North Carolina's climate is varying, from the Atlantic coast in the east to the Appalachian Mountain range in the west. The mountains often act as a "shield", blocking low temperatures and storms from the Midwest from entering the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of North Carolina.[1]
Most of the state has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa), except in the higher elevations of the Appalachians which have a subtropical highland climate (Köppen Cfb).
The USDA Hardiness Zones for the state range from Zone 5B (-15 °F to -10 °F) in the mountains to Zone 9A (20 °F to 25 °F) along the easternmost portions of the coast.[2] For most areas in the state, the temperatures in July during the daytime are approximately 90 °F (32 °C). In January, the average daytime temperatures can widely vary across the state, ranging from approximately 40 °F (4 °C) in the higher elevations of the Appalachians, near 50 °F (10 °C) in the Piedmont region, and close to 60 °F (16 °C) along the southeastern coastal areas of the state.[3]
- ^ North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State. North Carolina Climate & Geography. Archived 2006-11-04 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2008-01-13.
- ^ "North Carolina USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map". USDA. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ U.S. Travel Weather. North Carolina Weather. Retrieved on 2008-01-13. Archived January 29, 2008, at the Wayback Machine