Winston-Salem climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Winston-Salem?

Winston-Salem has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 14.9 °C and it receives 1,101 mm of precipitation per year.

Q: What is the hottest day ever recorded in Winston-Salem?

The hottest day measured in Winston-Salem between 1940 and 2025 was 18 August 1988, reaching 41.2 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Winston-Salem?

The coldest day measured in Winston-Salem between 1940 and 2025 was 21 January 1985, at -20.3 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Winston-Salem?

Yes. Winston-Salem gets on average 21.2 cm of snow per year and has around 62 frost days.

Q: Has the climate of Winston-Salem warmed?

Yes: Winston-Salem warmed by +1.6 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Winston-Salem?

The wettest day measured in Winston-Salem between 1940 and 2025 was 16 September 2018, with 124 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Winston-Salem?

The windiest day measured in Winston-Salem between 1940 and 2025 was 22 September 1989, with winds reaching 54.3 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Winston-Salem?

The warmest month in Winston-Salem is July (25.4 °C on average); the coldest is January (3.8 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Winston-Salem?

Winston-Salem receives on average 1,101 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 122 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Winston-Salem?

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

Winston-Salem (United States) has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 14.9 °C and it receives 1,101 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 (25.4 °C on average) and the coldest is January (3.8 °C). Rainfall peaks in March.

Winston-Salem averages 62 frost days, 61 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 122 rainy days per year.

Winston-Salem has warmed by +1.6 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.18 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The number of frost days there went from about 69 to 55 per year over the period.

The hottest day of the period reached 41.2 °C (on 18 August 1988) and the coldest -20.3 °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

Winston-SalemNorth Carolina

coords: 36.10°, -80.24°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

CfaHumid subtropicalWarmest monthJulyColdest monthJanuaryWettest monthMarchDriest monthOctober

Mean daily temperature

14.9°C

Average daily high

20.5°C

Average daily low

10.0°C

Annual rainfall

1,101mm

Sunshine / day

9.1h

Mean relative humidity

69%

Average peak wind

13.9km/h

Seasonal range

21.6°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

62 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

61 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

122 d/yr

Annual snowfall

21.2 cm

Average feels-like high

20.2 °C

Average feels-like low

8.5 °C

Average peak gust

33.2 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

63 d/yr

Solar radiation

15.8 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+1.6 °C

since 1940

+0.2 °C per decade · r² = 0.39 · 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

41.2 °C

18 August 1988

Coldest day

-20.3 °C

21 January 1985

Wettest day

124 mm

16 September 2018

Windiest day

54.3 km/h

22 September 1989

Strongest gust

137.5 km/h

22 September 1989

Hottest feels-like

43.9 °C

21 August 1983

Coldest feels-like

-26.6 °C

21 January 1985

Snowiest day

32.8 cm

22 January 1987

Sunniest day

14.3 h

18 June 2022

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days	Frost days
2025	37.5 °C24 June 2025	-11.6 °C15 December 2025	15.8 °C	938 mm	68	57
2024	36.1 °C26 June 2024	-7.9 °C21 January 2024	16.0 °C	1,251 mm	54	49
2023	35.3 °C28 July 2023	-6.0 °C29 November 2023	16.4 °C	1,048 mm	61	36
2022	37.3 °C22 June 2022	-14.6 °C24 December 2022	15.9 °C	1,038 mm	89	65
2021	35.7 °C28 August 2021	-5.0 °C4 February 2021	16.1 °C	958 mm	82	50
2020	35.9 °C19 July 2020	-6.5 °C26 December 2020	16.0 °C	1,613 mm	64	35
2019	37.1 °C17 July 2019	-9.0 °C21 January 2019	16.4 °C	1,058 mm	102	42
2018	36.8 °C19 June 2018	-14.2 °C7 January 2018	15.9 °C	1,542 mm	87	55
2017	37.1 °C22 July 2017	-17.6 °C9 January 2017	16.5 °C	1,030 mm	73	45
2016	37.2 °C26 July 2016	-9.1 °C14 February 2016	16.3 °C	959 mm	91	54
2015	37.0 °C23 June 2015	-15.1 °C20 February 2015	16.2 °C	1,091 mm	92	53
2014	35.8 °C2 July 2014	-14.5 °C7 January 2014	14.7 °C	942 mm	66	69
2013	33.8 °C13 June 2013	-7.2 °C25 November 2013	14.8 °C	1,190 mm	59	65
2012	40.0 °C29 June 2012	-8.3 °C4 January 2012	16.3 °C	847 mm	72	35
2011	37.6 °C29 July 2011	-7.8 °C9 January 2011	16.0 °C	974 mm	93	52
2010	37.4 °C7 July 2010	-10.4 °C31 January 2010	15.2 °C	1,082 mm	101	82
2009	34.7 °C18 August 2009	-15.0 °C17 January 2009	15.0 °C	1,232 mm	63	60
2008	37.6 °C9 June 2008	-9.9 °C21 January 2008	15.3 °C	895 mm	79	53
2007	40.1 °C9 August 2007	-8.3 °C6 February 2007	16.4 °C	792 mm	103	50
2006	36.3 °C4 August 2006	-8.8 °C9 December 2006	15.6 °C	1,018 mm	72	46
2005	38.1 °C27 July 2005	-12.1 °C24 January 2005	15.4 °C	1,001 mm	68	63
2004	33.7 °C6 July 2004	-12.6 °C20 December 2004	15.1 °C	964 mm	48	71
2003	32.8 °C27 August 2003	-11.1 °C24 January 2003	14.3 °C	1,470 mm	28	72
2002	37.2 °C23 August 2002	-10.6 °C7 December 2002	15.5 °C	1,095 mm	83	62
2001	35.9 °C10 August 2001	-8.7 °C3 January 2001	15.4 °C	852 mm	50	56
2000	36.3 °C10 July 2000	-15.1 °C28 January 2000	14.7 °C	829 mm	58	71
1999	36.9 °C31 July 1999	-9.2 °C6 January 1999	15.2 °C	998 mm	59	56
1998	35.8 °C26 June 1998	-7.6 °C13 March 1998	15.8 °C	1,136 mm	80	33
1997	35.9 °C4 July 1997	-11.6 °C12 January 1997	14.2 °C	1,079 mm	47	57
1996	35.5 °C23 June 1996	-15.8 °C5 February 1996	14.0 °C	1,381 mm	43	79
1995	36.6 °C14 August 1995	-11.8 °C9 February 1995	14.6 °C	1,294 mm	48	65
1994	33.3 °C21 June 1994	-17.6 °C19 January 1994	14.7 °C	1,201 mm	42	53
1993	37.0 °C8 July 1993	-14.7 °C15 March 1993	15.0 °C	1,073 mm	91	64
1992	38.0 °C13 July 1992	-8.1 °C25 December 1992	14.8 °C	1,246 mm	59	57
1991	35.8 °C14 September 1991	-10.8 °C16 February 1991	15.7 °C	986 mm	63	49
1990	36.5 °C30 June 1990	-8.0 °C25 December 1990	16.1 °C	1,219 mm	67	35
1989	34.4 °C23 August 1989	-13.9 °C23 December 1989	14.4 °C	1,494 mm	51	67
1988	41.2 °C18 August 1988	-15.2 °C12 January 1988	14.4 °C	939 mm	78	75
1987	38.0 °C22 July 1987	-13.0 °C24 January 1987	15.1 °C	1,079 mm	84	65
1986	38.4 °C19 July 1986	-14.0 °C28 January 1986	15.5 °C	963 mm	91	59
1985	34.3 °C10 June 1985	-20.3 °C21 January 1985	14.9 °C	1,338 mm	47	72
1984	34.0 °C14 June 1984	-13.0 °C8 February 1984	14.6 °C	1,110 mm	39	64
1983	39.6 °C22 July 1983	-16.6 °C25 December 1983	14.3 °C	1,304 mm	72	65
1982	33.8 °C14 May 1982	-15.8 °C11 January 1982	14.6 °C	1,195 mm	45	60
1981	38.2 °C25 June 1981	-13.8 °C5 January 1981	14.3 °C	909 mm	66	78
1980	36.7 °C16 July 1980	-12.4 °C3 March 1980	14.4 °C	993 mm	78	67
1979	34.3 °C9 August 1979	-16.7 °C10 February 1979	13.9 °C	1,339 mm	25	75
1978	36.1 °C28 June 1978	-13.9 °C11 January 1978	14.4 °C	1,176 mm	71	75
1977	39.4 °C9 July 1977	-15.7 °C17 January 1977	15.1 °C	1,026 mm	83	73
1976	35.1 °C24 July 1976	-14.0 °C19 January 1976	14.2 °C	1,105 mm	46	76
1975	34.7 °C4 September 1975	-11.6 °C19 December 1975	15.0 °C	1,310 mm	51	55
1974	32.9 °C15 July 1974	-7.2 °C26 February 1974	14.8 °C	1,165 mm	26	51
1973	34.9 °C29 August 1973	-14.6 °C9 January 1973	14.8 °C	1,172 mm	45	58
1972	36.0 °C23 July 1972	-16.6 °C16 January 1972	14.4 °C	1,130 mm	54	52
1971	33.3 °C28 June 1971	-12.7 °C2 January 1971	14.7 °C	1,149 mm	27	66
1970	36.3 °C1 July 1970	-16.7 °C9 January 1970	14.7 °C	1,024 mm	59	74
1969	35.0 °C6 July 1969	-12.7 °C5 January 1969	13.8 °C	954 mm	42	82
1968	36.0 °C22 August 1968	-10.6 °C22 February 1968	14.1 °C	1,009 mm	51	89
1967	34.2 °C27 July 1967	-13.6 °C25 February 1967	14.3 °C	953 mm	40	65
1966	37.5 °C14 July 1966	-14.9 °C30 January 1966	14.1 °C	1,030 mm	63	74
1965	33.6 °C18 August 1965	-13.4 °C19 January 1965	14.5 °C	918 mm	47	72
1964	35.3 °C10 June 1964	-11.9 °C15 January 1964	14.5 °C	1,254 mm	51	63
1963	35.8 °C10 June 1963	-13.0 °C24 January 1963	14.2 °C	947 mm	57	79
1962	34.3 °C19 May 1962	-15.4 °C13 December 1962	14.2 °C	1,257 mm	59	69
1961	34.1 °C31 July 1961	-14.1 °C28 January 1961	14.4 °C	1,163 mm	58	56
1960	35.1 °C24 June 1960	-13.2 °C6 March 1960	14.0 °C	1,055 mm	70	82
1959	38.2 °C30 June 1959	-11.8 °C6 January 1959	15.1 °C	1,336 mm	58	63
1958	34.5 °C13 June 1958	-15.6 °C17 February 1958	13.9 °C	1,109 mm	61	72
1957	35.5 °C14 July 1957	-12.6 °C12 December 1957	15.2 °C	1,099 mm	65	44
1956	35.4 °C13 August 1956	-6.6 °C25 November 1956	15.1 °C	1,054 mm	73	55
1955	35.3 °C28 July 1955	-13.0 °C13 February 1955	14.8 °C	905 mm	61	76
1954	38.0 °C27 June 1954	-9.7 °C13 January 1954	15.1 °C	926 mm	94	77
1953	37.6 °C31 July 1953	-10.6 °C18 December 1953	15.8 °C	993 mm	83	47
1952	38.4 °C29 July 1952	-8.8 °C30 January 1952	15.0 °C	1,135 mm	69	53
1951	36.5 °C2 June 1951	-10.4 °C17 December 1951	14.9 °C	987 mm	68	71
1950	34.9 °C27 June 1950	-11.3 °C25 November 1950	14.6 °C	975 mm	37	71
1949	35.3 °C28 July 1949	-8.1 °C17 December 1949	15.5 °C	1,207 mm	46	48
1948	36.1 °C29 August 1948	-12.7 °C15 January 1948	14.8 °C	1,297 mm	51	59
1947	36.0 °C31 July 1947	-10.6 °C24 February 1947	13.9 °C	1,033 mm	59	84
1946	32.9 °C8 July 1946	-8.6 °C24 January 1946	14.7 °C	1,057 mm	18	49
1945	35.9 °C30 June 1945	-9.5 °C17 December 1945	14.4 °C	1,292 mm	28	56
1944	35.5 °C23 June 1944	-6.4 °C10 January 1944	14.5 °C	1,172 mm	43	60
1943	34.6 °C5 June 1943	-8.1 °C15 February 1943	14.2 °C	1,029 mm	47	62
1942	35.1 °C20 July 1942	-10.2 °C11 January 1942	14.5 °C	1,128 mm	35	64
1941	34.0 °C29 May 1941	-6.0 °C1 March 1941	14.7 °C	1,016 mm	35	70
1940	35.2 °C28 July 1940	-17.2 °C28 January 1940	13.6 °C	1,116 mm	27	65

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

21.5 °C

+1.0 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

68 d/yr

Frost days (< 0 °C)

57 d/yr

-5

Annual rainfall

938 mm

-163 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	7.4 °C	-1.6 °C	43 mm	-50 mm
Feb	13.0 °C	+1.9 °C	90 mm	+2 mm
Mar	19.8 °C	+4.2 °C	36 mm	-68 mm
Apr	24.2 °C	+3.1 °C	73 mm	-13 mm
May	25.6 °C	+0.2 °C	154 mm	+62 mm
Jun	31.3 °C	+2.0 °C	103 mm	+16 mm
Jul	32.9 °C	+2.1 °C	108 mm	+4 mm
Aug	27.1 °C	-2.7 °C	127 mm	+24 mm
Sep	27.0 °C	+0.4 °C	69 mm	-29 mm
Oct	21.4 °C	+0.2 °C	60 mm	-18 mm
Nov	17.5 °C	+2.1 °C	25 mm	-57 mm
Dec	10.8 °C	+0.4 °C	51 mm	-35 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

37.5 °C

24 Jun 2025

Coldest day

-11.6 °C

15 Dec 2025

Wettest day

43.6 mm

27 May 2025

Windiest day

32.3 km/h

16 Feb 2025

Strongest gust

107.6 km/h

16 Feb 2025

Hottest feels-like

42.1 °C

25 Jun 2025

Coldest feels-like

-16.0 °C

15 Dec 2025

Snowiest day

3.8 cm

10 Jan 2025

Sunniest day

14.2 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 Winston-Salem?

Winston-Salem has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 14.9 °C and it receives 1,101 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Winston-Salem?

The hottest day measured in Winston-Salem between 1940 and 2025 was 18 August 1988, reaching 41.2 °C.

What is the coldest day in Winston-Salem?

The coldest day measured in Winston-Salem between 1940 and 2025 was 21 January 1985, at -20.3 °C.

Does it snow in Winston-Salem?

Yes. Winston-Salem gets on average 21.2 cm of snow per year and has around 62 frost days.

Has the climate of Winston-Salem warmed?

Yes: Winston-Salem warmed by +1.6 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Winston-Salem?

The wettest day measured in Winston-Salem between 1940 and 2025 was 16 September 2018, with 124 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Winston-Salem?

The windiest day measured in Winston-Salem between 1940 and 2025 was 22 September 1989, with winds reaching 54.3 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Winston-Salem?

The warmest month in Winston-Salem is July (25.4 °C on average); the coldest is January (3.8 °C).

How much does it rain in Winston-Salem?

Winston-Salem receives on average 1,101 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 122 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Winston-Salem?

Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem?

The heaviest 24-hour snowfall measured in Winston-Salem between 1940 and 2025 was 22 January 1987, with 32.8 cm.

Are there tropical nights in Winston-Salem?

Yes: Winston-Salem has on average 63 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Winston-Salem?

In Winston-Salem, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 43.9 °C on 21 August 1983, and the lowest was -26.6 °C on 21 January 1985.

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