Chapel Hill, TN climate
Chapel Hill has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 29°, and about 1 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Chapel Hill feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Chapel Hill 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° | 4.6" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 30° – 46° |
| February | 53° | 31° | 5.1" | 0.2" | 12 | 0 | 32° – 51° |
| March | 62° | 38° | 5.4" | 0.7" | 12 | 0 | 43° – 60° |
| April | 72° | 46° | 5.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| May | 79° | 55° | 4.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| June | 87° | 64° | 4.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| July | 90° | 67° | 4.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 74° – 82° |
| August | 89° | 65° | 3.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 72° – 84° |
| September | 84° | 58° | 4.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 67° – 78° |
| October | 73° | 47° | 3.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| November | 61° | 37° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 43° – 54° |
| December | 52° | 31° | 5.4" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 31° – 52° |
| Year | 71° | 47° | 54.5" | 1.1" | 128 | 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 Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill gets 55 inches of rain and melted snow a year. March is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 128 days a year.
About 204 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 7 and the first one by October 29. That leaves about 204 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 75% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Chapel Hill
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Chapel Hill, 69% of that work is heating and 31% 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 Chapel Hill 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 Chapel Hill averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.6°). The shift is smaller than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Chapel Hill’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 8°.
Common questions about Chapel Hill’s climate
What is the coldest month in Chapel Hill?
January, with a typical high of 49° and a low of 29°.
What is the hottest month in Chapel Hill?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 67°. About 49 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Chapel Hill get?
About 1 inches in a normal winter, most of it in March.
When is the first frost in Chapel Hill?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 29, and the last spring frost by April 7.
What is the rainiest month in Chapel Hill?
March, with 5.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 55 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Chapel Hill itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Shelbyville Water Dept, TN (15 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.