Climate for North Carolina’s Triangle Area

The Research Triangle Region got its name because the area joined by Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina forms a triangle on the map. The Triangle is located in the middle of North Carolina between the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west (about a 3-hour drive from Raleigh) and the Atlantic coast in the east (about a 2-hour drive from Raleigh). Because the mountains form a partial barrier to cold air moving eastward across the U.S, there are few days in the height of winter when temperatures fall bellow 32° Fahrenheit.

There is tropical air over the eastern and central sections of North Carolina during most of the summer which bring warm temperatures and puts our Average Relative Humidity at 70%. Afternoon temperatures reach over 90° Fahrenheit during at least one-quarter of the days in mid-summer, but temperatures rarely reach 100° Fahrenheit. Even on the hottest days, the early morning temperatures usually drop to the lower 70’s.

On average there are 220 days of sunshine each year. Rainfall is for the most part evenly distributed throughout the year with July and August having the most rainfall, and October and November having the least. Because the Research Triangle Region is far enough from the coast, effects from severe coastal storms, including hurricanes, are much reduced. While snow and sleet usually occur each year, large accumulations are rare. In other words, leave your snow blowers behind! (Source: NC Data Center)

Here are some additional resources for local weather in the Triangle.