Raleigh Weather: Humid summers, mild winters and storm watch
Is it going to drizzle, steam, or maybe something worse? Summer time is like stepping into a wet blanket and winter time is confused (not freezing, but not as mild as you might think). Here's what else is going on around Raleigh that will impact the time you spend outside.
Rachael, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Some people collect stamps. Vanessa collects zip codes. After 13 moves (including one four-day, five-kid, one-puppy odyssey from Washington to North Carolina), she’s learned that relocation is equal parts logistics and comedy. Now settled in Winston-Salem, she’s fallen for the BBQ, the breeze, and how everyone waves like they’ve known you since kindergarten. Her claim to fame? She once sat on Shamu. Her real skill? Turning past moving trauma into local wisdom and relocation knowledge. As a Snappy Scout editor, she mixes mom-level multitasking with cross-country survival instincts to help newcomers settle into the Tar Heel life without losing their minds.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What's the Weather Really Like in Raleigh?
The forecast, the fashion, and the fine print locals wish someone had told them sooner.
Summer temps be like
Surface of the sun level (low 90s but feels like 102)
Winter lows are
Adorably chilly (mid 30s, maybe a quick freeze)
The humidity makes me
Question why I even try to style my hair
Unique weather patterns
Four seasons in one week is normal here. Also, everyone panics when a half inch of snow is predicted and the entire city shuts down. Hurricane remnants occasionally swing by to ruin your weekend plans
Local weather fashion tip
Layer like an onion because it'll be 45 degrees at 7am and 72 by lunch
You know it's time to get out of town when
It's August and you've already sweat through three shirts before noon
Bugs be like
Mosquitos treat you like an all-you-can-eat buffet from May through September, and the cicadas provide an unsolicited summer soundtrack
You're stuck indoors again today because
Another surprise thunderstorm rolled in at 4pm like clockwork
Green thumb enthusiasts love
The long growing season that lets you harvest tomatoes until October and start planting again in March. Bonus: Azaleas and dogwoods explode into ridiculous color every spring
My Favorite Season in Raleigh
The first year we moved to North Carolina, Raleigh had multiple mini winter storms. Don't get me wrong, I got sick of the school shutdowns (imagine actually having to take care of my own children every day!), but there's something magical about hot cocoa at home with nowhere to go. I appreciate that no one's expected to drive on the icy roads here, unlike many other places we've lived.
— Rachael Riner
North Carolina Local Expert
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