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Winter Recap 2021-22: Warm Weather Prevails, Even with a Snowy Surprise

global patterns

A graph of monthly temperature departures from the 1901 to 2000 average for North Carolina in 2023

Jan 16, 2024

The Weather Year in Review: The Yin and Yang of 2023

Characterized by evolving large-scale patterns and a variety of conditions across North Carolina, from wet to dry and smoky to stormy, 2023 was an interesting and impactful year in our local weather and climate. As part of our annual wrap-up, this post summarizes our 2023 Year in Review webinar. The recording is available on YouTube,…
A map of global sea surface temperature anomalies in October 2023

Nov 15, 2023

Winter Outlook 2023-24: Awaiting Wetter Weather With El Niño’s Return

Following a snow-free year in many areas and with drought now gripping more than half of the state, a pattern change – both from what we’ve seen in recent winters and in recent weeks – would be welcome. So could the newly emerging El Niño be the answer? In our twelfth annual winter outlook, we’ll…
A photo of changing leaf colors and mountain ash berries in western North Carolina

Oct 3, 2023

Autumn Arrived and the Tropics Came Alive in September

September saw a timely change of seasons and mostly dry weather, apart from Ophelia. That tropical storm was part of an active month across the Atlantic. From Summer into Fall Sweltering heat gave way to more seasonable conditions in September, so it averaged out as a slightly warmer than normal month overall. The National Centers…
A photo of sunrise over the Pasquotank River on June 16

Jul 10, 2023

Smoke and Storms Fill the Skies in June

Cool and at times smoky conditions continued in June, while a week of showers and storms reversed the dry pattern we started the month with. We also look at the numbers after the first half of 2023, and preview the main storylines for the end of the year. Spared from Summer Heat, but Not Smoke…
A photo of cloud cover and fog in the North Carolina Mountains

Jun 7, 2023

A Cool, Cloudy May Keeps Summer at Bay

Stretches of cooler weather left our temperatures below normal last month, but it was still a dry month overall. We also preview the Atlantic hurricane season now in progress. Temperatures Kept in Check A number of cloudy days and cool air masses from the north kept our temperatures at or below normal seasonal levels last…
A map of total snowfall in North Carolina from November 2022 through March 2023.

Mar 24, 2023

Winter Recap 2022-23: Snow is Scarce, Blooms Come Early

A few cold days before Christmas were the only taste of winter many areas felt all season, as warm and often spring-like weather dominated the season overall in North Carolina. In this look back on the winter that wasn’t, we review the seasonal rankings and snowfall totals, revisit our winter outlook, and look ahead to…
A map of global sea surface temperature anomalies from October 2022

Nov 17, 2022

Winter Outlook for 2022-23: La Niña Lives On

A persistent Pacific pattern is back again, putting us in line for a rare triple-dip La Niña this winter. But with each of the past two winters playing out very differently in North Carolina, what can we expect this year? In our eleventh annual winter outlook, we’ll examine the current ENSO conditions, the rarity of…
A photo of mist in the Mountains on an early August morning

Sep 7, 2022

Drought Disappears in August, Despite the Tropical Lull

Bookended by heat, August wrapped up a warm summer statewide, while scattered showers brought our ongoing drought to an end. We also turn to the tropics and review a rare storm-free August. A Warm Summer Wraps Up A hot start and end to August were balanced by cooler mid-month weather, but it was still a…
A map of percent of normal precipitation for December 2021 through February 2022

Mar 8, 2022

Winter Recap 2021-22: Warm Weather Prevails, Even with a Snowy Surprise

In North Carolina, it was a winter of warmth with a month of cool, snowy weather stuck in the middle. So what shaped our weather over the past 3 months, what do the statistics show across the state, and what can we expect as we enter the spring? Our Winter Patterns In our winter outlook…