Chapel Hill climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Chapel Hill?

Chapel Hill has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 15.5 °C and it receives 1,105 mm of precipitation per year.

Q: What is the hottest day ever recorded in Chapel Hill?

The hottest day measured in Chapel Hill between 1940 and 2025 was 29 June 2012, reaching 41.0 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Chapel Hill?

The coldest day measured in Chapel Hill between 1940 and 2025 was 21 January 1985, at -20.5 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Chapel Hill?

Yes. Chapel Hill gets on average 17.7 cm of snow per year and has around 48 frost days.

Q: Has the climate of Chapel Hill warmed?

Yes: Chapel Hill warmed by +1.2 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Chapel Hill?

The wettest day measured in Chapel Hill between 1940 and 2025 was 28 December 1958, with 123 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Chapel Hill?

The windiest day measured in Chapel Hill between 1940 and 2025 was 6 September 1996, with winds reaching 57.1 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Chapel Hill?

The warmest month in Chapel Hill is July (25.8 °C on average); the coldest is January (4.7 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Chapel Hill?

Chapel Hill receives on average 1,105 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 122 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Chapel Hill?

Chapel Hill gets on average 9.1 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,322 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Chapel Hill (United States) has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 15.5 °C and it receives 1,105 mm of precipitation per year.

These figures are normals computed over 86 complete calendar years, from 1940 to 2025, using ERA5 reanalysis data from the Copernicus programme.

The warmest month is July (25.8 °C on average) and the coldest is January (4.7 °C). Rainfall peaks in July.

Chapel Hill averages 48 frost days, 65 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 122 rainy days per year.

Chapel Hill has warmed by +1.2 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.14 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The number of frost days there went from about 53 to 43 per year over the period.

The hottest day of the period reached 41.0 °C (on 29 June 2012) and the coldest -20.5 °C (on 21 January 1985).

Data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus Climate Change Service), redistributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. Normals are recomputed whenever the archive is updated.

Climate normals · ERA5

Chapel HillNorth Carolina

coords: 35.91°, -79.06°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

CfaHumid subtropicalWarmest monthJulyColdest monthJanuaryWettest monthJulyDriest monthOctober

Mean daily temperature

15.5°C

Average daily high

20.9°C

Average daily low

10.9°C

Annual rainfall

1,105mm

Sunshine / day

9.1h

Mean relative humidity

70%

Average peak wind

14.8km/h

Seasonal range

21.1°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

48 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

65 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

122 d/yr

Annual snowfall

17.7 cm

Average feels-like high

20.7 °C

Average feels-like low

9.5 °C

Average peak gust

34.6 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

76 d/yr

Solar radiation

15.8 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+1.2 °C

since 1940

+0.1 °C per decade · r² = 0.28 · p = < 0.001

19402025

Trend fitted by linear regression (ordinary least squares) on annual means. A trend is shown only when it is statistically significant (p < 0.05).

A climograph overlays rainfall (bars) and temperature (line): the standard reading in climatology, where you can see at a glance whether the warm season is also the dry one.

Records for the period

Hottest day

41.0 °C

29 June 2012

Coldest day

-20.5 °C

21 January 1985

Wettest day

123 mm

28 December 1958

Windiest day

57.1 km/h

6 September 1996

Strongest gust

139.3 km/h

6 September 1996

Hottest feels-like

44.2 °C

29 June 2012

Coldest feels-like

-26.9 °C

21 January 1985

Snowiest day

30.5 cm

1 March 1969

Sunniest day

14.1 h

20 June 2025

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days	Frost days
2025	37.2 °C25 June 2025	-9.7 °C23 January 2025	16.0 °C	1,110 mm	70	51
2024	36.5 °C26 June 2024	-7.2 °C21 January 2024	16.5 °C	1,291 mm	63	33
2023	35.7 °C6 September 2023	-4.6 °C29 November 2023	16.9 °C	971 mm	70	25
2022	36.7 °C17 June 2022	-13.1 °C24 December 2022	16.2 °C	1,183 mm	79	52
2021	35.9 °C28 August 2021	-4.7 °C29 January 2021	16.5 °C	1,055 mm	75	34
2020	36.9 °C19 July 2020	-5.5 °C26 December 2020	16.9 °C	1,653 mm	72	25
2019	36.3 °C3 October 2019	-7.4 °C21 January 2019	17.0 °C	1,107 mm	103	29
2018	36.0 °C19 June 2018	-13.7 °C7 January 2018	16.3 °C	1,508 mm	85	45
2017	36.2 °C18 August 2017	-14.9 °C9 January 2017	16.8 °C	1,070 mm	72	36
2016	36.0 °C26 July 2016	-8.8 °C14 February 2016	16.5 °C	1,216 mm	80	43
2015	37.3 °C16 June 2015	-14.3 °C20 February 2015	16.4 °C	1,181 mm	81	44
2014	35.4 °C8 July 2014	-13.2 °C7 January 2014	15.1 °C	1,000 mm	59	56
2013	36.1 °C13 June 2013	-6.2 °C25 November 2013	15.5 °C	1,137 mm	77	47
2012	41.0 °C29 June 2012	-6.3 °C4 January 2012	16.7 °C	861 mm	67	22
2011	38.5 °C23 July 2011	-7.1 °C23 January 2011	16.7 °C	801 mm	97	38
2010	37.9 °C7 July 2010	-9.7 °C1 February 2010	15.9 °C	992 mm	109	70
2009	35.9 °C10 August 2009	-13.3 °C17 January 2009	15.5 °C	1,212 mm	59	48
2008	37.2 °C9 June 2008	-7.3 °C21 January 2008	15.8 °C	1,071 mm	60	42
2007	38.2 °C9 August 2007	-8.6 °C6 February 2007	16.7 °C	702 mm	95	43
2006	36.7 °C4 August 2006	-7.6 °C9 December 2006	16.1 °C	1,115 mm	61	31
2005	38.4 °C27 July 2005	-9.8 °C24 January 2005	15.9 °C	1,018 mm	74	51
2004	35.8 °C14 July 2004	-10.3 °C20 December 2004	15.6 °C	1,081 mm	48	53
2003	33.6 °C9 July 2003	-10.1 °C24 January 2003	15.0 °C	1,424 mm	47	50
2002	37.0 °C23 August 2002	-6.9 °C5 January 2002	15.9 °C	1,084 mm	71	46
2001	35.2 °C8 August 2001	-6.6 °C3 January 2001	15.9 °C	858 mm	44	40
2000	34.3 °C16 August 2000	-13.3 °C28 January 2000	14.9 °C	989 mm	44	56
1999	37.9 °C1 August 1999	-8.2 °C6 January 1999	16.0 °C	1,186 mm	53	40
1998	36.8 °C27 June 1998	-6.5 °C1 January 1998	16.5 °C	1,197 mm	86	27
1997	36.1 °C4 July 1997	-10.3 °C19 January 1997	15.0 °C	1,034 mm	51	39
1996	35.6 °C23 June 1996	-19.2 °C5 February 1996	14.7 °C	1,436 mm	51	65
1995	36.2 °C13 August 1995	-9.0 °C6 February 1995	15.4 °C	1,192 mm	53	54
1994	34.9 °C16 June 1994	-15.6 °C19 January 1994	15.6 °C	1,232 mm	52	38
1993	37.3 °C10 July 1993	-7.4 °C15 March 1993	15.7 °C	1,187 mm	85	48
1992	38.4 °C13 July 1992	-7.0 °C25 December 1992	15.2 °C	1,209 mm	51	37
1991	36.9 °C23 July 1991	-9.0 °C16 February 1991	16.5 °C	1,069 mm	78	38
1990	37.4 °C5 July 1990	-7.0 °C26 February 1990	17.0 °C	1,023 mm	80	22
1989	36.1 °C2 June 1989	-11.6 °C23 December 1989	15.2 °C	1,412 mm	61	56
1988	40.9 °C18 August 1988	-13.0 °C12 January 1988	15.0 °C	1,015 mm	75	55
1987	38.3 °C3 August 1987	-11.5 °C24 January 1987	15.6 °C	1,080 mm	88	48
1986	38.1 °C19 July 1986	-12.1 °C28 January 1986	16.2 °C	845 mm	88	49
1985	35.1 °C10 June 1985	-20.5 °C21 January 1985	15.8 °C	1,241 mm	58	58
1984	34.8 °C14 June 1984	-12.5 °C8 February 1984	15.4 °C	1,240 mm	54	52
1983	39.3 °C22 August 1983	-15.3 °C25 December 1983	15.1 °C	1,411 mm	76	46
1982	33.9 °C31 May 1982	-14.3 °C11 January 1982	15.4 °C	1,149 mm	54	48
1981	38.4 °C22 June 1981	-14.5 °C31 January 1981	14.9 °C	902 mm	64	65
1980	37.5 °C17 July 1980	-10.6 °C26 December 1980	15.1 °C	899 mm	82	52
1979	35.4 °C10 August 1979	-15.8 °C10 February 1979	14.7 °C	1,247 mm	37	65
1978	35.7 °C10 July 1978	-11.6 °C11 January 1978	14.7 °C	1,239 mm	63	71
1977	40.6 °C9 July 1977	-16.1 °C17 January 1977	15.6 °C	983 mm	84	67
1976	36.5 °C24 July 1976	-12.9 °C19 January 1976	15.0 °C	999 mm	55	60
1975	35.1 °C16 August 1975	-9.2 °C19 December 1975	16.0 °C	1,154 mm	71	41
1974	34.6 °C15 July 1974	-7.2 °C27 February 1974	15.5 °C	1,197 mm	41	40
1973	35.5 °C29 August 1973	-11.4 °C14 January 1973	15.6 °C	1,074 mm	56	45
1972	35.1 °C24 July 1972	-15.2 °C16 January 1972	14.9 °C	1,289 mm	41	45
1971	34.4 °C28 June 1971	-10.6 °C2 February 1971	15.3 °C	1,303 mm	43	51
1970	36.8 °C4 July 1970	-15.0 °C9 January 1970	15.3 °C	902 mm	68	62
1969	35.9 °C6 July 1969	-10.6 °C6 January 1969	14.5 °C	948 mm	60	67
1968	36.2 °C1 July 1968	-11.2 °C12 January 1968	15.1 °C	905 mm	63	72
1967	34.6 °C28 May 1967	-12.0 °C25 February 1967	15.2 °C	844 mm	50	51
1966	37.3 °C14 July 1966	-13.3 °C31 January 1966	14.7 °C	995 mm	64	54
1965	33.7 °C18 August 1965	-12.0 °C1 February 1965	15.1 °C	895 mm	64	58
1964	36.1 °C10 June 1964	-15.9 °C15 January 1964	15.2 °C	1,302 mm	52	50
1963	35.6 °C10 June 1963	-11.7 °C24 January 1963	14.6 °C	955 mm	60	66
1962	35.3 °C21 August 1962	-13.4 °C13 December 1962	14.8 °C	1,097 mm	62	57
1961	35.1 °C31 July 1961	-10.4 °C28 January 1961	15.1 °C	1,187 mm	71	47
1960	35.2 °C24 June 1960	-10.2 °C7 March 1960	14.7 °C	1,037 mm	67	72
1959	37.1 °C29 June 1959	-10.4 °C18 January 1959	15.7 °C	1,383 mm	63	50
1958	35.5 °C13 June 1958	-15.5 °C16 December 1958	14.4 °C	1,218 mm	66	58
1957	36.6 °C14 July 1957	-13.8 °C18 January 1957	15.9 °C	1,100 mm	76	33
1956	35.4 °C6 August 1956	-4.4 °C28 January 1956	15.6 °C	1,092 mm	73	42
1955	36.0 °C28 July 1955	-10.4 °C21 January 1955	15.4 °C	993 mm	64	62
1954	38.0 °C27 June 1954	-9.7 °C7 December 1954	15.7 °C	978 mm	84	54
1953	37.3 °C31 July 1953	-8.7 °C18 December 1953	16.5 °C	897 mm	86	33
1952	39.3 °C29 July 1952	-7.1 °C30 January 1952	15.7 °C	1,088 mm	81	36
1951	37.6 °C2 June 1951	-9.9 °C4 February 1951	15.3 °C	1,052 mm	60	49
1950	35.4 °C27 June 1950	-8.3 °C26 November 1950	15.3 °C	954 mm	41	52
1949	36.4 °C29 July 1949	-4.9 °C17 December 1949	16.1 °C	1,206 mm	51	32
1948	37.1 °C29 August 1948	-14.1 °C27 December 1948	15.4 °C	1,346 mm	62	50
1947	35.2 °C31 July 1947	-8.9 °C9 February 1947	14.7 °C	972 mm	58	67
1946	33.8 °C25 July 1946	-7.3 °C24 January 1946	15.6 °C	1,106 mm	27	38
1945	35.9 °C29 June 1945	-6.6 °C1 February 1945	15.4 °C	1,277 mm	46	40
1944	36.3 °C19 June 1944	-11.1 °C10 January 1944	15.5 °C	1,142 mm	57	34
1943	36.2 °C4 June 1943	-6.9 °C15 February 1943	15.3 °C	960 mm	65	45
1942	36.2 °C2 August 1942	-7.7 °C11 January 1942	15.6 °C	1,077 mm	49	45
1941	35.1 °C29 May 1941	-5.0 °C1 March 1941	15.7 °C	966 mm	52	44
1940	36.6 °C28 July 1940	-13.4 °C27 January 1940	14.6 °C	1,070 mm	37	45

Normals computed over complete calendar years 1940–2025.

A specific year

Pick a year and see how it compares to normal — warmer, drier or more extreme than usual?

Year

Across the whole year

Average daily high

21.4 °C

+0.5 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

70 d/yr

Frost days (< 0 °C)

51 d/yr

Annual rainfall

1110 mm

+5 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	7.8 °C	-1.9 °C	37 mm	-52 mm
Feb	13.2 °C	+1.5 °C	85 mm	-1 mm
Mar	20.0 °C	+3.9 °C	58 mm	-45 mm
Apr	24.1 °C	+2.6 °C	88 mm	+4 mm
May	25.5 °C	-0.1 °C	156 mm	+67 mm
Jun	31.2 °C	+1.7 °C	84 mm	-7 mm
Jul	32.0 °C	+1.0 °C	204 mm	+84 mm
Aug	27.3 °C	-2.7 °C	154 mm	+49 mm
Sep	26.6 °C	-0.3 °C	83 mm	-17 mm
Oct	20.7 °C	-1.0 °C	63 mm	-14 mm
Nov	17.5 °C	+1.4 °C	46 mm	-34 mm
Dec	10.6 °C	-0.6 °C	53 mm	-29 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

37.2 °C

25 Jun 2025

Coldest day

-9.7 °C

23 Jan 2025

Wettest day

101.4 mm

6 Jul 2025

Windiest day

33.0 km/h

16 Feb 2025

Strongest gust

96.8 km/h

16 Feb 2025

Hottest feels-like

43.6 °C

25 Jun 2025

Coldest feels-like

-14.5 °C

15 Dec 2025

Snowiest day

3.7 cm

19 Feb 2025

Sunniest day

14.1 h

20 Jun 2025

What was the weather like that day?

Your birthday, a wedding, a memorable trip: discover the actual weather for any date since 1940.

Date

Frequently asked questions

What is the climate of Chapel Hill?

Chapel Hill has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 15.5 °C and it receives 1,105 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Chapel Hill?

The hottest day measured in Chapel Hill between 1940 and 2025 was 29 June 2012, reaching 41.0 °C.

What is the coldest day in Chapel Hill?

The coldest day measured in Chapel Hill between 1940 and 2025 was 21 January 1985, at -20.5 °C.

Does it snow in Chapel Hill?

Yes. Chapel Hill gets on average 17.7 cm of snow per year and has around 48 frost days.

Has the climate of Chapel Hill warmed?

Yes: Chapel Hill warmed by +1.2 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Chapel Hill?

The wettest day measured in Chapel Hill between 1940 and 2025 was 28 December 1958, with 123 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Chapel Hill?

The windiest day measured in Chapel Hill between 1940 and 2025 was 6 September 1996, with winds reaching 57.1 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Chapel Hill?

The warmest month in Chapel Hill is July (25.8 °C on average); the coldest is January (4.7 °C).

How much does it rain in Chapel Hill?

Chapel Hill receives on average 1,105 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 122 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Chapel Hill?

Chapel Hill gets on average 9.1 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,322 hours per year over 1940-2025.

What is the biggest single-day snowfall in Chapel Hill?

The heaviest 24-hour snowfall measured in Chapel Hill between 1940 and 2025 was 1 March 1969, with 30.5 cm.

Are there tropical nights in Chapel Hill?

Yes: Chapel Hill has on average 76 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Chapel Hill?

In Chapel Hill, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 44.2 °C on 29 June 2012, and the lowest was -26.9 °C on 21 January 1985.

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