Winston-Salem climate
Winston-Salem (North Carolina, United States) has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). The average temperature over the year is 14 °C58 °F, and about 1,147 mm45 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Winston-Salem climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin | Frost days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 846 | −327 | 236 | 742.9 | 22 |
| Feb | 1050 | −130 | 440 | 752.9 | 18 |
| Mar | 1559 | 337 | 948 | 903.5 | 10 |
| Apr | 2169 | 846 | 1458 | 933.6 | 1 |
| May | 2577 | 1356 | 1966 | 1034.1 | 0 |
| Jun | 2985 | 1865 | 2475 | 1094.3 | 0 |
| Jul | 3289 | 2068 | 2679 | 1154.5 | 0 |
| Aug | 3188 | 1967 | 2577 | 1124.4 | 0 |
| Sep | 2882 | 1660 | 2271 | 1064.2 | 0 |
| Oct | 2170 | 948 | 1559 | 883.5 | 1 |
| Nov | 1559 | 236 | 948 | 883.5 | 8 |
| Dec | 1050 | −131 | 540 | 933.7 | 18 |
| Year | 3289 | −327 | 1458 | 1,14745 | 77 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total. Frost days are for the whole grid cell.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80% | 56% | 2.5 | 9:57 |
| Feb | 79% | 61% | 3.2 | 10:49 |
| Mar | 78% | 59% | 4.2 | 11:52 |
| Apr | 76% | 55% | 5.3 | 13:04 |
| May | 76% | 61% | 5.8 | 14:04 |
| Jun | 72% | 57% | 6.3 | 14:36 |
| Jul | 69% | 60% | 5.9 | 14:23 |
| Aug | 71% | 57% | 5.4 | 13:31 |
| Sep | 72% | 52% | 4.5 | 12:21 |
| Oct | 74% | 49% | 3.6 | 11:12 |
| Nov | 75% | 48% | 2.8 | 10:12 |
| Dec | 80% | 60% | 2.1 | 9:43 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Winston-Salem is like
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 32 °C89 °F and a low of 20 °C68 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 8 °C46 °F and lows −3 °C27 °F. Seasons are strongly marked: the warmest month is on average 23.4 °C42.2 °F warmer than the coldest.
It is wet, with about 1,147 mm45 in of precipitation per year. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year. The wettest month is July (115 mm4.5 in), the driest is January (74 mm2.9 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 69% in July to 80% in December. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 48%) are typical of November. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 5 km/h (3 mph) in August to 9 km/h (5 mph) in March. Daylight lasts from about 9.7 hours in December to 14.6 hours in June.
Best time to visit Winston-Salem
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are April and May and September and October. Average highs then reach 21 °C69 °F to 28 °C82 °F. Precipitation is 88 mm3.5 in to 106 mm4.2 in per month.
The most challenging month is January, which is cold, with average highs of 8 °C46 °F.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Winston-Salem
- Winter (December–February) — highs 846 to 10 °C50 °F, lows −327 to −1 °C31 °F, about 81 mm3.2 in of precipitation a month. Pack a warm coat, layers and closed shoes, an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings and shoes with good grip, as frost is common.
- Spring (March–May) — highs 1559 to 25 °C77 °F, lows 337 to 13 °C56 °F, about 95 mm3.8 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket, an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Summer (June–August) — highs 2985 to 32 °C89 °F, lows 1865 to 20 °C68 °F, about 112 mm4.4 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Autumn (September–November) — highs 1559 to 28 °C82 °F, lows 236 to 16 °C60 °F, about 94 mm3.7 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket, an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
How Winston-Salem compares
The nearest larger place is Greensboro, about 41 km to the east. Compared with it, Winston-Salem has practically the same average temperature. It receives a similar amount of precipitation.
World Climates covers 222 places in the United States. By annual mean temperature, Winston-Salem is the 118th warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 84th wettest. See all of them on the United States climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Padua (Italy, Cfa), Verona (Italy, Cfa) and Vicenza (Italy, Cfa).
Nearby places
- Climate in High Point 27 km · 15 °C58 °F · 1,147 mm45 in
- Climate in Greensboro 41 km · 15 °C58 °F · 1,147 mm45 in
- Climate in Charlotte 111 km · 16 °C60 °F · 1,146 mm45 in
- Climate in Roanoke 133 km · 14 °C56 °F · 1,086 mm43 in
- Climate in Raleigh 149 km · 16 °C60 °F · 1,186 mm47 in
- Climate in Fayetteville 170 km · 17 °C62 °F · 1,237 mm49 in
- Climate in Columbia 244 km · 18 °C64 °F · 1,150 mm45 in
- Climate in Charleston 279 km · 13 °C56 °F · 1,128 mm44 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Winston-Salem?
July is the warmest month in Winston-Salem. Its average high is 32 °C (89 °F) and its average low is 20 °C (68 °F).
What is the coldest month in Winston-Salem?
January is the coldest month. Its average high is 8 °C (46 °F) and its average low is -3 °C (27 °F).
When does it rain the most in Winston-Salem?
July is the wettest month with about 115 mm (4.5 in) of precipitation. January is the driest with about 74 mm (2.9 in).
What is the best time to visit Winston-Salem?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are April and May and September and October.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 238 m, while Winston-Salem lies at about 293 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by −0.4 °C0.6 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.