Winston-Salem, NC climate
Winston-Salem has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 29°, and about 7 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Winston-Salem feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winston-Salem 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° | 29° | 3.6" | 2.9" | 10 | 2 | 33° – 45° |
| February | 53° | 31° | 3.0" | 2.0" | 10 | 1 | 34° – 50° |
| March | 61° | 38° | 3.8" | 0.9" | 11 | 0 | 43° – 58° |
| April | 71° | 46° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| May | 78° | 55° | 3.9" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| June | 84° | 63° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| July | 88° | 67° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 74° – 80° |
| August | 86° | 66° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 72° – 81° |
| September | 80° | 59° | 4.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 66° – 75° |
| October | 71° | 47° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 56° – 64° |
| November | 60° | 37° | 3.2" | 0.1" | 8 | 0 | 44° – 54° |
| December | 52° | 31° | 3.4" | 1.2" | 9 | 1 | 32° – 52° |
| Year | 69° | 47° | 45.1" | 7.1" | 116 | 5 |
“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 Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem gets 45 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 116 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 5 days of the year.
About 228 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 26 and the first one by November 9. That leaves about 228 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 85% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Winston-Salem
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Winston-Salem, 70% of that work is heating and 30% 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.
Winston-Salem and its neighbors
Winston-Salem borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.8°. Clemmons has the coldest January nights (28°) and Midway the hottest July afternoons (88°). Winston-Salem’s January low is 29° and its July high 88°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°). The shift is larger than in 59% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Winston-Salem’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 32° to 52°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Winston-Salem’s climate
What is the coldest month in Winston-Salem?
January, with a typical high of 49° and a low of 29°.
What is the hottest month in Winston-Salem?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 67°. About 33 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Winston-Salem get?
About 7 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Winston-Salem?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 9, and the last spring frost by March 26.
What is the rainiest month in Winston-Salem?
August, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 45 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Winston-Salem itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Piedmont Triad Intl Airport, NC (18 mi, snow) and Winston Salem Rynlds Airport, NC (3 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.