Roan Mountain, TN climate
Roan Mountain has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 48 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Roan Mountain feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Roan 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 | 44° | 25° | 4.0" | 12.6" | 17 | 11 | 27° – 41° |
| February | 47° | 27° | 3.5" | 11.2" | 15 | 8 | 27° – 46° |
| March | 55° | 33° | 4.0" | 8.6" | 15 | 5 | 35° – 53° |
| April | 65° | 40° | 4.2" | 0.9" | 14 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| May | 71° | 48° | 4.6" | 0 | 17 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| June | 78° | 56° | 4.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| July | 81° | 59° | 5.3" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 66° – 73° |
| August | 80° | 58° | 4.1" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| September | 75° | 52° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| October | 65° | 41° | 3.2" | 1.0" | 11 | 0 | 50° – 57° |
| November | 55° | 32° | 3.3" | 3.2" | 11 | 2 | 37° – 49° |
| December | 47° | 28° | 3.9" | 10.7" | 16 | 6 | 26° – 48° |
| Year | 63° | 41° | 48.3" | 48.2" | 170 | 32 |
“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 Roan Mountain
Roan Mountain gets 48 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 170 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 32 days of the year.
About 165 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first one by October 12. That leaves about 165 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 65% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Roan Mountain
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Roan Mountain, 93% of that work is heating and 7% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
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 Roan 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 Roan Mountain averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°). The shift is smaller than in 59% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Roan 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 26° to 48°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Roan Mountain’s climate
What is the coldest month in Roan Mountain?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Roan Mountain?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 59°.
How much snow does Roan Mountain get?
About 48 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Roan Mountain?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 12, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in Roan Mountain?
July, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 48 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Roan Mountain itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Flat Springs 1e, NC (10 mi, snow) and Roan Mtn 3sw, TN (2 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.