3.4" | 1.8" | 9 | 37° – 48° |
| February | 57° | 33° | 3.0" | 0.1" | 8 | 36° – 54° |
| March | 64° | 39° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 45° – 60° |
| April | 74° | 48° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 56° – 65° |
| May | 80° | 56° | 3.4" | 0 | 9 | 63° – 74° |
| June | 87° | 65° | 4.4" | 0 | 8 | 71° – 80° |
| July | 90° | 69° | 5.0" | 0 | 10 | 76° – 83° |
| August | 88° | 68° | 4.6" | 0 | 10 | 75° – 83° |
| September | 82° | 61° | 4.8" | 0 | 7 | 68° – 77° |
| October | 73° | 49° | 3.4" | 0 | 7 | 58° – 66° |
| November | 63° | 39° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 46° – 56° |
| December | 55° | 33° | 3.4" | 0.5" | 9 | 34° – 56° |
| Year | 72° | 49° | 45.9" | 2.4" | 102 |
“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 Sanford
Sanford gets 46 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 102 days a year.
About 203 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 10 and the first one by October 30. That leaves about 203 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 74% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Sanford
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Sanford, 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 Sanford 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 Sanford averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°). The shift is smaller than in 74% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Sanford’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 56°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Sanford’s climate
What is the coldest month in Sanford?
January, with a typical high of 53° and a low of 31°.
What is the hottest month in Sanford?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 69°. About 54 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Sanford get?
About 2 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Sanford?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 30, and the last spring frost by April 10.
What is the rainiest month in Sanford?
July, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Sanford itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Sanford 8 Ne, NC (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.