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# North Carolina State Climate Office

A Public Service Center

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://climate.ncsu.edu/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [All Climate Blog Posts](https://climate.ncsu.edu/posts/) - Subscribe To The Climate Blog
- [Rapid Reaction: Smoky Skies Create Unhealthy Air Quality](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/06/rapid-reaction-smoky-skies-create-unhealthy-air-quality/) - Our summer started not with sun but smoke last week, which yielded the most widespread hazardous air quality episode seen in many years across the eastern United States. Together with our partners at the North Carolina Division of Air Quality (NC DAQ), who are responsible for operating a network of air quality monitoring sites and issuing air
- [Wet Weekends Continue in a Shower-Soaked April](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/05/wet-weekends-continue-in-a-shower-soaked-april/) - Regular rainfall in April made for a wet month, and continued a string of wet weekends this year. Warm and windy weather also fanned the state’s largest wildfire in more than a decade. A Wet April Statewide Several heavy rain events last month made for a wet April across North Carolina. According to preliminary data
- [Our Curious Coast: Rivers and Wetlands](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/07/our-curious-coast-rivers-and-wetlands/) - You’d never confuse them for the rapid-filled rivers snaking through our Mountains, but the flat, straight rivers of the North Carolina Coastal Plain also have a tumultuous history and an occasional angry streak, turning into raging and flooding torrents during our worst storms. Alongside these rivers, and next to our turbulent ocean, are delicate wetlands
- [Our Curious Coast: Soils and Agriculture](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/07/our-curious-coast-soils-and-agriculture/) - Drive or fly across the Coastal Plain and you’re sure to find farms of all forms. Many grow cash crops such as cotton, tobacco, and corn. Some raise animals, including livestock and poultry. And others specialize in aquaculture, like clams and oysters. Altogether, agriculture accounted for more than $10 billion in statewide revenue in 2020,
- [Our Curious Coast: Geography and Coastal Climate](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/07/our-curious-coast-geography-and-coastal-climate/) - Parts of North Carolina’s coast offer the opportunity for a rare view, at least within the continental United States. Along the narrow Outer Banks, gazing through the seagrass and beyond the sandy shore, you can watch the sun rise along the eastern horizon, glistening in the waves that roil the Atlantic Ocean. Later that day
- [Our Curious Coast: The Ocean and Coastline](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/07/our-curious-coast-the-ocean-and-coastline/) - Simply taking a walk along one of North Carolina’s beaches is enough to show how shifting its sand truly is. As the fine grains shuffle between your toes, get pushed around in the surf, and are whisked away by the winds, it’s easy to see that they rarely stay in one place. Continuing our blog
- [Our Curious Coast: Adaptation and Resilience](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/07/our-curious-coast-adaptation-and-resilience/) - If this blog post series so far has taught us anything, it’s that in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain, the land has always been in a delicate dance with water, from the sea’s retreat millions of years ago through the carving and shifting of our coastal rivers over hundreds of thousands of years to the erosion
- [An Ice Storm Brewing: Previewing the NHL Stadium Series Game in Raleigh](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/02/an-ice-storm-brewing-previewing-the-nhl-stadium-series-game-in-raleigh/) - An outdoor ice rink might not be a common occurrence around North Carolina, but next weekend, tens of thousands of fans – plus a few dozen talented National Hockey League players – will gather at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium to witness such a sight. This year marks the 20 years since the NHL played its
- [Raleigh's Record Snow Surprised Everyone in January 2000](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/01/raleighs-record-snow-surprised-everyone-in-january-2000/) - It started with something familiar, at least by our wintry weather standards in North Carolina. But it didn’t take long to turn into a winter storm like the Triangle area had never seen before. On the evening of January 24, 2000 – a Monday, although that hardly mattered in the storm that warped time by
- [Road trips, mountains and a whole lot of data: An NC State senior’s internship with the State Climate Office](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/01/econet-summer-intern-experience/) - NC State University senior Jack Kendrick spent last summer studying mountain inversions as an ECONet Summer Undergraduate Student Intern.
- [Six Years of Service and Science: Honoring our Departing Director, Kathie Dello](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/08/six-years-of-service-and-science-honoring-our-departing-director-kathie-dello/) - This week, we at the State Climate Office say farewell to our director, Dr. Kathie Dello, and wish her all the best as she begins a new chapter in her service to the state of North Carolina as the Assistant Secretary of Resilience at the NC Department of Environmental Quality. When Kathie arrived in North
- [Holiday Heat Gave Way to Wet Weather in July](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/08/holiday-heat-gave-way-to-wet-weather-in-july/) - After hundred-degree temperatures early on, July ended with soaking rainfall that has improved, but not eliminated, drought conditions across the state. A Warm Month With a Sizzling Start Despite a late-month cooldown, our early heat waves cemented this as an overall warm July in North Carolina. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) reports a
- [Rapid Reaction: Heavy Rains Return, Promising Drought Relief](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/07/rapid-reaction-heavy-rains-return-promising-drought-relief/) - Our wettest rain event in more than a year soaked the state from north to south last week, quenching some drought-affected areas and potentially serving as a sign of things to come later this year. A frontal boundary from the north slowly sagged southward across the state from last Wednesday afternoon through Saturday night. At
- [Heat Heightens and Drought Drags On in June](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/07/heat-heightens-and-drought-drags-on-in-june/) - The start of summer brought several waves of hot weather, plus mostly dry weather with a few late-month rain showers. For more potential rain chances, we check in on the tropics and the emerging El Niño event. Summer Sizzle Sets In Multiple rounds of hot weather made this an overall warmer-than-normal June in North Carolina.
- [Rain Returns in May As a Hot, Dry Spring Wraps Up](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/06/rain-returns-in-may-as-a-hot-dry-spring-wraps-up/) - May brought widespread rainfall and some drought relief, along with typical temperatures for this time of year. However, spring was warm and dry overall, leaving us looking for better rain chances later this year. A Precipitation Bounceback A long-awaited round of rainfall late in the month made this a near-normal May in terms of precipitation.
- [El Niño Looms Large Over This Hurricane Season](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/05/el-nino-looms-large-over-this-hurricane-season/) - Big changes will be happening in the global atmosphere this summer, which could turn the tropical Atlantic from a hotbed into a ghost town, while also setting the stage for better rain chances locally by the end of the year. To break down what may happen during this hurricane season and beyond, we’re taking a
- [Bowden Named SCO Director and State Climatologist](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/05/bowden-named-sco-director-and-state-climatologist/) - Bowden is the sixth permanent director of the office, which has been stationed at NC State since 1980.
- [An Anomalous April Was Hot and Dry with Deepening Drought](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/05/an-anomalous-april-was-hot-and-dry-with-deepening-drought/) - Periods of summer-like heat and limited rainfall combined to cause drought intensification last month, which has led to new emerging impacts across the state. Untimely Temperatures Several long stretches of unseasonable temperatures boosted this to one of our warmest Aprils on record. Based on preliminary data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), last
- [A Century-Old Drought Offers Parallels to Today](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/04/a-century-old-drought-offers-parallels-to-today/) - As we remain mired in our worst statewide drought in more than 18 years, comparisons with historical droughts -- especially that memorable 2007-08 event -- have become common in recent weeks, including in our own assessment of the current drought and its impacts. We've generally labeled the 2007-08 drought as the worst in North Carolina's
- [About Extreme Drought: What to Know This Spring and Beyond](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/04/about-extreme-drought-what-to-know-this-spring-and-beyond/) - With April showers staying away, record hot temperatures in recent weeks, and rainfall deficits continuing to increase, Extreme Drought conditions have been expanding explosively across North Carolina this month. With drought impacts becoming more apparent, including water restrictions being implemented in parts of the state, we recently assembled a panel of drought experts from the
- [Few Signs of Winter in a Warm, Wet February](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/03/few-signs-of-winter-in-a-warm-wet-february/) - Our recent trend of warm Februarys continued last month with above-normal temperatures across the state. The western part of the state also saw record-breaking wet and windy weather, while parts of the southern coast dried out. Un-Winterlike Warmth February is the final month of meteorological winter, but based on our temperatures last month, you might
- [Severe Pollen, Severe Drought, and Severe Storms Ramp Up in March](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/04/severe-pollen-severe-drought-and-severe-storms-ramp-up-in-march/) - Spring kicked into high gear in March, with warm weather and high pollen counts, mostly dry conditions and emerging drought impacts, and the first severe storms of the year. Warm Weather Blossoms With winter’s chill now behind us, March brought spring-like weather and overall above-normal temperatures across North Carolina. Data from the National Centers for
- [Winter Recap 2025-26: Cool and Dry, With a Snowy Centerpiece](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/03/winter-recap-2025-26-cool-and-dry-with-a-snowy-centerpiece/) - It wouldn't be a classic North Carolina winter without a bit of ice, a solid snow, and temperatures running the full range from frigid to spring-like – sometimes only days apart. We fit all of those and more into the 2025-26 winter. In this post, we’ll wrap up the season with a look at the
- [Snow Melted, But Severe Drought Continued in February](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/03/snow-melted-but-severe-drought-continued-in-february/) - Snow and rain each fell in an overall dry February, which featured both winter chill and spring-like warmth. In one constant last month, drought continued with no improvements just yet. A Snowy Start, Then Weekly Rainfall Despite multiple precipitation events in both a frozen and a liquid form, February finished as another dry month for
- [Summer 2014 Was Mild; What Will Fall Bring?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/09/summer-2014-was-mild-what-will-fall-bring/) - We avoided a sweltering summer in North Carolina, but what do the numbers say about the season? Today's post summarizes our summer, looks at current conditions, and forecasts what we may see this fall. Summer Recap The end of August meant the end of meteorological summer*. The three-month period from June through August finished as
- [Summer and Tropical Outlook: An ENSO Reversal and its Effects](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/06/summer-and-tropical-outlook-an-enso-reversal-and-its-effects/) - The oceans, they are a changin'. The El Niño conditions that were so prominent in the Pacific Ocean just five months ago have now nearly vanished, and the current neutral ENSO conditions and expected La Niña event largely shape this year's summer and tropical outlook. ENSO Update Sea surface temperature anomalies in the central equatorial
- [A Dream Come True: Remembering Our White Christmas in 2010](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/12/a-dream-come-true-remembering-our-white-christmas-in-2010/) - One of North Carolina’s rarest weather events became a reality 15 years ago as a White Christmas unfolded across the state. A two-part event on December 25 and 26, 2010, left snow falling in all 100 counties and more than a foot on the ground in parts of the Mountains and northern Coastal Plain. With
- [Isaias’s Coastal Hit a Turning Point for NC Storms, Preparedness](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/08/isaiass-coastal-hit-a-turning-point-for-nc-storms-preparedness/) - Five years ago, an overactive Atlantic brought an early-season hurricane to North Carolina's doorstep. Just after 11 pm on August 3, 2020, Hurricane Isaias made landfall as a Category-1 storm near Ocean Isle Beach along our southern coastline. Sneaking in overnight during a year dominated by other big news stories, Isaias and its impacts weren’t
- [One Year After Helene, New Perspectives on Our Worst Storms](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/09/one-year-after-helene-new-perspectives-on-our-worst-storms/) - The sights and stories that slowly trickled out of western North Carolina last September were so shocking, they were at times hard to believe. Swollen rivers practically wiped out charming mountain towns such as Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, and Swannanoa. The death toll climbed across Buncombe County as search and rescue teams surveyed areas hit
- [North Carolina Climate Science Report Plain Language Summary](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/03/north-carolina-climate-science-report-plain-language-summary/) - For the past 8 months, our office has been involved in writing the North Carolina Climate Science Report, the first report of its kind for the state of North Carolina. This report was produced at the request of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality as part of the state's response to Governor Cooper's Executive
- [The 2019-20 Winter Outlook: A Little of Everything?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/11/the-2019-20-winter-outlook-a-little-of-everything/) - We've already gotten our first taste of winter with last week's freezing temperatures, so with a whole season still to come, it's natural to wonder: is more of the same cold weather coming, or is a wintertime warm-up on the way? In this post, we will review the atmospheric features that may shape our weather
- [Winter Recap 2017-18: A Season of Surprises](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/03/winter-recap-2017-18-a-season-of-surprises/) - It was the winter that kept us guessing. Just when we thought our warm fall would persist into 2018, a record-setting cold snap ensued. We thought the large-scale pattern wouldn't be favorable for wintry weather, yet most of North Carolina received above-normal snowfall. And amid indicators of ongoing dry weather, we actually came out of
- [January’s Warm Start Flipped to a Frigid, Frozen Finish](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/02/januarys-warm-start-flipped-to-a-frigid-frozen-finish/) - The new year began with a memorable weather month, including an arriving chill and a wintry conclusion, which changed the landscape of our latest snow events. Temperatures in Freefall After warmer weather initially, a late-month chill put January’s temperatures slightly below normal overall. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) reports a preliminary statewide average
- [Summer Heat Hangs On in a Dry July](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/08/summer-heat-hangs-on-in-a-dry-july/) - As we crossed the midpoint of summer, hot and dry conditions again prevailed in July. Above-Normal Temperatures Persist For the fifth consecutive month, the statewide average temperature ranked above normal in what has been a warm spring and summer. Last month's mean temperature of 77.73°F was 0.8°F above the long-term average, making it the 37th-warmest
- [Analog Winters Help Show the Possibilities for This Year](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/11/analog-winters-help-show-the-possibilities-for-this-year/) - Our Winter Outlook series has already covered the latest on El Niño and polar patterns. Today's post looks at past years with similar conditions to see how those winters turned out and what it means for this year. Like the snowflakes that can seem so rare around these parts, every winter is different in North
- [Rapid Reaction: A Statewide Snowstorm for the Ages](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/02/rapid-reaction-a-statewide-snowstorm-for-the-ages/) - Accumulating snow fell all across North Carolina last weekend in our most widespread wintry event in more than a dozen years, and the biggest snow for some areas in several decades. While this event had a classic Carolina snowstorm setup, it was anything but a garden variety winter storm, following an ideal pattern for significant
- [Rapid Reaction: Weekend Winter Storm Brings Icy Glaze, But Few Outages](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/01/rapid-reaction-weekend-winter-storm-brings-icy-glaze-but-few-outages/) - A winter storm with an icy, damaging history dealt a relatively minor blow to North Carolina last weekend, leaving a slippery glaze but limited power outages in its wake. After an Arctic front arrived on Friday night to set up a frigid air mass – including afternoon temperatures only in the 20s on Saturday –
- [The Weather Year in Review: Dry Days, Plus a Few Storms, in 2025](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/01/the-weather-year-in-review-dry-days-plus-a-few-storms-in-2025/) - It’s a climate conundrum: how can a year characterized by overall dry weather be most notable for its big precipitation events? That’s the reality of 2025 in North Carolina, which featured persistent drought as well as the return of snowfall, welcome spring rains for agriculture, and a solitary soaking from the tropics. As part of
- [A Divided December Started Cold, Then Heated Up](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2026/01/a-divided-december-started-cold-then-heated-up/) - December delivered mixed temperatures throughout the month, along with more dry weather and drought in central and western North Carolina. It also left us with a few more records to tally from 2025. From Wintry to Warm in One Month Balanced between a chilly start and a warmer finish, our December temperatures were near-normal overall
- [Digesting a Dry November, and More from Last Month](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/12/digesting-a-dry-november-and-more-from-last-month/) - On our table in November, our cup didn’t exactly runneth over as dry weather continued, but it was a fittingly fall-like month – aside from an early bite of winter with a mid-month snow event. Dry Turkey: Another Precipitation Deviation Rain didn’t have a regular place at the table again last month, which was drier
- [Drought Digs Back in During a Storm-Sapped September](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/10/drought-digs-back-in-during-a-storm-sapped-september/) - Limited rainfall brought drought back last month, while our temperatures were mostly typical for the first month of fall. Last month had a quiet start but a busy end in the tropics, as we discuss in our hurricane season update. Note: Due to the federal government shutdown, statewide statistics and rankings from the National Centers
- [Winter Outlook 2025-26: A Seasonal Repeat in Store?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/11/winter-outlook-2025-26-a-seasonal-repeat-in-store/) - It's said that no two snowflakes are alike -- and science backs that up -- but could we see two winters following the same template in back-to-back years? Early signs among the ocean and atmosphere are showing similar setups to last winter, which was dry overall but with multiple wintry events affecting all parts of
- [Unwrapping Our Weather Tricks and Treats from October](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/11/unwrapping-our-weather-tricks-and-treats-from-october/) - Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, the usual temperature and precipitation statistics and rankings from our partners at the National Centers for Environmental Information remain unavailable. In lieu of that, we've included some different maps and more local rankings in this month's climate summary. Entering last month, our two biggest weather stories were the
- [Winter Outlook 2024-25: A Decisive Season for Droughts](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/11/winter-outlook-2024-25-a-decisive-season-for-droughts/) - It’s setting up to be a consequential winter for North Carolina, with the fate of a newly emerging drought, along with a potentially record-breaking “snow drought,” hanging in the balance. In our 13th annual winter outlook, we look at the potential La Niña pattern that could be in place this winter, the climatology of similar
- [A Fall-Like Feeling Arrived With Mixed Rainfall in August](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/09/a-fall-like-feeling-arrived-with-mixed-rainfall-in-august/) - Cooler weather made for an unseasonable August, while we started wet and finished the month on a dry note. In this post, we also wrap up the summer and look at the big weather stories awaiting this fall. An Early Chill Interrupts Summer In a sudden shift after a hot end to July, August brought
- [Rapid Reaction: Hurricane Erin a Close Call with Coastal Damage](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/08/rapid-reaction-hurricane-erin-a-close-call-with-coastal-damage/) - The first hurricane – and the first major hurricane – of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season passed off our coastline this week, and despite not making a direct landfall, it still had big impacts in parts of eastern North Carolina. Over the warm water in the central Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Erin became a formidable storm,
- [Summer Sizzles in a Stormy, Steamy July](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/08/summer-sizzles-in-a-stormy-steamy-july/) - July saw a wet start including Tropical Storm Chantal and month-long warmth, especially overnight. To help communities prepare for hot weather like that, an Extreme Heat Cohort is being offered again this year. Chantal Leads a Storm-Soaked Month Our first tropical event of the season, plus plenty of other rainy days, made for an overall
- [Baby, it’s Hot Outside. New Toolkit to Help Reduce Heat-Related Health Problems](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/06/baby-its-hot-outside-new-toolkit-to-help-reduce-heat-related-health-problems/) - the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) has issued a heat action plan toolkit for local governments to help their citizens avoid heat-related injury.
- [How Heat Stress – and Monitoring – is Changing in NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/07/how-heat-stress-and-monitoring-is-changing-in-nc/) - Thirty minutes into the most recent Olympic women's soccer gold medal match between the United States and Brazil, officials recognized it was time for a break. However, it wasn’t for a foul or a penalty, and the only goal of the game wouldn't be scored until the second half. No, in this case, the precisely
- [Helene’s Damage Presents Fire Management, Monitoring Challenges](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/06/helenes-damage-presents-fire-management-monitoring-challenges/) - It was an environmental domino effect that was hard to fathom considering huge swaths of western North Carolina had been under water just two months earlier following Hurricane Helene. On December 6 of last year, a wind gust toppled power lines in rural McDowell County. A spark of electricity then carried from the lines onto
- [Rapid Reaction: Tropical Storm Chantal Soaks Central North Carolina](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/07/rapid-reaction-tropical-storm-chantal-soaks-central-north-carolina/) - The first tropical system of the season to affect North Carolina produced locally heavy rainfall and flooding in parts of the Piedmont and Sandhills. Tropical Storm Chantal wasn’t particularly intense or long-lasting, but it had big impacts in areas such as Alamance, Chatham, Moore, and Orange counties where the heaviest rain occurred. Like many early-season
- [June Started Wet, Ended Hot with Active Air Quality](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/07/june-started-wet-ended-hot-with-active-air-quality/) - June was warm overall thanks to a late-month heat wave and mostly wet due to early-month showers and storms. It also saw several air quality hazards, as revealed by our recent AIR tool updates. Building to a Summer Sizzle Boosted by a late-month heat wave, last month was our state’s warmest June since 2018. The
- [Drought Finally Disappears After a Fiery Start to 2025](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/06/drought-finally-disappears-after-a-fiery-start-to-2025/) - It began in the wake of extreme flooding from Hurricane Helene and ended amid the onset of sunny summer weather. After spanning parts of all four seasons and all corners of the state at its peak, our latest drought in North Carolina is finally over. This week’s US Drought Monitor shows that the final sliver
- [Spring Showers in May End a Long-Running Dry Spell](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/06/spring-showers-in-may-end-a-long-running-dry-spell/) - May brought a wetter weather pattern and prevailing above-normal temperatures in North Carolina. With summer now upon us, we also look at outlooks for the Atlantic hurricane season. Rain Returns and Drought Dwindles With multiple rounds of significant rain across the state, May reversed our recent dry trend and brought drought relief in many areas.
- [Summer Heat Debuts, Showers Become Shy in April](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/05/summer-heat-debuts-showers-become-shy-in-april/) - April featured unseasonable warmth and an uncharacteristic lack of rain showers and severe weather. That has extended our drought with new impacts emerging last month. A Summer-Like Warm-Up With above-normal temperatures night and day for most of the month, this finished among our warmest Aprils on record in North Carolina. The National Centers for Environmental
- [Dry Weather, Dry Air Spark March Fire Danger](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/04/dry-weather-dry-air-spark-march-fire-danger/) - On the fast track into spring, March remained mostly warm in North Carolina, with dry weather especially in the west. Low humidity, gusty winds, and ongoing drought combined to fuel more wildfires across the state. Warm Days with Few Cold Nights The spring-like warmth that settled in by late February stuck around in March, making
- [November workshop: Building collaborative approaches to complex climate hazards](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/12/c3he-workshop-carolina-climate-hazards/) - The NOAA-funded Carolinas Climate Adaptation Partnership team, held a workshop that allowed team members to meet in person, share their research and view it through a new multidisciplinary lens. On November 8, the NOAA Carolinas Climate Adaptation Partnership held a workshop for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers at the Museum of Life and Science in
- [Winter Recap 2024-25: Snow Returns, but Drought Deepens](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/03/winter-recap-2024-25-snow-returns-but-drought-deepens/) - Our weather this winter included evidence of the expected, including overall dry conditions, along with some surprises sprinkled in with the return of snow across the state for the first time in almost three years. As we review the past season, we’ll take a closer look at the winter by the numbers, how our snowfall
- [Scarce Showers in April Help Dryness Develop](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/05/scarce-showers-in-april-help-dryness-develop/) - A month of up-and-down temperatures also saw limited precipitation across the state. Plus, we review an eventful tropical off-season and preview the upcoming hurricane season. Big Temperature Swings The spring often sees a tug-of-war between the still-cold air to our north and warming tropical air to our south. Last month, their battleground was across North
- [Signs of Spring Emerge in February, Despite a Snowy Speed Bump](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/03/signs-of-spring-emerge-in-february-despite-a-snowy-speed-bump/) - Last month saw mostly warm temperatures plus above-normal precipitation for much of the state. That has put spring-like weather – and impacts – at our doorstep. Warm Bookends to the Month Following our cool January, we saw a decisive warm-up in February with above-normal temperatures overall for the month. The National Centers for Environmental Information
- [The Weather Year in Review: Heat, Helene, and Weather Whiplash in 2024](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/01/the-weather-year-in-review-heat-helene-and-weather-whiplash-in-2024/) - This post is a summary of our recent Year in Review webinar. The recording from that event will be posted soon, and the presentation slides are now available. North Carolina's weather in 2024 featured the costliest and deadliest tropical storm in our state's history; that alone made it a notable year. But beyond Hurricane Helene,
- [Rapid Reaction: Late-Season Snow Adds to an Active Winter](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/02/rapid-reaction-late-season-snow-adds-to-an-active-winter/) - The third significant winter storm of the season across the state brought a mixed bag of precipitation and bumped up the seasonal snow totals for some sites. Following mid-January’s snowstorm in the west and an eastern snow event later that month, this storm produced statewide impacts but varied precipitation types, ranging from all rain in
- [A Cold, Dry January Sees Snow Return, Drought Expand](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/02/a-cold-dry-january-sees-snow-return-drought-expand/) - January brought a rare run of cold weather that supported several rounds of snow. But with little other precipitation, drought continued expanding across the state last month. A Frigid First Month in 2025 A deep chill set in for several weeks in January, yielding one of our coldest months in recent memory. Based on preliminary
- [Rapid Reaction: Snow Coats the Coast in Rare Southeastern Wintry Event](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/01/rapid-reaction-snow-coats-the-coast-in-rare-southeastern-wintry-event/) - The second winter storm in a week and a half affected North Carolina on Tuesday night, and this time, it was eastern areas seeing the greatest accumulations and ending multi-year snow droughts. This event was part of a region-wide cold air outbreak courtesy of a deep trough in the jet stream that allowed an Arctic
- [October Dries Out in a Monthly Rainfall Reversal](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/11/october-dries-out-in-a-monthly-rainfall-reversal/) - Coming off a soaking September, October offered a decidedly drier pattern, along with mostly warm temperatures. That has made for an unconventional start to fall across the state. Dry Weather and Drought Return Fresh off the flooding from Hurricane Helene in late September, our weather took a much drier turn in October. The National Centers
- [Rapid Reaction: Snow Finally Returns Before an Icy Finish](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/01/rapid-reaction-snow-finally-returns-before-an-icy-finish/) - After almost three years of waiting, measurable snow fell again across parts of North Carolina late last week, ending long-running and, in some cases, record-setting snow-free streaks. The setup for snow started taking shape more than a week earlier, when our first shot of chilly air this year arrived behind a cold front on January
- [Despite Snow Chances, December Wraps Up Near-Record Warmth in 2024](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2025/01/despite-snow-chances-december-wraps-up-near-record-warmth-in-2024/) - December started with snow and finished with heavy rain in the Mountains, sandwiching unseasonably warm spells that added to a near-record warm year. We also check on recent and possible upcoming snow events. Wet in the West, Including Snow Wet conditions in the Mountains were offset by drier weather across the eastern two-thirds of the
- [Warm Weather Delays Winter’s Chill in November](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/12/warm-weather-delays-winters-chill-in-november/) - A steady stream of early-fall-like days made for a warm November, and despite returning rainfall, it was a dry month too. November wrapped up a fall defined by big rain events and background warmth. The Warmth Winds On With temperatures more typical of September during stretches last month, November was overwhelmingly warm across North Carolina.
- [Rapid Reaction: Historic Flooding Follows Helene in Western NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/09/rapid-reaction-historic-flooding-follows-helene-in-western-nc/) - Torrential rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane Helene capped off three days of extreme, unrelenting precipitation, which left catastrophic flooding and unimaginable damage in our Mountains and southern Foothills. It was close to a worst-case scenario for western North Carolina as seemingly limitless tropical moisture, enhanced by interactions with the high terrain, yielded some of
- [Reflecting on a Record-Setting, Storm-Soaked September](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/10/reflecting-on-a-record-setting-storm-soaked-september/) - Due to Hurricane Helene, the National Centers for Environmental Information's data center in Asheville is currently shut down. Our colleagues at NCEI have confirmed that all of their staff are safe and accounted for in the wake of the storm. Since the preliminary statistics and statewide rankings are unavailable, our monthly climate summary for September
- [NC Extremes: NC Pocosins a Hotspot for Large Wildfires](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/06/nc-extremes-nc-pocosins-a-hotspot-for-large-wildfires/) - This post is part of our year-long series about North Carolina's weather extremes. Extreme weather conditions such as drought and high winds can provide an ideal environment for wildfires to ignite and spread. Many of these large fires have occurred on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula in eastern North Carolina. That's no coincidence according to Cabe Speary,
- [Rapid Reaction: Unnamed Storm Unleashes Torrential Rain in Eastern NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/09/rapid-reaction-unnamed-storm-unleashes-torrential-rain-in-eastern-nc/) - For the second time in just six weeks, parts of southeastern North Carolina have seen more than a foot of rainfall from a slow-moving storm system. The latest event exceeded the totals and the local flooding impacts from Tropical Storm Debby back in August, and perhaps most impressively, this was not even a categorized tropical
- [NC Extremes: Flood of 1916 Wiped Out Railways, Records](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/07/nc-extremes-flood-of-1916-wiped-out-railways-records/) - This post is part of our year-long series about North Carolina's weather extremes. One of our state's most notable floods wreaked havoc on western North Carolina residents in July 1916, breaking multiple records and leaving death and destruction in its wake. The Preceding Weather In late June 1916, a tropical depression formed in the western
- [Debby’s Deluge, Late-August Heat Ends a Summer of Extremes](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/09/debbys-deluge-late-august-heat-ends-a-summer-of-extremes/) - August was wet for most of North Carolina thanks to Debby’s rainfall, while temperatures peaked in the final week of the month. That ended a roller coaster summer with extremes of all sorts. Doused by Debby, but Dry in the West Our August precipitation was dominated by Tropical Storm Debby’s contribution, which single-handedly made for
- [Five Years Ago, Dorian Tested Our Post-Florence Preparedness](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/09/five-years-ago-dorian-tested-our-post-florence-preparedness/) - It was setting up to be a case of disaster déjà vu for North Carolina. Less than a year removed from Hurricane Florence – our state’s wettest and costliest tropical system on record – a new storm reached Category-5 strength just to our south in early September of 2019. The rapid strengthening of Hurricane Dorian
- [Was Hazel North Carolina's Worst-Case Hurricane?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/10/was-hazel-north-carolinas-worst-case-hurricane/) - This is the final post in our "Stormy Summer" series looking back at some memorable hurricane anniversaries occurring in 2019. No discussion about North Carolina's significant historical hurricanes is complete without including Hazel, which hit the state 65 years ago today. In terms of intensity, Hazel is in a league of its own. Despite our
- [Rapid Reaction: Debby Drenches NC in Multi-Day Rain Event](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/08/rapid-reaction-debby-drenches-nc-in-multi-day-rain-event/) - An expected active hurricane season took its first swipe at North Carolina last week, with four days of rainfall from the slow-moving Tropical Storm Debby soaking much of the state. That heavy rain fell on already saturated soils and streams following a record wet July for parts of eastern North Carolina, which created flooding issues
- [July's Soaking Showers Stop Drought in its Tracks](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/08/julys-soaking-showers-stop-drought-in-its-tracks/) - Last month started with more extreme heat, but a wetter pattern followed that brought improvements to our summer drought. Heat Continues in Early July Hot weather especially early in the month made for an overall warmer-than-normal July in North Carolina. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) reports a preliminary statewide average temperature of 79.3°F,
- [A Record Dry June Accelerates Drought’s Arrival](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/07/a-record-dry-june-accelerates-droughts-arrival/) - Extreme heat hit home in June, with little rainfall throughout the month. That combination brought the rapid onset of drought conditions in North Carolina. Summer Sizzle Shows Up A boost from a late-month heat wave helped put our June temperatures well above normal. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) reports a preliminary statewide average
- [Florence After Five: Communities, Disconnected](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/09/florence-after-five-communities-disconnected/) - This is the second in a four-part blog post series remembering Hurricane Florence for its five-year anniversary. During the days-long deluge from Hurricane Florence, even as electricity and cell phone service were cut off across eastern North Carolina, there remained one way of monitoring the storm’s local impacts from afar. Navigation apps such as Google
- [Soaking Showers, Summer Sizzle Show Up in May](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/06/soaking-showers-summer-sizzle-show-up-in-may/) - Springtime showers and storms made for a wet May, while summer-like temperatures settled in during the month. That wrapped up an overall warm, wet, and stormy spring. Rainfall Races Back In On the heels of a dry April, regular rainfall returned across North Carolina in May. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) notes a
- [Uncharted Waters: Previewing the 2024 Hurricane Season](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/05/uncharted-waters-previewing-the-2024-hurricane-season/) - Few hurricane seasons in recent memory have arrived with as much anticipation as this year's, and for good reason: few seasons have ever been favored for the sort of ample activity that current outlooks call for over the next seven months. On a recent webinar together with the National Weather Service in Raleigh, we broke
- [NC Extremes: April 2011 Tornado Outbreak One for the Records](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/04/nc-extremes-april-2011-tornado-outbreak-one-for-the-records/) - This post is part of our year-long series about North Carolina's weather extremes. One of North Carolina's most widespread -- and most recent -- severe weather outbreaks came on April 16, 2011, when a line of storms encountered ideal environmental conditions to strengthen and spawn a record number of tornadoes across the state. A Severe
- [April Accompanied By Little Precipitation, Big Hail](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/05/april-accompanied-by-little-precipitation-big-hail/) - Ascending temperatures arrived in April, while the rain that moistened our March was mostly absent. However, our few thunderstorms did bring an icy, potentially record-matching surprise. Heating Up in April Springlike warmth, and at times even summerlike heat, emerged in April, lifting our overall temperatures above normal for the month. The National Centers for Environmental
- [Autumn Arrived and the Tropics Came Alive in September](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/10/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
- [Spring Springs Early in a Warm, Dry February](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/03/spring-springs-early-in-a-warm-dry-february/) - Distinctly un-winter-like weather settled in last month, leading to near-record warm and dry conditions. A Warm Weather Pattern Persists The cold temperatures from earlier in the year are now a distant memory, having been replaced by much milder weather. Last month was the 4th-warmest February since 1895, with a statewide average temperature of 49.19°F, or
- [Rain Returns and Pollen Proliferates in a Warm March](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/04/rain-returns-and-pollen-proliferates-in-a-warm-march/) - It was a record wet March in parts of North Carolina, while the entire state experienced warm temperatures and the corresponding arrival of pollen season last month. Frequent Rains Roll Through Heavy rain especially at the coast fueled a wet March for the state. NCEI reports a preliminary statewide average precipitation of 5.45 inches, which
- [March Mayhem: Remembering the 1984 Tornadoes, Forty Years Later](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/03/march-mayhem-remembering-the-1984-tornadoes-forty-years-later/) - Things that take a lifetime to build can be destroyed in mere moments. Case in point: March 28, 1984, when a line of tornadoes carved a path like a buzzsaw across eastern North Carolina. Faye Watson, a resident of Red Springs – a Robeson County town in the crosshairs of one of the four F-4
- [Winter Recap 2023-24: Rain Returns, but Snow Stays Away](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/03/winter-recap-2023-24-rain-returns-but-snow-stays-away/) - The long-awaited arrival of El Niño late last year helped our winter start with a splash, with multiple rain events across the state in December and January. But prevailing warm weather meant no snow for most areas, with the last flakes now a distant memory from more than two years ago. To wrap up this
- [Spring Leaps In, Drought Creeps Back in February](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/03/spring-leaps-in-drought-creeps-back-in-february/) - Warm weather dominated last month, and so did dry conditions across much of the state. In light of those unseasonable stretches, we look at how early spring has settled in this year. Feeling Warm in February Spring-like temperatures flourished in February, making it a warmer-than-normal month across the state. Preliminary data from the National Centers
- [Drought Disappears as January Stays Wet in the West](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/02/drought-disappears-as-january-stays-wet-in-the-west/) - Warm temperatures dominated January, as did wet weather in western North Carolina, which brought our ongoing drought to an end. Mild Weather for a Winter Month Mostly warm weather, interrupted by a mid-month chill, left our overall temperatures above normal in January. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) notes a preliminary statewide average temperature
- [The Weather Year in Review: The Yin and Yang of 2023](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/01/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,
- [Winter Gets a Warm, Wet Start in December](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2024/01/winter-gets-a-warm-wet-start-in-december/) - Fall-like temperatures carried over into December, but our fall drought faded as wetter weather emerged last month. A few areas also picked up snow, but most of the state finished 2023 with no accumulations. Warm Throughout December The calendar said it was December, but it rarely felt like winter thanks to prevailing warmth last month.
- [Winter Outlook 2023-24: Awaiting Wetter Weather With El Niño’s Return](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/11/winter-outlook-2023-24-awaiting-wetter-weather-with-el-ninos-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 Dry Start to November Lets Drought Deepen](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/12/a-dry-start-to-november-lets-drought-deepen/) - Dry weather continued and drought expanded in November, while temperatures ranged from wintry to warm throughout the month. We also close the book on a dry fall and an active hurricane season. Drought Goes to the Extreme With only one decent rain event all month in most areas, November was quite dry in North Carolina.
- [Drought Digs In During a Bone Dry October](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/11/drought-digs-in-during-a-bone-dry-october/) - Dry weather dominated October, which led to drought expansion and intensification. Our average temperatures were near normal, balanced by warmer days and a few cool nights. Precipitation Passes Us By Rain last month was as rare as full-sized candy bars on Halloween night, which made it a dry month overall. Preliminary data from the National
- [Florence After Five: Inundated Ecosystems](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/09/florence-after-five-inundated-ecosystems/) - This is the third in a four-part blog post series remembering Hurricane Florence for its five-year anniversary. More than 100 miles from the ocean, a small pond in the Sandhills exemplifies the significant and sustained impact Hurricane Florence had on the natural landscape, long after the winds and rain were finished back in September 2018.
- [Rapid Reaction: Surprisingly Strong Ophelia Surges In](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/09/rapid-reaction-surprisingly-strong-ophelia-surges-in/) - Short-lived but not short on moisture, Tropical Storm Ophelia snuck up to the coast on Friday and made for a wet and windy start to the weekend across eastern North Carolina. Ophelia was not the product of a tropical wave crossing the Atlantic, as we typically see this time of year. Instead, it was the
- [Twenty Years Ago, Isabel Punched Above Its Weight](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/09/twenty-years-ago-isabel-punched-above-its-weight/) - Hurricanes and the Outer Banks go together like cats and mice. It’s not exactly a productive pairing for one of them, but it’s also hard to imagine life any other way. But for decades, it seemed, there was an uneasy and perhaps unnatural truce between the two. Even as the Atlantic experienced its own awakening
- [Florence After Five: Redefining the Future](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/09/florence-after-five-redefining-the-future/) - This is the final in a four-part blog post series remembering Hurricane Florence for its five-year anniversary. The sheer extremity of Hurricane Florence left people across the state – from homeowners to local and state officials – questioning what they believed they knew about hurricane impacts. After all, the storm and its rain amounts were
- [Florence After Five](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/09/florence-after-five/) - In September 2018, Hurricane Florence bore down on North Carolina for five days, producing record-breaking rainfall totals and leaving widespread flooding and damage in its wake. For the five-year anniversary of the storm, we're taking a detailed look at Florence, from the lead-up to the storm through the ongoing recovery efforts. The posts are listed
- [Florence After Five: An Anxious Arrival](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/09/florence-after-five-an-anxious-arrival/) - This is the first in a four-part blog post series remembering Hurricane Florence for its five-year anniversary. Within arm’s reach on the desk of Steve Pfaff, the warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Wilmington, is a printed map graphic. At first, it's unassuming – weather maps are hardly out of place
- [August Saw Extreme Heat and Damaging Storms](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/09/august-saw-extreme-heat-and-damaging-storms/) - Hot weather carried over into August, and also featured many dry days until Idalia’s arrival. When we did have rain, it often came from severe and damaging thunderstorms throughout the month. Heat Holds Steady After summer started in earnest in July, it hit high gear in August with persistent heat throughout the month. The National
- [Rapid Reaction: Idalia Ends August on a Wet Note](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/08/rapid-reaction-idalia-ends-august-on-a-wet-note/) - The first tropical storm of the season to affect North Carolina lashed the southeastern part of the state with rain and wind, but apparently caused minimal overall damage and benefitted areas that slipped into drought during a hot, dry August. Idalia formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday and reached hurricane strength early on
- [Rapid Reaction: Drought Comes Back, in a Flash](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/08/rapid-reaction-drought-comes-back-in-a-flash/) - A little over six weeks ago, the town of Bayboro, which sits on the Pamlico River along North Carolina’s central coastline, was soaked by 1.89 inches of rain in a single day on July 7. Since then, they have had just 1.87 inches in total, putting them more than six inches below normal during that
- [July Sizzles, With a Severe Weather Twist](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/08/july-sizzles-with-a-severe-weather-twist/) - Summer finally set in last month with the arrival of above-normal temperatures. Much of the state was on the dry side, but thunderstorms brought locally heavy rain and even severe weather. Summer Heat Takes Hold Our climatological hottest month of the year lived up to that billing, with a preliminary statewide average temperature of 78.7°F
- [Smoke and Storms Fill the Skies in June](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/07/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 Cool, Cloudy May Keeps Summer at Bay](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/06/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 Tropical Trio in September 2004 Tested the Mountain Terrain](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/10/a-tropical-trio-in-september-2004-tested-the-mountain-terrain/) - This is the fifth post in our "Stormy Summer" series looking back at some memorable hurricane anniversaries occurring in 2019. Long after their hurricane-force winds had worn off and they left Florida in varying degrees of disrepair, three storms in September 2004 moved up the east coast and showed they weren't done dealing damage just
- [Groundhog Day is On the Way](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/01/groundhog-day-is-on-the-way/) - After much of North Carolina saw wintry weather in recent weeks, many folks must be wondering whether there is more snow and ice to come or if warmer weather is on the way. Weather folklore enthusiasts may get their answer on Saturday from the lowly groundhog. Here in North Carolina, our resident rodent is Sir
- [Citizen Science Program Needs Your Help Observing the Weather!](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/03/citizen-science-program-needs-your-help-observing-the-weather/) - Do you ever wonder how much rain a thunderstorm brought to your backyard, or how deep the snow was after a winter storm? If so, then you could be a great addition to a growing national network of amateur observers! CoCoRaHS -- or the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network -- is a collection
- [Different Observation Times Can Have a Big Impact](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/08/different-observation-times-can-have-a-big-impact/) - If you happened to be curious about how much it rained yesterday, you would probably be looking for how much rain fell on that exact date, from midnight to midnight. TV meteorologists use the same time frame to tell viewers how much rain fell the previous day. However, many weather stations do not operate in
- [Two NC CoCoRaHS Observers Share Their Stories](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/03/two-nc-cocorahs-observers-share-their-stories/) - We continue our series on CoCoRaHS March Madness with profiles of two observers in North Carolina. Are you cuckoo for CoCoRaHS?! These two North Carolinians are: Jessica Lowman, a teacher in Lenoir County, and Ed Barrows of Wake County, one of our state's longest reporting volunteers! Although before we get to that, you might be
- [Welcome to Our New Website!](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/12/welcome-to-our-new-website/) - Your eyes aren't deceiving you. Today, we re-launched our website with a new look and a slightly different layout. But fear not: the same weather and climate information you're accustomed to finding from us is still here! To help acclimate you to our new NC Climate Office website, here's an overview of the changes and
- [A Hot, Dry May Sees Drought Return](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/06/a-hot-dry-may-sees-drought-return/) - Sizzling summer temperatures and widespread dry weather made for a scorching May that saw drought emerge in a potentially unlikely area. The Heat is On We didn't have to wait for the start of meteorological summer on June 1 to feel summer-like heat across the state. Unseasonably warm temperatures over the past month culminated in
- [Mount Mitchell Wrings Out a New Record](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/07/mount-mitchell-wrings-out-a-new-record/) - The most extreme site in North Carolina has added another item to its resume. After a recent review by a committee of statewide scientists, Mount Mitchell's annual precipitation total of 139.94 inches in 2018 has been confirmed as the wettest calendar year on record anywhere in the state. Mount Mitchell is already a record-holder for
- [Farmers Felt Floyd's Full Force, Beginning in Onslow County](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/09/farmers-felt-floyds-full-force-beginning-in-onslow-county/) - Perhaps the most famous pictures taken during Hurricane Floyd were not of people but of pigs. Aerial shots showed hog farms flooded by the storm, with the animals who hadn't drowned riding out the event from the roofs of barns. It wasn't exactly pigs flying, but the livestock -- like the flood waters that drove
- [A Warm, Dry March Fans the Fire Season's Flames](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/04/a-warm-dry-march-fans-the-fire-seasons-flames/) - March saw stretches of spring-like weather on either side of a cold week, and generally dry conditions across the state that made for an active start to the spring fire season. Widespread Warmth, with One Cool Week Apart from a mid-month cool snap, spring-like temperatures prevailed in March. Statewide, the average temperature was 52.4°F, which
- [Winter Recap 2022-23: Snow is Scarce, Blooms Come Early](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/03/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
- [February Springs Forward with Unseasonable Warmth](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/03/february-springs-forward-with-unseasonable-warmth/) - Month-long warmth in February set local temperature records, but the weather cooperated for a night of outdoor hockey. Meanwhile, early-month rains washed away drought in North Carolina. We also preview winter’s potential return in March. A Spring Sensation Persistent and unprecedented warmth in the past month made it one of our warmest Februarys ever. According
- [A Warm, Wet January Keeps Many Snowless this Winter](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/02/a-warm-wet-january-keeps-many-snowless-this-winter/) - Regular rainfall made January a wet month, including in drought-affected eastern North Carolina, while above-normal temperatures dominated our weather. With little to no snow so far, we examine the odds the winter will finish that way. A Shifting Precipitation Pattern From west to east, precipitation had the state covered in January, which was wetter than
- [The Weather Year in Review: Familiar Patterns with New Twists in 2022](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/01/the-weather-year-in-review-familiar-patterns-with-new-twists-in-2022/) - It was a year that started and ended with totally out-of-season weather, and included just about every extreme in between, from hot to cold, wet to dry, and frozen to fire. Ultimately, 2022 was the product of both persistent climate patterns and trends that have become familiar in recent years, along with the return of
- [A Christmas Chill Decked December’s Halls](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/01/a-christmas-chill-decked-decembers-halls/) - December's temperatures were marked by a big cooldown just in time for Christmas. Rain throughout the month lifted the Mountains out of drought. And a new tool feature helps us put the past month in perspective. Temperatures Tumble for the Holidays After a warm start to December, our temperatures came crashing down during a Christmastime
- [November’s Weather Buffet Spanned Warm to Wet, Chilled to Charred](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/12/novembers-weather-buffet-spanned-warm-to-wet-chilled-to-charred/) - This November, Mother Nature was an accommodating hostess, serving up weather both hot and frozen, with entrées moist and filling, or burnt to a crisp. Plus, we reminisce about recent months in our fall recap. A Warm Exterior Sandwiches a Chilly Center Several strings of deceptively warm days boosted this November in our historical temperature
- [Drought Disappears in August, Despite the Tropical Lull](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/09/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
- [Winter Outlook for 2022-23: La Niña Lives On](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/11/winter-outlook-for-2022-23-la-nina-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
- [Rapid Reaction: Late-Season Nicole Offers Needed Rainfall](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/11/rapid-reaction-late-season-nicole-offers-needed-rainfall/) - The tropics had one more surprise in store this season with Hurricane Nicole, which brought wet and windy weather as its remnants crossed North Carolina late last week. Nicole was the 14th named storm of the year, matching the 30-year average for the basin. While 2022 was predicted to have above-normal activity, the nearly two-month
- [Heat and Air Quality in 2022: Temperatures, Ozone Peaked in June](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/11/heat-and-air-quality-in-2022-temperatures-ozone-peaked-in-june/) - The foliage reaching its final form and the first freeze of the season – not to mention the calendar showing it’s now November – are all sure signs that the summer is finished. This summer in North Carolina got off to a hot start but wrapped up right on time, at least by astronomical accounting.
- [Dry Weather Dominates a Cool, Crisp October](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/11/dry-weather-dominates-a-cool-crisp-october/) - Most of the past month was rain-free, and also cooler than normal with a mid-month freeze event. Those conditions were ideal for leaf color, but not for drought. After Ian, Rain Stays Away A wet first and final day of October bookended an otherwise bone-dry month. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) reports a
- [September Felt Like Summer to Start, then Fall at the Finish](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/10/september-felt-like-summer-to-start-then-fall-at-the-finish/) - September’s precipitation was dominated by Hurricane Ian, while fall-like temperatures accompanied the official season change. That has set us up for a timely leaf color transition this year. Ian Stamps Out Re-Emerging Drought A stretch of dry weather through most of September abruptly ended with a tropical torrent on the last day of the month.
- [Rapid Reaction: Windy, Wet Ian Sweeps Through North Carolina](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/10/rapid-reaction-windy-wet-ian-sweeps-through-north-carolina/) - The remnants of Hurricane Ian crossed the Carolinas on Friday and Saturday, completing the storm’s week-long zig-zagging journey through the Caribbean, across Florida, and eventually up the Atlantic coast and inland. Ian’s twisting track, bobbing and weaving from east and west, was the result of its interactions with other non-tropical atmospheric features. Initially, the storm’s
- [Summer Starts with Scarce Rain, Sizzling Heat in June](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/06/summer-starts-with-scarce-rain-sizzling-heat-in-june/) - Our scattered showers were exactly that last month, while our temperatures turned up during two stretches of extreme heat. Both have caused expanding dryness and drought across North Carolina. Dry Weather Dominates Rain was tough to come by last month, and as a result, we had our driest June in more than three decades. The
- [Drought Sprouts at the Coast as Spring Takes Root in March](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/04/drought-sprouts-at-the-coast-as-spring-takes-root-in-march/) - Rain events last month targeted the Piedmont and southern Mountains while missing the coast, which helped drought expand there. Warmer weather – and a few cool nights – were also signs of the spring season. Amid the Rain, Dry Areas Linger Spring showers soaked some areas but missed others, making for an overall drier-than-normal month
- [Climate Curiosities: When Was Our Warmest Hour?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/08/climate-curiosities-when-was-our-warmest-hour/) - The dog days were downright dreadful this year, as part of an early-starting summer that rarely offered much relief, at least until last weekend. Statewide, this June and July combined were our 12th-warmest beginning to summer since 1895, and the warmest since 2016. The heat wasn’t just isolated here in North Carolina. To the west,
- [A Warm, Wet July Extends Our Steamy Summer](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/08/a-warm-wet-july-extends-our-steamy-summer/) - The heat held on in July, joined by locally heavy rainfall that improved drought conditions. We also review recent weather using the new Almanac feature in our Station Scout tool. The Peak of Summer Heat Climatologically speaking, July is our hottest month of the year, and last month indeed saw the temperatures dialed up, even
- [The Tropics Come A-Colin](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/07/the-tropics-come-a-colin/) - A surprise tropical storm that formed along the Carolina coast brought spotty showers, gusty winds, and dangerous surf during the recent holiday weekend. While the bulk of the attention in the tropics over the past week had been focused on Bonnie – not the 1998 hurricane that lashed our coast, but rather the 2022 incarnation
- [May Concludes a Warm Spring with Mixed Rainfall](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/06/may-concludes-a-warm-spring-with-mixed-rainfall/) - Hot weather arrived on schedule last month, while rain soaked some spots and missed others. That was the story of our spring in North Carolina. The Heat Hustles In Spring finished with a summer-like feeling as hot weather arrived last month. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), the preliminary statewide average temperature
- [Few Traces Remain from "Wild and Terrific" 19th-Century Hurricanes](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/08/few-traces-remain-from-wild-and-terrific-19th-century-hurricanes/) - This is the first post in our "Stormy Summer" series looking back at some memorable hurricane anniversaries occurring in 2019. More than 100 years ago, two hurricanes twenty years apart tore up the North Carolina coast with little warning and a devastating impact along the Outer Banks. That lack of advanced notice is unusual for
- [April Had Transient Temperatures, Plentiful Pollen... but No Tornadoes](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/05/april-had-transient-temperatures-plentiful-pollen/) - Temperatures last month were quite variable from day to day, while many areas missed out on rainfall and no tornadoes occurred in NC all month. One abundant feature in April, though, was the pollen. Warm Days and Cool Nights Our mid-spring month at times felt like three different seasons, including the warmth of early summer
- [Air Quality Updates: What to Watch for in 2022](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/03/air-quality-updates-what-to-watch-for-in-2022/) - That feeling of spring in the air will soon be joined by powdery puffs of pollen, some sniffs of smoke, and potentially even occasional unhealthy air pollution as the weather continues to warm up. March marks not only the start of meteorological spring, but also the beginning of ozone season, which runs from March 1
- [Winter Recap 2021-22: Warm Weather Prevails, Even with a Snowy Surprise](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/03/winter-recap-2021-22-warm-weather-prevails/) - 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
- [Spring Sneaks In and the Coast Dries Out in February](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/03/spring-sneaks-in-and-the-coast-dries-out-in-february/) - January’s chill gave way to spring-like warmth in February, while dry conditions dominated across eastern North Carolina. We also look at the weather as told by the winds. A Fling with Spring If January saw the abrupt arrival of Old Man Winter, then in February, he had one foot back out the door. Warmer weather
- [Rain, Ice, and Snow Had Us Covered in January](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/02/rain-ice-and-snow-had-us-covered-in-january/) - In all its forms, precipitation piled up in a wet January, although drought remains in some areas. Cool weather also reversed our warm December pattern – but how long will it stick around? Frozen Precipitation Fuels a Wet Month The skies opened up and brought a variety of precipitation types, which added up to make
- [The NC Climate Education Network One Year Later: Science, Education, Art, and Community](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/01/the-nc-climate-education-network/) - One year ago we launched the NC Climate Education Network (NCCEN) which aims to connect professionals in the state interested in tackling climate education. From the beginning, NCCEN has sought to be a welcoming space for anyone who is participating in climate education -- be they K-12 teachers, environmental educators, or climate scientists performing the
- [Three Storms in Three Weeks Jump Start the Winter](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/01/three-storms-in-three-weeks-jump-start-the-winter/) - Our weather has taken a “new year, new me” approach to 2022, with the warm and dry pattern from late 2021 replaced by a decidedly cooler and wetter one. That has included three impactful winter storms -- on January 3, January 16, and January 21 -- that affected all corners of the state in one
- [From Deluges to Droughts in 2021: the Weather Year in Review](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/01/from-deluges-to-droughts-in-2021-the-weather-year-in-review/) - Whether wet or dry, Mother Nature just couldn't make up her mind in North Carolina last year. While 2021 was not particularly extreme in the final temperature or precipitation rankings, it was notable for the drastic seasonal swings between wet and dry weather and their impacts, from devastating floods to fire-sparking droughts. The Year By
- [Unwrapping an Unseasonably Warm December](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2022/01/unwrapping-an-unseasonably-warm-december/) - Holiday heat headlined our historically warm December, and despite late-month rainfall, it was a dry month overall. We also check in on how La Niña has shaped our weather so far this winter. Year-End Temperatures Set Records A winter wonderland, it wasn’t. Cool temperatures were scarce last month, yielding one of our warmest Decembers on
- [Drought Degrades in Our Driest November in Decades](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/12/drought-degrades-in-our-driest-november-in-decades/) - It was the driest November in a lifetime, with rainfall in retreat whether we were warm or cool. Drought has expanded and intensified after our warm, dry fall. Dry Weather Dominates Like an overcooked turkey in the oven, November turned out extremely dry across North Carolina. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI),
- [October Bewitched by Warmth and Bedeviled by Drought Development](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/11/october-bewitched-by-warmth-and-bedeviled-by-drought-development/) - A paranormal October saw temperatures levitate above the historical average while precipitation mysteriously vanished, summoning the specter of drought back to North Carolina. Warm Weather Returns A cool end to September proved to be only a brief preview of fall rather than a sign of the changing seasons, as October overwhelmingly featured above-normal temperatures across
- [Fall's Arrival Comes With a September Pattern and Leaf Color Change](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/10/falls-arrival-comes-with-a-september-pattern-and-leaf-color-change/) - A warm start to last month gave way to a more seasonable finish, while a mostly dry month saw needed rain across parts of the Piedmont. That pattern change has also spurred on changing leaves, beginning in the west. Summery to Start, Fall-Like to Finish Three weeks of warm weather followed by a sudden late-month
- [Rapid Reaction: Fire on the Mountains](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/11/rapid-reaction-fire-on-the-mountains/) - Amid our worst fall fire season in five years, two wildfires in the past month have stood out from their elevated perches atop the Piedmont’s highest peaks. On November 9-14, a wildfire burned 40 acres on Sauratown Mountain in Stokes County, and an even larger blaze started last Saturday on Pilot Mountain in Surry County.
- [Climate Curiosities: Our Last Big Snow Events](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/11/climate-curiosities-our-last-big-snow-events/) - After a couple of lackluster winters in a row -- and with an outlook that doesn’t exactly scream “snow days on the way!” -- the flakes feel fleeting and snow seems scarce across North Carolina. By opening up the historical records, we can see just how long it’s been since significant snow fell in different
- [Climate Curiosities: When the Dog Days are the Doggonest](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/09/climate-curiosities-when-the-dog-days-are-the-doggonest/) - After sliding through this June and July with relatively few hot days, it may have seemed like we were out of the woods when it came to summer’s highest heat. But then came August and hundred-degree temperatures in the eastern Piedmont and Sandhills. Existing datasets tell us that our hottest weather typically occurs in July,
- [Winter Outlook 2021-22: La Niña, Take Two?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/11/winter-outlook-2021-22-la-nina-take-two/) - It’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but for some meteorologists, it’s feeling a bit like Groundhog Day. For the second year in a row, a La Niña event is developing as we head into the winter, leaving us to wonder how -- or even if -- it will affect our weather. Last year’s event never produced
- [Five Years Later, Five Lessons Learned from Matthew](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/10/five-years-later-five-lessons-learned-from-matthew/) - It’s a rare storm that now stands out more for its similarities to, rather than its differences from, others in its era. Five years ago today, Hurricane Matthew brushed the North Carolina coastline but still caused incredible inland impacts. It wasn’t our first modern hurricane to produce significant freshwater flooding -- Floyd in 1999 held
- [Dennis Menaced the Coast and Set the Stage for Floyd](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/09/dennis-menaced-the-coast-and-set-the-stage-for-floyd/) - This is the second post in our "Stormy Summer" series looking back at some memorable hurricane anniversaries occurring in 2019. Before the tropical terror that was Hurricane Floyd in September 1999, another storm hit the North Carolina coast, and while its impact at the time was relatively minor, it played a major role in amplifying
- [Floyd's Flooding Overwhelmed Eastern North Carolina](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/09/floyds-flooding-overwhelmed-eastern-north-carolina/) - This is the third post in our "Stormy Summer" series looking back at some memorable hurricane anniversaries occurring in 2019. Out of almost 150 years of recorded hurricanes in North Carolina through 1999, none were quite like Floyd. When the sixth named storm of the 1999 season arrived at our coast twenty years ago today,
- [New Resources Address Drought Communication Challenges](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/09/new-resources-address-drought-communication-challenges/) - A dusty old weather pun says that drought is a very dry topic, but in practice, communicating about drought is an issue saturated with challenges, misconceptions, and opportunities. That was the inspiration behind a NOAA-funded project that our office completed in partnership with the Carolinas Integrated Sciences and Assessments (CISA), aiming to increase the transparency
- [Grant Will Fund Climate Resilience Strategies for Frontline Communities in the Carolinas](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/09/grant-will-fund-climate-resilience-strategies-for-frontline-communities-in-the-carolinas/) - NC State leads a multi-institutional effort to develop climate resilience solutions in frontline communities in the Carolinas.
- [A Slow-Starting Summer Heated Up in August](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/09/a-slow-starting-summer-heated-up-in-august/) - Steamy summer weather settled in during August, while Fred’s heavy rain made for a wet month. That wrapped up a summer notable for its tropical rainfall and drought disappearance. Hot Weather Blankets the State The warmest weather of the year so far waited until August to arrive. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) reports
- [Rapid Reaction: Fred Fosters Floods in Western NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/08/rapid-reaction-fred-fosters-floods-in-western-nc/) - The third tropical storm to affect North Carolina in the past two months targeted the Mountains with heavy rainfall and flooding this week. Like Claudette in June and Elsa in July, Tropical Storm Fred tracked through the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall along the Gulf coast, and its remnants had an impact on North
- [April's Weather Includes Thunderstorms, Pollen Storms](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/05/aprils-weather-includes-thunderstorms-pollen-storms/) - Across the state, April saw wet weather including tornado-producing storms, increasing temperatures, and a yellow cloud covering the landscape thanks to a springtime pollen-pocalypse. Rain and Storms Soak the State April showers lived up to their name last month, as regular rainfall made it the 5th-wettest April on record since 1895 with a preliminary average
- [AIR Tool Offers Air Quality and Weather Data, in Detail](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/08/air-tool-offers-air-quality-and-weather-data-in-detail/) - The State Climate Office and the North Carolina Division of Air Quality (NCDAQ) have partnered to build a new monitoring tool for those times when there’s something in the air, whether that’s a simmering summer afternoon, a gray and hazy evening, or even the hours after a holiday celebration. (Don’t worry, we’ll explain that one!)
- [Climate Thresholds Tool Offers Historical Stats About Extreme Events](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/07/climate-thresholds-tool-offers-historical-stats-about-extreme-events/) - They're the sort of climatological curiosities that may have crossed your mind this year without even realizing it. In the Sandhills: Wow, 90 degrees before March is done? Here comes the sun! In the Foothills: A freeze in mid-May? No way! And in eastern North Carolina last month: Four inches of rain in one day? Don't float away! If recent weather
- [Summer Projects: Rainfall Study and Severe Weather Stats](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/09/summer-projects-rainfall-study-new-web-tools/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. First up is Colin Loftin, a senior in Meteorology at NC State. This summer I completed two separate projects. For the first half of summer, I worked on a comparison of daily MPE (Multi-Sensor Precipitation Estimates) and PRISM
- [An Introduction to our Severe Weather Tools](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/03/an-introduction-to-severe-weather/) - The World Meteorological Organization defines severe weather as dangerous meteorological phenomenon, of varying duration, with risk of causing major damage, serious social disruption and loss of human life. The State Climate Office website provides information on and illustrations of some of the different types of severe weather. Severe Storm Stats Last fall, our information pages
- [February Tornadoes are Rare, But With a Damaging History](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/02/february-tornadoes-are-rare-but-with-a-damaging-history/) - Last week's EF1 tornado in Carteret County serves as a reminder that although the winter months are climatologically our least active for severe weather, damaging storms and tornadoes can still happen this time of the year. Forty-five years ago in Fayetteville, a rare February tornado proved to be a strong and deadly one. Winter Tornado
- [Hail Hath No Fury Like a Springtime Storm](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/05/hail-hath-no-fury-like-a-springtime-storm/) - In the past three weeks, afternoon thunderstorms have brought the usual combination of heavy rain, thunder, and lightning, but they've also packed an extra punch. Since April 23, the National Weather Service has issued 179 storm reports for hail in North Carolina, from Cedar Island in the east to near Asheville in the west. So
- [Rapid Reaction: Dorian Drenches and Damages the Coast](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/09/rapid-reaction-dorian-drenches-and-damages-the-coast/) - After a day-long trip up our coastline, Hurricane Dorian departed North Carolina with a brief landfall at Cape Hatteras and a trail of damage left behind from its winds, rain, storm surge, and even a few tornadoes. Dorian became the state's first landfalling storm of the year and the fourth hurricane to affect the coast
- [How Howling Hugo Became the Western Piedmont's Worst Hurricane](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/09/how-howling-hugo-became-the-western-piedmonts-worst-hurricane/) - This is the fourth post in our "Stormy Summer" series looking back at some memorable hurricane anniversaries occurring in 2019. Well inland from the tempest-tossed coastline, one part of North Carolina would seem to be a safe haven from the hazards of hurricanes. The western Piedmont is at least a three-hour drive from the closest
- [April 13th Tornado Outbreak Ranks Among NC's Most Abundant](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/04/april-13th-tornado-outbreak-ranks-among-ncs-most-abundant/) - Last Monday, April 13, got off to a stormy start as a line of severe thunderstorms roared across North Carolina. In the process, they spawned 16 confirmed tornadoes, which is the fifth-most ever recorded on a single day in our state. This outbreak -- including 131 tornadoes over two days and ten states -- had
- [For Duke Energy, No Shelter from Hugo's Storm](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/09/for-duke-energy-no-shelter-from-hugos-storm/) - Thirty years ago, Hurricane Hugo tested nearly every aspect of our infrastructure in the Carolinas. Trees and power lines snapped in the storm's winds, cutting off the electricity that powered everything from water pumps to gas pumps. At the coast, roads and boardwalks were scoured away by the storm surge. Flash flooding in the Mountains
- [Floyd's Inundation Along the Tar River Spurred a Call to Action](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/09/floyds-inundation-along-the-tar-river-spurred-a-call-to-action/) - Rob Lipford knew it was an unusual event when even the water in his yard was seeking higher ground. At his home in Rocky Mount, the low-lying backyard always tended to fill up first during a heavy rain event. But when several inches of water began creeping around the side of his house toward the
- [Helene a Reminder of an NC Weather What-If](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/09/helene-a-reminder-of-an-nc-weather-what-if/) - While all eyes in North Carolina remain on Hurricane Florence and its potential impacts on the state later this week, another recently formed hurricane in the Atlantic -- Helene -- already has a historical connection to our state and one of its closest calls with tropical catastrophe. Sixty years ago this month, Hurricane Helene churned
- [Often Ignored in a Stormy Era, Bonnie Still Packed a Punch](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/08/often-ignored-in-a-stormy-era-bonnie-still-packed-a-punch/) - The late 1990s in North Carolina became synonymous with names like Bertha, Fran, and Floyd. But another, perhaps less well-remembered hurricane hit the state in the same turbulent four-year period, and in more ways than one, Hurricane Bonnie bridged the gap between North Carolina's landfalling storms of the era. Summers of Sea Change After back-to-back
- [Postcards from Fran: Beyond-Belief Stories from the Coast](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/09/postcards-from-fran-beyond-belief-stories-from-the-coast/) - These memories from Hurricane Fran along the coast come from news articles written after the storm. North Carolina's coast bore the brunt of Hurricane Fran, and from the extreme wind and water emerged some amazing stories that almost sound too wild to be true. Although most coastal residents evacuated, those that stayed for the storm
- [Then and Now, Fran a Standard-Bearer for Hurricane Destruction](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/09/then-and-now-fran-a-standard-bearer-for-hurricane-destruction/) - When you think of the ingredients for a damaging hurricane in North Carolina, a few things are likely to make the list: major hurricane-strength with high winds, a big storm surge along the coast, and an impact on a large number of people across the state. Twenty years ago in September 1996, Hurricane Fran ticked
- [Hurricane Bertha Kick-Started a Stormy Stretch in NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/07/hurricane-bertha-kick-started-a-stormy-stretch-in-nc/) - The summer of 1996 was a wake-up call of sorts for North Carolina's coastline. Prior to that, it had been ten years since the last hurricane landfall -- Charley in 1986. Besides a near miss from Hugo in 1989, which made landfall in South Carolina and caused damage across the Piedmont, North Carolina's coast had
- [Hump Day-ja Vu: The Three Wednesday Snows of March 1960](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/03/hump-day-javu-the-three-wednesday-snows-of-march-1960/) - March of 1960 must have felt a bit like Groundhog Day in North Carolina. For the first three Wednesdays of the month, parts of the state saw snow or ice as part of a rare early-spring string of wintry weather. Prior to March, the winter of 1959-60 was quite unremarkable in North Carolina. Mean temperatures
- [Polar Patterns Could Open the Gates for Cold, Wintry Weather](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/11/polar-patterns-could-open-the-gates-for-cold-wintry-weather/) - As our Winter Outlook series continues, we turn our attention to the polar jet stream, which will largely determine how much of this winter's precipitation will fall in a frozen form and how cold our temperatures might get. In many ways, the polar jet stream -- controlled by the now-infamous polar vortex -- can be
- [Summer Projects: Climate Impacts on Loblolly Pine Trees](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/08/summer-projects-climate-impacts-on-loblolly-pine-trees/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's student research assistants. The author, Aurelia Baca, is completing her Master's degree in Climate Change and Society at NC State University. Forests are a valuable part of the biosphere, providing clean water, recreation areas, wildlife habitat, and carbon storage, along with
- [Pluto Climate Summary: An Ice Storm on the Way?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/06/pluto-climate-summary-an-ice-storm-on-the-way/) - Rather than covering developments in North Carolina's climate, in this post, we're looking a bit farther away. Specifically, more than three billion miles away on the distant dwarf planet Pluto, where it's a bit colder and dimmer than in North Carolina, but still subject to its own local climate. For many of us, Pluto is
- [NC Extremes: An Ice Storm for the Ages](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/12/nc-extremes-an-ice-storm-for-the-ages/) - This post is part of our year-long series about North Carolina's weather extremes. Winter weather in North Carolina can be a fickle thing. When cold air and moisture come together at the right time, the outcome can be an impressive snowstorm. However, even small temperature differences throughout the atmosphere can turn a potentially scenic, snowy
- [NC Extremes: Strong Hurricanes Are No Strangers to NC's Coast](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/09/nc-extremes-strong-hurricanes-are-no-strangers-to-ncs-coast/) - This post is part of our year-long series about North Carolina's weather extremes. Hurricanes are among the most extreme weather events North Carolina routinely receives. The combination of wind, rain, storm surge, and other hazards packs a major punch, particularly in the strongest storms. There are several ways to determine the strength of a hurricane.
- [NC Extremes: Spring Freezes Prove Costly for Agriculture](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/05/nc-extremes-spring-freezes-prove-costly-for-agriculture/) - This post is part of our year-long series about North Carolina's weather extremes. May is generally associated with warming temperatures, springtime thunderstorms, and rain showers to feed emerging plants. But several times in recent history, including a record-setting event in early May of 1963, the onset of spring has been interrupted by a wintertime relic
- [NC Extremes: Storm of the Century Smashed Snowfall Records](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/03/nc-extremes-storm-of-the-century-smashed-snowfall-records/) - This post is part of our year-long series about North Carolina's weather extremes. An old adage says that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. But what about the middle of the month? It's often in between our big winter weather events and our springtime severe weather events. However, in
- [4 Factors that Made Hazel a Perfect Storm for NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/10/4-factors-that-made-hazel-a-perfect-storm-for-nc/) - Before Fran, Floyd, Isabel, or Irene, there was Hazel. When Hurricane Hazel made landfall 60 years ago today, it set the standard for hurricane intensity and destruction in North Carolina. In our state alone, the storm destroyed more than 15,000 buildings, left 19 people dead and 200 injured, and caused nearly $1.2 billion in damage,
- [Summer Projects: SPEI, a Drought Index Based on Water Balance](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/09/summer-projects-spei-a-drought-index-based-on-water-balance/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. The author, Jessica Miller, is a senior majoring in Applied Mathematics at NC State University. Have you ever driven by a crispy-looking cornfield or lugged extra water out to your wilting garden and wondered how scientists measure drought?
- [Lay of the Land: The Current State of Weather and Ag](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/06/lay-of-the-land-the-current-state-of-weather-and-ag/) - This guest post by Dr. Mike Yoder with NC State University's Department of Animal Sciences looks at the impacts of weather and climate on agriculture. President Ronald Reagan once noted that "the American farmer is in a business that makes a Las Vegas craps table look like a sure thing." The President understood that weather,
- [Four Weather Factors for Plant Growth](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/06/four-weather-factors-for-plant-growth/) - This guest post by Dr. Mike Yoder with NC State University's Department of Animal Sciences looks at the impacts of weather and climate on agriculture. Weather has been defined as the variations of temperature, humidity, precipitation, and levels of solar radiation to which plants are exposed. Individually and jointly, these factors impact crop production and
- [StormFest 2014 Hits Raleigh This Week](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/03/stormfest-2014-hits-raleigh-this-week/) - Since its inception in 2010, StormFest has gathered science and weather enthusiasts to learn about and engage in weather, specifically severe storms. Each year the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, located in downtown Raleigh, opens its doors for the public to interact with professional meteorologists, emergency management officials, and SkyWarn trainers, to name a
- [Summer Projects: High-Resolution Temperature and Precipitation Estimates for North Carolina](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/11/summer-projects-high-resolution-temperature-and-precipitation-estimates-for-north-carolina/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants.The final part of this series is by James McClellan, a recent graduate of NC State with a degree in Meteorology and a minor in Biological Sciences. My work at the State Climate Office has been focused on developing
- [Summer Projects: Palmer Drought Severity Index](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/10/summer-projects-palmer-drought-severity-index/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. The fourth part of this series is by Melissa Mainhart, a junior majoring in Meteorology and minoring in Computer Programming at NC State. Over the course of the summer I have been working on calculating the Palmer Drought
- [Century Since the Storm: Road to Recovery](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/09/century-since-the-storm-road-to-recovery/) - This is the fourth and final part of our weeklong blog post series Century Since the Storm. Several days after the storm passed through and the rains and winds ended, its true toll on the coast of North Carolina became apparent. In towns like Washington, which saw a record-setting 10 feet of flooding, the first
- [Century Since the Storm: Moment of Impact](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/09/century-since-the-storm-moment-of-impact/) - This is the third part of our weeklong blog post series Century Since the Storm. Early on the morning of September 3rd, 1913, just before 4 a.m., the storm made landfall as a category 1 hurricane near Cape Lookout. The worst damage along the Outer Banks occurred north of Cape Lookout, which was within the
- [Severe Weather Hazards: Spring and Summer of 2013](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/08/severe-weather-hazards-spring-and-summer-of-2013/) - Severe weather in North Carolina can be extremely hazardous to those in the path of a storm; however, weather safety precautions can reduce injuries and deaths. During the spring and summer months, there are several severe weather hazards, mainly resulting from thunderstorms and tropical systems, that impact North Carolina such as heavy rain, strong winds,
- [Update from the Field: What's Happening with the ECONet?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/07/update-from-the-field-whats-happening-with-the-econet/) - Our in-house network of 38 weather stations, the North Carolina Environment and Climate Observing Network (or ECONet), is built to meet the needs of our partners across the state. This includes the NC Forest Service, multiple agricultural research stations, and citizens across the state. We measure parameters similar to those weather stations used by the
- [Wind Chill Tells the Tale of Bitter Winter Conditions](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/01/wind-chill-tells-the-tale-of-bitter-winter-conditions/) - For those cold winter days when the wind seems to bite at your skin, meteorologists have developed a way to quantify the hold that the cold has on you. The first wind chill estimates were created by Paul Siple and Charles Passel, two Antarctic researchers in the 1940s who measured the cooling rate of a
- [Winter El Niño Events Often Take Root in the Spring](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/05/winter-el-nio-events-often-take-root-in-the-spring/) - Although our winter just ended, the weather conditions half a world away in the western Pacific Ocean may already be shaping how our next winter will turn out. Yes, December is still seven months away, but an analysis of years that developed a wintertime El Niño pattern -- which often leads to cooler and wetter
- [What Will Winter Bring? Get a Clue! (from the Pacific Ocean)](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2012/12/what-will-winter-bring-get-a-clue-from-the-pacific-ocean/) - This is part four in a four-part series highlighting different winter forecasting techniques. Each year as summer turns to fall, folks begin to wonder: "What will this winter be like?" When seasonal forecasters attempt to answer this, there are few indicators that provide them with clues as to what the weather will be like for
- [October Siberian Snowfall May Shape NC Winters](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2012/12/october-siberian-snowfall-may-shape-nc-winters/) - This is part three in a four-part series highlighting different winter forecasting techniques. Can forecasting North Carolina winter weather be improved by measuring snowfall in Siberia? A group of scientists believe it can by helping to improve the forecasts of two of the most important large-scale climate patterns that affect each winter in the eastern
- [Farmers' Almanacs Use Centuries-Old Forecasting Formulas](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2012/12/farmers-almanacs-use-centuries-old-forecasting-formulas/) - This is part two in a four-part series highlighting different winter forecasting techniques. Could a black box in New Hampshire contain the secret to predicting winter weather? Adherents to the Old Farmer's Almanac, which has been published every year since 1792, might tell you that it does. But what exactly is inside this box, and
- [The Weather According to the Woolly Worm](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2012/12/the-weather-according-to-the-woolly-worm/) - This is part one in a four-part series highlighting different winter forecasting techniques. What can a caterpillar tell us about the weather? Quite a lot, at least if you believe the folklore surrounding the woolly worm's role in winter forecasting. But does this legend have legs? Let's take a look at the story behind one
- [August is Cool for NC, Rainy in Spots](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/09/august-is-cool-for-nc-rainy-in-spots/) - Following a cool July, August delivered more below-normal temperatures to North Carolina, as well as abundant rainfall in parts of the state. Cooler Temperatures Continue in August The statewide average temperature of 73.69°F makes it the 10th-coolest August on record for North Carolina. Several stations with at least 80 years of data, including Tarboro, Statesville,
- [NC Extremes: Arctic Air Masses Pack a High-Pressure Punch](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/02/nc-extremes-arctic-air-masses-pack-a-high-pressure-punch/) - This post is part of our year-long series about North Carolina's weather extremes. When it comes to moving the mercury in barometers up to record-setting levels, nothing does the trick quite like a wintertime Arctic high pressure system. But before we get to North Carolina's high pressure records, let's briefly review air pressure, including how
- [May's Cool, Wet Weather Caps a Variable Spring](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/06/mays-cool-wet-weather-caps-a-variable-spring/) - Cloud cover reigned in May, keeping high temperatures down and showers moving through regularly. Cloudy Days Spur Below-Normal Mean Temps While May can sometimes feel quite summer-like in North Carolina, that wasn't the case last month. The statewide average temperature was 65.14°F, ranking as the 39th-coolest May in North Carolina since 1895. A number of
- [Rapid Reaction: Saturday's Storms Bring Locally Heavy Rainfall](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/07/rapid-reaction-saturdays-storms-bring-locally-heavy-rainfall/) - When residents and even forecasters in central North Carolina woke up on Saturday morning, they had little idea that a rare rainfall event awaited later that day. After all, the morning cloud cover hardly threatened a stormy afternoon. But clearing clouds, warming temperatures, and several storm-specific ingredients resulted in extreme precipitation totals over a small
- [Extreme Events from the Past Year, as Told by CoCoRaHS Reports](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/03/extreme-events-from-the-past-year-as-told-by-cocorahs-reports/) - North Carolina had some impactful weather events over the past 12 months, from intense summer storms to powerful tropical systems along the coast to a snowstorm earlier this year. In each of these events, CoCoRaHS observers across the state helped us gain a better perspective about how much precipitation fell than we otherwise might have
- [May Showers Seal a Wet Spring, but What Will Summer Bring?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/06/may-showers-seal-a-wet-spring-but-what-will-summer-bring/) - Last month's rains washed away any lingering drought in North Carolina and topped off the rain gauges in a particularly wet spring. Temperatures Moderate Under Cloudy Skies Last month's statewide average temperature of 67.11°F was about a degree above the 1981 to 2010 average, ranking as the 45th-warmest May out of the past 123 years.
- [Extreme Heat Stays Away to Start the Summer](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/07/extreme-heat-stays-away-to-start-the-summer/) - After a hot, wet spring, June was a bit cooler and slightly drier across much of the state. Below-Average Afternoon Highs Drive a Cool Month In recent years, June has become associated with the inevitable onset of summer heat. However, last month was comparatively tolerable, ranking as the 50th-coolest June since 1895 with a statewide
- [Five  Burning Questions about the Second Half of 2017](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/07/five-burning-questions-about-the-second-half-of-2017/) - We're halfway through 2017, which means winter and spring are history and we're at roughly the midway point of the summer. As we look ahead to the rest of the year, here are five questions we're contemplating about North Carolina's weather. 1. When Will the Extreme Heat Hit? This summer started with a cool June
- [After Irma, Dry Weather Dominates in September](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/10/after-irma-dry-weather-dominates-in-september/) - Our latest climate summary takes a focused look at the recent dry conditions across much of the state. Despite increasing activity in the tropics last month and several storms passing close to North Carolina, most of the state escaped September without much rainfall to show from tropical systems or otherwise. The main exception was parts
- [The SCOfficial 2017-18 Winter Outlook](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/11/the-scofficial-2017-18-winter-outlook/) - If you don't trust the likes of weather folklore with your winter forecast, here's a closer look at some environmental factors that might influence our weather this winter, followed by some past years with similar conditions, then our office's winter outlook. Current Conditions El Niño-Southern Oscillation This summer, sea surface temperatures in the central equatorial
- [Rapid Reaction: December Begins with a Wintry Wake-Up Call](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/12/rapid-reaction-december-begins-with-a-wintry-wake-up-call/) - We don't often see snow on the ground before Christmas in North Carolina, but a potent weather system spurned the climatological and La Niña-skewed odds to bring our first taste of winter just a week into the season. The precursor to the event was a weak cold front that moved through last Wednesday morning. The
- [Rapid Reaction: Snow Blows In Down East](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/01/rapid-reaction-snow-blows-in-down-east/) - After a week of cold and dry weather, flakes finally flew across much of eastern North Carolina with the passage of a fast-moving but potent storm system off the coast. As we discussed in our December climate summary, the recent cold pattern actually made it tougher to see snow because the Arctic high pressure system
- [Winter Roars Back in a Lion-Like March](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/04/winter-roars-back-in-a-lion-like-march/) - This month's climate summary highlights our turbulent March that included some springtime snow, cool and windy weather, and a new sensor to help track heat stress on the human body. Spring Starts with Snow, Variable Rainfall In March, some parts of North Carolina received drought-relieving rain and snow while others saw more limited precipitation. Overall,
- [June Sees Sizzling Summer Heat Stick Around](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/07/june-sees-sizzling-summer-heat-stick-around/) - Mother Nature turned up the thermostat last month, giving us a particularly steamy start to the summer. Our latest climate summary takes a look at the past month's weather, including our warm temperatures, areas of increasing dryness, and tropical activity -- or lack thereof. Hot Weather from Summits to Sounds High pressure systems taking a
- [Local Partners Make Ongoing Weather Monitoring Possible](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/07/local-partners-make-ongoing-weather-monitoring-possible/) - Earlier this month, our office's Environment and Climate Observing Network, or ECONet, grew to 42 total weather stations with the addition of a monitoring site in Chapel Hill. This was a great example of the necessary steps for putting up a new weather station, so in today's blog post, let's take a look at those
- [The SCOfficial 2018-19 Winter Outlook](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/11/the-scofficial-2018-19-winter-outlook/) - In our previous post, we described the atmospheric patterns that could affect the northern hemisphere jet streams -- and therefore our weather -- this winter. To recap, an emerging El Niño is likely to have the greatest impact, with wetter-than-normal conditions expected due to its strengthening of the subtropical jet stream. One ENSO-related wildcard is
- [Rapid Reaction: A Season's Worth of Snow in One Day](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/12/rapid-reaction-a-seasons-worth-of-snow-in-one-day/) - We didn't have to wait long this winter to see our first major snow event in North Carolina. The second weekend of December brought significant accumulating snowfall to many areas and a wintry mix across parts of the Piedmont. While the early-season timing of this event was a bit uncommon, the setup for the storm
- [January Remains Wet, But the Fire Hose Fizzles](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/02/january-remains-wet-but-the-fire-hose-fizzles/) - The heavy rain and snow of recent months abated in January, leaving us slightly wet and warm overall. While it has been a wet winter, can we blame El Niño? Make sure to check out our global pattern update. Rain Backs Off and Snow Stays Away After our wettest December on record, nearly everyone in
- [A Warm, Wet November Puts Records Within Reach](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/12/a-warm-wet-november-puts-records-within-reach/) - A few drenched days from the tropics' parting shot to the Southeast amounted to a wet month in North Carolina that also featured sustained warmth. That vaulted us closer to potential new annual temperature and precipitation records. Eta's Moisture Drives Wet Weather Capping off the hurricane season, tropical moisture from one storm almost single-handedly made it one of the
- [Behind the Scenes of our Latest Station Installation](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/08/behind-the-scenes-of-our-latest-station-installation/) - Last week, a team of nine staff members and students from our office completed the installation of our 38th ECONet weather station. This new station is in Rutherford County on the campus of Isothermal Community College in Spindale, NC. Here is a closer look at this site and how we install a new weather station.
- [December Delivers Above-Normal Temps and a Rainy Finish](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/01/december-delivers-above-normal-temps-and-a-rainy-finish/) - December was a fairly quiet month weather-wise, with temperatures running a few degrees above normal, especially in the west, and precipitation late in the month for eastern North Carolina. Sun Bowl: Above-Normal Mean Temps Across the State On the heels of one of our coldest Novembers on record, December finished as the 28th-warmest since 1895.
- [2014 Climate Review: Mountains Started Snowy, Finished Dry](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/01/2014-climate-review-mountains-started-snowy-finished-dry/) - This is the final part of our 2014 climate review. We wrap up our regional look around the state with the Mountains. Annual Overview Much like the Piedmont, the Mountains were on the cool and dry side in 2014. Specifically, the region had its 33rd-coolest and 31st-driest year since 1895. A few stations were particularly
- [Bald Head Island Welcomes Our Newest ECONet Station](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/09/bald-head-island-welcomes-our-newest-econet-station/) - Our first ECONet station on North Carolina's Outer Banks was officially unveiled earlier this week at the Bald Head Island Conservancy (BHIC). Since it was installed in late June, this station has provided valuable weather information in near real-time for researchers, residents, and tourists on the island, which is the most southerly point in North
- [Memoirs about Meteorologists using CoCoRaHS Data](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/03/memoirs-about-meteorologists-using-cocorahs-data/) - This is the first of two blog posts highlighting how CoCoRaHS data is used and the value of the reports. First, we explore some of the meteorological applications of CoCoRaHS data. Whether you are a current CoCoRaHS volunteer or are interested in joining this network of rainfall observers, you should know that your data is
- [Summer Projects: Piecing Together a Weather Data Puzzle](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/08/summer-projects-piecing-together-a-weather-data-puzzle/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's student research assistants. The author, Kelley DePolt, is a rising sophomore in the Meteorology program at North Carolina State University. Imagine that the world is a giant puzzle made up of over 100,000 pieces. To add a level of complexity to
- [January's Frigid Start Gives Way to Milder Weather](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/02/januarys-frigid-start-gives-way-to-milder-weather/) - Following an early-month shot of wintry weather, conditions warmed up while we also chipped away at the ongoing drought. After an Early Chill, Warmer Weather Arrived Despite seeing some of the coldest temperatures in nearly three years in the wake of a snow event early in the month, last month as a whole was a
- [The Eclipse is Coming, but Will the Clouds Cooperate?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/08/the-eclipse-is-coming-but-will-the-clouds-cooperate/) - Next Monday, a total solar eclipse will be visible from parts of North Carolina for the first time in more than 47 years. A little after 2:30 pm on August 21, skies will darken in the far southwestern part of the state for around two-and-a-half minutes. Across the rest of the state, a partial eclipse
- [Arctic Air Invades in December, But Was It Too Cold for Snow?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/01/arctic-air-invades-in-december-but-was-it-too-cold-for-snow/) - This month's climate summary highlights December's surge of cold weather, ongoing dry conditions, and a new sensor being tested at one of our ECONet stations. Cold Air Arrives Late in the Month It was up on the housetop, down through the chimney, and in the air on many silent nights. An Arctic chill made its
- [Rapid Reaction: Record Rainfall and Flooding Follow Florence](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/09/rapid-reaction-record-rainfall-and-flooding-follow-florence/) - It was a storm that briefly appeared set to threaten all of North Carolina's records for landfalling hurricane intensity. In the end, Florence was weaker but wetter than initially expected, and between the storm surge, extreme rainfall, and unprecedented inland flooding, the stubborn storm still left a record-breaking mark on our state. Storm History Florence
- [2014 Climate Review: Coastal NC Saw it All](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/01/2014-climate-review-coastal-nc-saw-it-all/) - This is the second part of our 2014 climate review. Last time, we looked at some statewide stats and extremes. Today, we begin a region-by-region recap of the past year. Annual Overview On average, it was a cool, wet year for the 41 counties in the Coastal Plain. The average temperature of 60.94°F across the
- [Winter Recap 2014-15: A Warm Start with a Frigid, Frozen Finish](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/03/winter-recap-2014-15-a-warm-start-with-a-frigid-frozen-finish/) - Today we revisit North Carolina's winter, including a seasonal summary, a review of predictions from folklore and our own winter outlook, and an ENSO update and outlook. Winter Summary The meteorological winter -- December through February -- finished as the 40th-coolest and 33rd-driest winter statewide out of 120 years of record. But the whole winter
- [Mild Weather, Arthur Headline July 2014 in NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/08/mild-weather-arthur-headline-july-2014-in-nc/) - Overall, July in North Carolina was cooler than normal with a mix of dry and wet spots, including parts of the coast that were visited by Hurricane Arthur. Below-Normal Temps Prevail Across NC Last month was the 11th-coolest July in 120 years of record in North Carolina based on the preliminary statistics, which made it
- [Slow-Moving Ana Brings Steady Rains to Eastern NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/05/slow-moving-ana-brings-steady-rains-to-eastern-nc/) - Although three weeks remain until the traditional start of hurricane season, some recent activity in the Atlantic gave us the first named storm -- Tropical Storm Ana -- a bit earlier than usual. Ana's life began as a disorganized collection of showers and thunderstorms associated with a weak low pressure system over the Bahamas. As
- [Drought Update: Severe Drought Creeps into NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/07/drought-update-severe-drought-creeps-into-nc/) - A small area of North Carolina is in Severe Drought, according to this week's release of the US Drought Monitor. Today's post summarizes why this area is in drought, whether it will end soon, and what you can do to prepare for emerging impacts. Deteriorating Conditions Below-normal precipitation combined with warmer-than-normal temperatures have continued over
- [Rapid Reaction: Severe Storms Spawn Tornadoes in NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/02/rapid-reaction-severe-storms-spawn-tornadoes-in-nc/) - Earlier this week, a cold front moving across North Carolina produced strong thunderstorms that spawned six tornadoes, then left high, gusty winds in its wake. It was a particularly intense severe weather event for February or any month, for that matter. Severe Weather Setup This event had all the ingredients for a tornado outbreak that
- [OBITUARY: Remembering the 2015-16 El Niño Event](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/06/obituary-remembering-the-2015-16-el-nio-event/) - The El Niño of 2015-16 has passed away after a short but ruinous battle with cool water in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Following multiple attempts during the summer and fall of 2014 to conceive an El Niño, this event was born during the late winter of 2015 to its parent phenomena: warming water and westerly
- [La Niña, Other Atmospheric Patterns Set to Shape Our Winter Weather](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/11/la-nina-other-atmospheric-patterns-set-to-shape-our-winter-weather/) - This is the second part of our 2016-17 Winter Outlook series. Our office's winter predictions are available in our Winter Outlook post. While forecasts from folklore can provide an interesting take on our possible winter weather, long-range forecasting is more than just bugs and books. Several large-scale atmospheric patterns including the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, Siberian
- [Winter Recap 2016-17: Warm, Dry Weather Dominates](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/03/winter-recap-2016-17-warm-dry-weather-dominates/) - As we pass the midway point of March, if you're left wondering "where was winter?!", you're not alone. A heavy dose of mild weather since mid-January made for a largely uneventful season, especially in terms of wintry precipitation. However, such conditions were not entirely unexpected. In our Winter Outlook post released last November, we noted
- [A Tale of Weather Transitions in 2017](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/01/a-tale-of-weather-transitions-in-2017/) - Today, we'll catch you up on last year's weather storylines in North Carolina, and discuss just how extreme the past year was for our state. For much of 2017, we were engaged in a race for a record -- North Carolina's warmest year on record, that is. Entering December, we were on pace for the
- [Winter Outlook: A 'Similar but Different' El Niño Taking Shape](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/11/winter-outlook-a-similar-but-different-el-nio-taking-shape/) - Today, we kick off our seventh annual winter outlook series by looking at the state of the oceans and atmosphere entering the winter, along with how these features could affect our weather in the coming months. El Niño After last winter's La Niña event that saw cooler-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean,
- [Q&A: Our Record Warmest Year in 2019](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/01/qa-our-record-warmest-year-in-2019/) - Those warm days in late December when temperatures touched the 70s didn't just make you pull out the sandals for holiday break. They also helped 2019 secure the title of North Carolina's warmest year on record. Our record-setting year was confirmed today by our colleagues in Asheville at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National
- [Rapid Reaction: Isaias Moved Fast but Hit Hard in Eastern NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/08/rapid-reaction-isaias-moved-fast-but-hit-hard-in-eastern-nc/) - It was a stealthy storm arriving overnight, but there was no mistaking the damage from Hurricane Isaias. Before it ever made it here, it had already broken a record as the ninth named storm to form in the Atlantic before the end of July. Once it reached North Carolina, Isaias came onshore late on August
- [Florence Revisited: Our Wettest Hurricane, Two Years Later](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/09/florence-revisited-our-wettest-hurricane-two-years-later/) - On this day in 2018, Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina, and the worst was yet to come as the storm began its crawl across the state. After five days of rainfall, we were left with record flooding and more questions than answers about what the weeks, months, and years ahead would look like.
- [Early-Season Tropical Storms Contribute to a Cool, Wet May](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/06/early-season-tropical-storms-contribute-to-a-cool-wet-may/) - The early onset of hurricane season included two storms visiting North Carolina in May. They helped make it a wet month, as well as a cool one across the state. The Tropics Storm to Life The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season didn't officially begin until last Monday, June 1, but the ocean and tropical atmosphere have
- [Amid a Subdued Summer, Elsa Adds More Rain in July](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/08/amid-a-subdued-summer-elsa-adds-more-rain-in-july/) - Summer heat remained scarce in North Carolina last month, while Elsa headlined a wet pattern across the Coastal Plain. Following Elsa, we look at where the tropics stand entering August. Cooler Temperatures Continue Our seasonable summer in North Carolina extended through much of July. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) reports a preliminary statewide
- [March Madness is Back... for Rainfall?!](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/02/march-madness-is-back-for-rainfall/) - Have you ever wondered how much rain or snow fell in your backyard? If so, then you could be a great addition to a growing national network of amateur weather observers called CoCoRaHS. What is CoCoRaHS? CoCoRaHS -- or the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network -- is a network of volunteers who observe
- [Rapid Reaction: More Mixed Precipitation Blankets NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/02/rapid-reaction-more-mixed-precipitation-blankets-nc/) - The third widespread wintry event in less than two weeks painted a familiar picture across the state: Snow falling to the north and west, rain to the southeast, and a narrow band of mixed precipitation in between. The low pressure system responsible for this event began taking shape earlier in the week, when an upper-level
- [Summer and Tropical Outlook: What Effects Might El Niño Have?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/05/summer-and-tropical-outlook-what-effects-might-el-nio-have/) - This time of year, our thoughts often turn to the ocean. It's a great place for a vacation, and often a welcome relief from stress and heat. As climatologists, we also think about the oceans -- Atlantic and Pacific -- because they can give us some clues about how our summer weather and hurricane season
- [Twelve Tornadoes Confirmed from Friday's Severe Storms](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/04/twelve-tornadoes-confirmed-from-fridays-severe-storms/) - Last week included a decidedly bad Friday weather-wise for much of North Carolina as severe thunderstorms produced damaging straight-line winds and tornadoes across the state. The event was well-forecasted several days in advance since it appeared likely that the same system bringing severe storms to the Midwest and Deep South on Wednesday and Thursday would
- [State Climate Office Welcomes New Director](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/06/state-climate-office-welcomes-new-director/) - We are delighted to announce that later this month, Kathie Dello will join the State Climate Office of North Carolina as our new permanent director and as the State Climatologist for North Carolina. Kathie comes to us from Oregon, where she serves as Associate Director of the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute and as Deputy
- [Stormy Summer 2019: Series Overview](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/08/stormy-summer-2019-series-overview/) - Throughout August and September 2019, we'll remember the anniversaries of hurricanes that struck North Carolina 20 years ago, 30 years ago... and all the way back to 140 years in the past. To bring a unique perspective about these storms, we've scoured the record books and historical reports for details that didn't make the top
- [CoCoRaHS Reports Offered Unique Insights into Florence](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/03/cocorahs-reports-offered-unique-insights-into-florence/) - During significant weather events, on-the-ground observations often provide us with the best indications of local conditions and impacts, but we don't just get this information from automated weather stations. In fact, during Hurricane Florence last fall, some of the most meaningful -- and most impressive -- observations came from the backyards of volunteer observers! Those
- [Rainfall Extremes in June Jumble the State Drought Map](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/07/rainfall-extremes-in-june-jumble-the-state-drought-map/) - While the rain reigned in eastern North Carolina last month, the western Piedmont stayed dry and has seen a degradation on the state drought map. Plus, how do our temperatures compare to the recent records out west? From Really Dry to Record Wet In some months, a statewide average acts as a good representation for
- [Drought Diminishes After Early June Deluges](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/06/drought-diminishes-after-early-june-deluges/) - At this time last month, drought had just emerged in North Carolina, and it was expected to expand and intensify even more by the end of May -- which it did, encompassing more than half of the state. But the turn of a page in the calendar also brought a turn of the spigot, especially
- [A Hot, Dry September Sees Drought's Rapid Return](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/10/a-hot-dry-september-sees-droughts-rapid-return/) - The calendar says it's fall but it still feels like summer. Our September temperatures were warm, our precipitation was generally light after Hurricane Dorian, and drought is back in North Carolina. Can't Beat the Heat Summer-like temperatures have persisted well into the fall this year, making it one of our warmest Septembers in recent memory.
- [May Flowers Wilt Amid Expanding Drought](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/06/may-flowers-wilt-amid-expanding-drought/) - It was a dry month for North Carolina in May, but also a cooler one with a unique high pressure pattern. The ongoing dry weather this spring has seen drought emerge and expand. Dry Weather Dominates Limited rainfall last month yielded one of the driest Mays in recent memory. According to the National Centers for
- [June Rains Offer Relief, But Not Full Drought Recovery](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/07/june-rains-offer-relief-but-not-full-drought-recovery/) - June brought wet weather across much of North Carolina, as well as a mid-month break from the heat. It also saw our office get out and about to a number of weather stations and events across the state and even across the country. A Wet Month in the North and West After a dry May
- [An Extreme, Unusual 2020: the Weather Year in Review](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/01/an-extreme-unusual-2020-the-weather-year-in-review/) - The unprecedented aspects of 2020 included our climate in North Carolina, which the statistics show was an extreme year in our modern history. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, 2020 was our 2nd-wettest year on record and tied for our 3rd-warmest year on record dating back to 1895. That makes 2020 the only time in the past 126
- [Winter Outlook 2020-21: La Niña Has Landed](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/11/winter-outlook-2020-21-la-nina-has-landed/) - For the ninth year in a row, we're proud to share our winter outlook for North Carolina. This year, the atmosphere has offered up a clear indication of the main large-scale pattern at play entering the winter: a fast-forming La Niña during in the fall. The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is one of the most
- [Rapid Reaction: Eta-Aided Rain Event Drenches NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/11/rapid-reaction-eta-aided-rain-event-drenches-nc/) - Amid a record-breaking hurricane season that has run up the score by repeatedly slam-dunking on the US coastline, it poured buckets in North Carolina yet again this week. Tropical Storm Eta dealt an atmospheric alley-oop to an approaching cold front in the form of ample Atlantic moisture, soaking the state and raising rivers to flood levels. In
- [October Spooked by Zeta’s Dying Breaths and Frightful Foggy Mornings](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/11/october-spooked-by-zetas-dying-breaths-and-frightful-foggy-mornings/) - The past month included wet, windy weather along with warm temperatures and higher dew points that helped fog bedevil our October dawns. Dark and Stormy Nights (and Days) Multiple rainfall events including the remnants of two hurricanes drenched western North Carolina as part of an overall wet month. The National Centers for Environmental Information reports a preliminary statewide average precipitation
- [A Seasonable September Included a Soaking from Sally](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/10/a-seasonable-september-included-a-soaking-from-sally/) - Cooler weather filtered in last month as fall officially began, while wet conditions continued across much of North Carolina. Those ingredients mean our leaf colors could be unlike we've seen in several years -- and in a good way! Summer Splits as Autumn Arrives The heat and humidity that wouldn't budge in July and August finally faded in September, leaving us with near-normal temperatures
- [Tropical Air and Tropical Storms Make for a Warm, Wet August](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/09/tropical-air-and-tropical-storms-make-for-a-warm-wet-august/) - August in North Carolina began and ended with rain from tropical systems, and there was plenty of rain in between as well. Temperatures remained warmer as we closed out a warm, wet summer that was noteworthy for a few reasons. Widespread Wet Weather North Carolina took a soaking throughout August, accumulating a statewide average precipitation of 7.84 inches, according to
- [Summer Surges Ahead in a Hot, Dry July](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/08/summer-surges-ahead-in-a-hot-dry-july/) - After a cool June, hot weather arrived in July, while generally limited precipitation saw Abnormally Dry conditions return in North Carolina -- but for how long? A Month of Melting Heat Our string of three consecutive cooler-than-normal months in April, May, and June came to an abrupt ending last month with the arrival of summer's supreme sizzle. According to the National Centers for Environmental
- [Warm, Wet December Weather Lands Short of Annual Records](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/01/warm-wet-december-weather-lands-short-of-annual-records/) - With year-long temperature and precipitation records on the line, we narrowly missed both following warm and wet (but not warm and wet enough) weather in December. The initial stats still show it was an extreme year. You're invited to learn more in an upcoming webinar! Cooler Spells Temper our Temperatures While a moderately warm month could have set a new annual
- [Winter Recap 2020-21: La Niña Lays Low in a Persistent Wet Winter](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/03/winter-recap-2020-21-la-nina-lays-low-in-a-persistent-wet-winter/) - Chalk it up to atmospheric anomalies or a forecast without foresight. Either way, this winter defied expectations and drenched most of North Carolina for yet another season. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, the three-month period from December 2020 through February 2021 ranked as our 13th-wettest winter since 1895 based on the statewide average precipitation
- [Rapid Reaction: Back-to-Back Ice Storms Pound the Northern Piedmont](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/02/rapid-reaction-back-to-back-ice-storms-pound-the-northern-piedmont/) - If the Piedmont of North Carolina is the ice storm capital of the south, then the ruling weather regime had a full docket over the past week, with two damaging storms since last Friday. These high-impact events locally were part of a larger active weather pattern that has seen snow blanket nearly three-quarters of the continental US, extreme
- [Very Wet, Fairly Cold, but Rarely Snow This February](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/03/very-wet-fairly-cold-but-rarely-snow-this-february/) - The jet stream pattern in February brought plenty of precipitation and some colder air into North Carolina, but that did not materialize into much snow across the state. A Soaked February The shortest month of the year was packed with plenty of precipitation. The National Centers for Environmental Information reports a preliminary statewide average precipitation of 5.69 inches, which ranks as
- [A 'Fairy Tale' January Has Tame Temperatures, Precipitation Variety](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/02/a-fairy-tale-january-has-tame-temperatures-precipitation-variety/) - Once upon a time last month, our temperatures seemed bland and boring, but a closer look revealed a world of precipitation possibilities, including snow, soggy spots, and the return of dryness in North Carolina. Goldilocks-Like Temperatures In terms of temperatures, January was like the baby bear's porridge: not too hot, not too cold. It was indeed an unremarkable month as
- [Want to Compete in March Madness? You Can, CoCoRaHS Style!](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/03/want-to-compete-in-march-madness-you-can-cocorahs-style/) - As any college basketball fan knows, the state of North Carolina tends to perform well in the month of March. But no matter which color jersey you root for, you can help our state succeed in another March Madness competition, all while helping meteorologists more accurately track precipitation across the country. The Community Collaborative Rain,
- [Spring Blooms in March, But Winter Wetness Lingers](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/04/spring-blooms-in-march-but-winter-wetness-lingers/) - Our new website launches next week, and we're using it to help illustrate a warm March that dried out in some areas but remains generally saturated after our wet winter. A New Website On the Way! Next Monday brings an exciting new update for our office, and for anyone in North Carolina who uses weather and climate data. Our new
- [Our New Website Offers Data on Demand, ECONet Insights](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/04/our-new-website-offers-data-on-demand-econet-insights/) - We’re proud to officially launch our new-look website today, and our current design is more than just a fresh coat of paint. Here’s an overview of what you will find, headlined by our new data request tool that makes it faster and easier than ever before to access weather and climate data from across North
- [What to Expect When You’re Expecting a Drought](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2021/05/what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting-a-drought/) - Moderate Drought conditions emerged in southeastern North Carolina last week, which was a rude reminder that it’s been a while since we’ve dealt with drought. A wet 2020 that carried over into a surprisingly wet winter this year meant flooding and saturated soils have been the bigger problems over the past 18 months. Among the
- [Variable Temperatures and Rainfall Adorn December's Weather Mantle](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/01/variable-temperatures-rainfall-adorn-decembers-weather-mantle/) - Last month saw a temperature roller coaster as well as near- to slightly below-normal rainfall across most of the state. Temperatures Take a Topsy-Turvy Sleigh Ride Unlike last December, which had record-setting warm weather throughout the month, last month had a mix of warm and cooler days that averaged out to be slightly warmer than
- [Dry Weather Dominates November Across North Carolina](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/12/dry-weather-dominates-november-across-north-carolina/) - Much of the state received less than an inch of rain last month, which led to expanding drought and impacts including multiple wildfires. Fall's First Freeze Ends the 2016 Growing Season Clear skies and sunshine dominated last month, so with few cloudy or rainy days, it's probably not surprising that our temperatures were above normal.
- [After Matthew, Fall-Like Weather Finally Arrives](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/11/after-matthew-fall-like-weather-finally-arrives/) - The weather news in October was headlined by a single event: Hurricane Matthew. However, after the storm, dry weather took hold for the rest of the month. October Temperatures Above Normal But Still Seasonal Last month's statewide average temperature of 62.45°F ranks as the 13th-warmest October in North Carolina since 1895. Average maximum, minimum, and
- [September Rains Soak the Coast While the West Remains Dry](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/10/september-rains-soak-the-coast-while-the-west-remains-dry/) - While the entire state of North Carolina continued to see above-normal temperatures last month, there was a big difference in precipitation from east to west. Summer Heat Wanes, But Warm Weather Continues Last month, we transitioned from the summer to the fall, but our temperatures haven't exactly been in a hurry to respond to the
- [Above-Normal Temperatures Continue in August](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/09/above-normal-temperatures-continue-in-august/) - Again in August, we couldn't escape the ongoing summer heat, and conditions dried out as the month went on. Sizzling Summer Temperatures Continue The meteorological summer wrapped up with another month of above-normal temperatures. The statewide average temperature of 78.26°F ranks as the 3rd-warmest August since 1895. The only years with warmer Augusts in North
- [June Dry in the West, Wet in the East](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/07/june-dry-in-the-west-wet-in-the-east/) - Seasonal temperatures, but not extreme heat, arrived in June, while we saw big contrasts in precipitation across the state. Temperatures Warm, But Extreme Heat Stays Away June's statewide average temperature of 74.58°F was nearly 10 degrees warmer than May's average of 64.70°F -- a sign that the summer season is now in full swing. That
- [April Saw Fire, Little Rain, and Sunny, Seasonal Days](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/05/april-saw-fire-little-rain-and-sunny-seasonal-days/) - One ongoing dry pattern, two chilly mornings, and three wildfires were all parts of our April conditions in North Carolina. Spring-like Temperatures, Including Two Freezes Following the 10th-warmest March on record, the abnormal heat backed off in April. The statewide mean temperature of 65.58°F ranks as the 61st-coolest -- or 62nd-warmest -- April since 1895.
- [Spring Begins With a Warm, Dry March](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/04/spring-begins-with-a-warm-dry-march/) - From the Mountains to the coast, North Carolina had warm weather and little rainfall during the past month. Widespread Warmth Includes Few Chilly Nights Continuing the spring-like pattern from the second half of February, March was quite warm across North Carolina. This March ranks as the 10th-warmest in the past 122 years with a statewide
- [An Active February Features Wet Weather, Storms](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/03/an-active-february-features-wet-weather-storms/) - From the coldest temperatures of the winter to widespread severe weather, February had a bit of everything. Temperatures Swing from Shivery to Spring-like The average temperature from statewide reporting stations last month was 41.93°F, which makes it the 59th-coolest February in the past 122 years. However, a statewide average certainly doesn't tell the full story
- [January Brings Cooler Weather and a Taste of Winter](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/02/january-brings-cooler-weather-and-a-taste-of-winter/) - After a warm December, the winter reversed course in January with cooler-than-normal conditions prevailing. Winter's Chill Finally Arrives The new year brought a much cooler weather pattern for North Carolina. January finished with a statewide average temperature of 37.64°F, ranking as the 32nd-coolest January out of the past 123 years. The temperatures differences from December
- [December Sees Record-Setting Warmth, Wet Weather](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/01/december-sees-record-setting-warmth-wet-weather/) - Unseasonably warm conditions and more rain were our weather storylines in December. A Month of Un-Winterlike Warmth By all measures -- average high, average low, and average mean temperatures -- this December was the warmest on record since 1895 across North Carolina. The average statewide temperature of 53.64°F was a full 3 degrees warmer than
- [A Warm, Wet November Concludes NC's Wettest Fall](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/12/a-warm-wet-november-concludes-ncs-wettest-fall/) - More rain in November continued this fall's wet pattern. Mild Days, Warm Nights Elevate Temperatures While the waning daylight hours and fallen leaves made it look like the end of fall or beginning of winter, it certainly didn't feel that way for most of the month. The statewide average temperature of 53.89°F ranks as the
- [October's Soggy Start Gives Way to a Fall-Like Finish](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/11/octobers-soggy-start-gives-way-to-a-fall-like-finish/) - After record-setting rainfall early in the month, seasonable high temperatures took over for the rest of October. Seasonable Temperatures Reign After leaving the 80s and 90s behind in September, we kept high temperatures in the 60s and 70s for most of October, making for fall-like afternoons across the state. In Rocky Mount, the average high
- [September Starts Warm and Gets a Soggy Send-Off](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/10/september-starts-warm-and-gets-a-soggy-send-off/) - September began with a final taste of summer and ended with soaking rains and the first signs of fall. Summer Heat Spills Into Early September Although September was the start of meteorological fall, it sure didn't feel like it early in the month. Temperatures topped 90°F throughout the first 10 days of September to extend
- [A Dry August Concludes a Warm Summer](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/09/a-dry-august-concludes-a-warm-summer/) - August continued a recent dry pattern that has seen drought conditions emerge across parts of North Carolina. After Early Warmth, Temperatures Finish Near Normal Warm periods in the first week of the month and the middle of the month balanced out with several cooler days to give near-normal temperatures, on average. The statewide average temperature
- [June Sees Sizzling Heat, Emerging Drought, and Damaging Storms](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/07/june-sees-sizzling-heat-emerging-drought-and-damaging-storms/) - Was June hot enough for you? Temperatures hit the 90s and 100s across the state last month, with dry conditions in the west and storms in the east. Temps Top 100°F in a Summer Heat Wave Oh, how quickly things can change! Just last month, we were talking about the return of 90s after a
- [A Warm, Dry May Wraps Up a Similar Spring](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/06/a-warm-dry-may-wraps-up-a-similar-spring/) - May saw above-normal temperatures continue and a return of dry conditions, especially in western North Carolina. May Heats Up Across the State Last month's statewide average temperature of 67.76°F (1.42°F above the long-term average) made it the 29th-warmest May in the past 121 years. Several stations with shorter periods of record had one of their
- [April Showers Alleviate Lingering Dryness](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/05/april-showers-alleviate-lingering-dryness/) - After several months of dry weather in western North Carolina, April saw plenty of precipitation across that region along with above-normal temperatures across the state. Temperatures Trend Above Normal Our warm finish to March carried over into April, as the statewide average temperature of 59.31°F ranked as the 34th-warmest April since 1895. However, our average
- [March Warmed Up and Dried Out Across NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/04/march-warmed-up-and-dried-out-across-nc/) - We put the winter behind us last month as temperatures regularly hit the 60s and 70s, although we did endure some cooler days as well. Topsy-Turvy Temperatures A combination of warm and cool periods during March averaged out to near-normal temperatures across North Carolina. The statewide average temperature of 49.9°F ranked as the 56th-warmest March
- [January Brought Near-Normal Conditions to NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/02/january-brought-near-normal-conditions-to-nc/) - We started 2015 with average temperatures and precipitation that ranked near their normal values across the state. Statewide Temps Typical for January Up-and-down temperatures throughout the month averaged out to near-normal values. The preliminary statewide average temperature of 40.35°F ranks as the 56th-coolest January in 121 years of record. Most sites across the state finished
- [November Wraps Up a Cool Fall for NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/12/november-wraps-up-a-cool-fall-for-nc/) - November saw overall cool temperatures with wet weather late in the month for North Carolina. Record Lows Highlight a Cool Month Almost from start to finish, cooler weather ruled the past month in North Carolina. Most stations saw average temperatures 3° to 7°F below normal, and the statewide average says it was our 4th-coolest November
- [Mild October Sees Variable Rainfall, Changing Leaves](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/11/mild-october-sees-variable-rainfall-changing-leaves/) - October saw several signs of fall across the state. Statewide Temperatures Slightly Above Normal Our October saw a mix of warm days with highs in the 80s and milder stretches of fall-like weather. Those averaged out to give a warmer-than-normal month, ranking as the 47th-warmest October in 120 years of record. Most locations had average
- [September Sees Summer's Last Surge and A Taste of Fall](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/10/september-sees-summers-last-surge-and-a-taste-of-fall/) - September started with summer-like warmth and finished with a fall-like pattern and the first signs of changing leaves. Roller Coaster Temperatures in NC After an overall mild summer, the heat returned in late August and continued through the first week of September, when high temperatures hit the 90s across the state before cooling off into
- [Pre-Conference Workshops for the 2016 Carolinas Climate Resilience Conference](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/08/pre-conference-workshops-for-the-2016-carolinas-climate-resilience-conference/) - In our post from last week, we talked about the upcoming Carolinas Climate Resilience Conference. This week we decided to go into a little more detail about the three pre-conference workshops that will be hosted by the Carolinas Integrated Sciences & Assessments (CISA) and expert facilitators. These workshops will be held concurrently from 9:00-11:30 am
- [Looking Forward to the 2016 Carolinas Climate Resilience Conference](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/07/looking-forward-to-the-2016-carolinas-climate-resilience-conference/) - The second juncture of the Carolinas Climate Resilience Conference (CCRC) will be held September 12-14, 2016, at Charlotte University Place in Charlotte, NC. The conference is being held by the Carolinas Integrated Sciences and Assessments, or CISA, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) RISA group that conducts applied research in North and South Carolina
- [Persistent Heat Makes For a Sizzling July](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/08/persistent-heat-makes-for-a-sizzling-july/) - Above-normal temperatures were a mainstay during the past month, leading to one of North Carolina's warmest Julys on record. The Heat Hangs On All Month The statewide average temperature of 79.28°F ranks as the 6th-warmest July since 1895. The heat was all-encompassing, as most weather stations recorded one of their top five warmest Julys on
- [A Warm Start to Summer in June 2014](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/07/june-2014-climate-summary-a-warm-start-to-summer/) - In North Carolina, June followed in the footsteps of May, which was warmer than normal and relatively quiet as far as severe weather goes. Warmest Across Eastern NC Overall, June was a warm month statewide -- the 33rd-warmest June on record, based on the preliminary numbers. The heat was greatest in the eastern half of
- [Join Us for Climate-Conscious NC!](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/08/join-us-for-climate-conscious-nc/) - Happy August! For those of you that don't know me yet, my name is Kathie Dello and I'm the State Climatologist and Director of the State Climate Office. I was on the job for 8 months before we were sent into quarantine. My preferred engagement model -- visit folks where they are, listen, and then
- [A Decade in Review: The 2010s](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/12/a-decade-in-review-the-2010s/) - Over the next two weeks, we'll close out this year and decade with a look back at how the 2010s played out weather-wise in North Carolina. From statewide snowstorms to memorable hurricanes to drought progression and its impacts, we will highlight the big events and weather storylines that wove through our year-to-year weather and climate.
- [May Was Hot and Humid with Heavy Rains](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/06/may-was-hot-and-humid-with-heavy-rains/) - Between torrential flood-causing rainfall and warm, humid weather, it was an active and often uncomfortable May weather-wise. Our latest climate summary takes a look at the past month in North Carolina, including an interesting observation from one of our stations. Record-Setting Rainfall This year's April showers continued into May, as widespread rainfall produced our wettest
- [By the Numbers: August and Summer 2017](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/09/by-the-numbers-august-and-summer-2017/) - In lieu of our typical climate summary post, we're taking a condensed look at some stats from the past month and season. August Temperatures 75.16°F: August's average statewide temperature, which was just under a degree below the long-term 1981-2010 average. It ranked as our 50th-coolest August out of the past 123 years. 20 days: The
- [How Low Did They Go? Explore Radiation & Temperature Data from the Eclipse](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/08/how-low-did-they-go-explore-radiation-temperature-data-from-the-eclipse/) - Along with providing a rare sight in the skies, last week's solar eclipse had a distinct impact on weather conditions in North Carolina. Our 40 ECONet stations measure ambient conditions every minute, and after reviewing their data and crunching the numbers, we've seen how the eclipse affected solar radiation and air temperatures across the state.
- [Rapid Reaction: An Unusual Event for NC Drought Monitoring](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/03/rapid-reaction-an-unusual-event-for-nc-drought-monitoring/) - It's a tradition so well-established that you might not even know it happens. Every Thursday morning, the US Drought Monitor's weekly assessment of conditions becomes the official drought status for North Carolina. However, that's not the case this week. The map on the front page of the NC Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) website, which
- [The SCOfficial 2016-17 Winter Outlook](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/11/the-scofficial-2016-17-winter-outlook/) - This is the third and final part of our 2016-17 Winter Outlook series including our expectations for this winter. Freezing temperatures finally arrived across much of the state within the past week, which means that winter is on its way. What sort of weather can we expect in North Carolina? In this post, we'll review
- [Rapid Reaction: Drought Intensifies in Western NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/10/rapid-reaction-drought-intensifies-in-western-nc/) - While eastern North Carolina continues to recover from record flooding after Hurricane Matthew, western North Carolina remains in a persistent drought. Extreme Drought (D3), the second-most severe drought category on the US Drought Monitor's classification scheme, appeared in Cherokee, Clay, and Macon counties this week while Severe Drought (D2) expanded to include 10 counties in
- [A New Phase of the CoCoRaHS Condition Monitoring Project](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/10/upcoming-webinar-about-new-phase-of-cocorahs-condition-monitoring-project/) - This past weekend saw the passage of Hurricane Matthew, and with it, heavy rains and strong winds in central and eastern NC. If you were in these affected areas, you may have observed swollen creeks, overflowing ditches, and wind-blown debris. During the inevitable cleanup following the storm, you may have taken note of how squishy
- [Postcards from Fran: Fuel for Fires and Sustenance for Soldiers](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/09/postcards-from-fran-fuel-for-fires-and-sustenance-for-soldiers/) - This account of Hurricane Fran in Fayetteville comes from Geneva Gray, a graduate research assistant at the State Climate Office. Hurricane Fran wreaked havoc across the Coastal Plain and Piedmont just weeks after I started Kindergarten. My younger brother and I were 3 and 5 years old, respectively, and we watched my parents frantically prepare
- [Postcards from Fran: A Neighborhood Knocked Down, then United, by Fran](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/09/postcards-from-fran-a-neighborhood-knocked-down-then-united-by-fran/) - This account of Hurricane Fran comes from Dr. Nancy Schecter, a resident of central Raleigh before, during, and after Fran. In September 1996, our kids were 7 and 9 years old. Their school teachers said to get flashlights and candles for the hurricane; I reassured them that it wouldn't come this far inland. We followed
- [Postcards from Fran: Toppled Trees and the Smell of Sawdust](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/09/postcards-from-fran-toppled-trees-and-the-smell-of-sawdust/) - This account of Hurricane Fran in Raleigh comes from Jim Epps, an instrument technician at the State Climate Office. In the summer of 1996, I was working in the Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences Department at NC State University. Being surrounded by atmospheric scientists as we entered the heart of hurricane season, I naturally was
- [Summer Projects: Hitting Pay Dirt on Soil Moisture](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/08/summer-projects-hitting-pay-dirt-on-soil-moisture/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's student research assistants. This part of the series is written by Andrew Henderson, who is a rising junior majoring in Meteorology at North Carolina State University. Soil moisture plays a vital role in agriculture, meteorology, and drought-monitoring. Simply defined, soil moisture
- [Summer Projects: An Evaluation of Two Global Climate Datasets](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/08/summer-projects-an-evaluation-of-two-global-climate-datasets/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. The author, Kieran Riban, is a junior majoring in Statistics and minoring in Economics at NC State University. It sounds like a sci-fi film: Insects invading the country and destroying our crops! However, invasive pests are a very
- [Summer Projects: Connecting Drought Indices to On-the-Ground Observations](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/08/summer-projects-connecting-drought-indices-to-on-the-ground-observations/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. This part of the series is by Karl Schneider, who is a junior majoring in Applied Mathematics and Statistics at NC State University. Drought gives everyone a rough time. Not only might it ruin your beautiful garden or
- [Summer Projects: Global Effects on North Carolina's Precipitation](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/08/summer-projects-global-effects-on-north-carolinas-precipitation/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's student research assistants. The author, Lexia Williams, is a current junior majoring in Meteorology and minoring in Mathematics at NC State University. Precipitation tends to be quite frustrating. When it rains or snows, our outdoor plans can be ruined, but when
- [Celebrating our Climate Office Leader after a Decade of Enlightenment](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/07/celebrating-our-climate-office-leader-after-a-decade-of-enlightenment/) - Today is a bittersweet day at the State Climate Office (SCO) as we say farewell to Dr. Ryan Boyles, our director and state climatologist for the past ten years, and wish him the best of luck in his new position as deputy director of the Department of the Interior Southeast Climate Science Center. For most
- [From Snow Cones to Snow Showers: April 1983's Snow and Freeze](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/04/from-snow-cones-to-snow-showers-april-1983s-snow-and-freeze/) - Thirty-three years ago this week amid a warm spring in 1983, an April shower brought a record-setting springtime snow, followed by several days of sub-freezing temperatures that wrecked havoc on the summertime fruit crop. Not unlike our recent winter, the winter of 1982-83 featured a strong El Nino event in the Pacific that brought wet
- [Rapid Reaction: Drought Returns to NC Mountains](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/05/rapid-reaction-drought-returns-to-nc-mountains/) - The US Drought Monitor, with input from the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council, has re-introduced drought conditions to far western parts of the state in this week's map. If the emergence of drought in this region seems familiar, that's because we saw similar Moderate Drought (D1) conditions — least intense drought category on the
- [From Drought Monitoring to Beekeeping: Exploring Uses of CoCoRaHS Data](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/03/from-drought-monitoring-to-beekeeping-exploring-uses-of-cocorahs-data/) - This is the second of two posts highlighting how CoCoRaHS data is used and the value of the reports. We conclude this series by investigating how CoCoRaHS data is used for condition monitoring and for agricultural purposes. Ever wonder who uses CoCoRaHS data? How do they use the data? For what purpose? Rebecca Ward --
- [Vote for North Carolina's Top Weather Event of the Past Year [VOTING CLOSED]](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/03/vote-for-north-carolinas-top-weather-event-of-the-past-year-voting-closed/) - It's tournament time and this year, we're getting in on the action! No, we're not fielding a basketball team or going dancing -- apparently last summer's rain dances worked a little too well! Instead, we have set up a four-round tournament to determine North Carolina's most memorable weather event from the past 12 months --
- [SCO in the Big Easy: American Meteorological Society's Annual Meeting Review](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/01/sco-in-the-big-easy-american-meteorological-societys-annual-meeting-review/) - Early this month, the American Meteorological Society's (AMS) 96th annual meeting was held in New Orleans, LA. SCO staff and students presented on research conducted at our office to scientists from across the nation. Raleigh Weather Redux Folks at our office arrived in New Orleans to familiar weather. While our colleagues in Raleigh dealt with
- [The SCOfficial 2015-16 Winter Outlook](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/11/the-scofficial-2015-16-winter-outlook/) - This year's Winter Outlook series concludes with the official outlook from our office. Over the past two weeks, we've laid out the puzzle pieces for this year's Winter Outlook. Now we're ready to put them together and outline our predictions for the coming winter. First, let's review the background from our Outlook posts so far:
- [Strong El Niño Drives Pacific Patterns, Jet Stream Impacts](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/11/strong-el-nino-drives-pacific-patterns-jet-stream-impacts/) - The second post in our 2015-16 Winter Outlook series turns to the Pacific Ocean for an update on El Niño and its possible impacts to North Carolina this winter. Over the past nine months, the waters of the equatorial Pacific Ocean have been warming and one of the strongest El Niño events on record has
- [Fall Colors Set to Emerge, With Help from the Weather](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/10/fall-colors-set-to-emerge/) - Lawn mowers are being replaced by leaf blowers in the autumn yard work routine. Whether you are in western NC or on the coast, you will experience of some degree of festive foliage in your area. But what exactly causes this change, and why do the mountains experience it earlier? The answer is simple: trees
- [State Fair Climatology: A Fall-Like Feel, Rarely a Washout](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/10/state-fair-climatology-a-fall-like-feel-rarely-a-washout/) - It's that time of the year again: Time for rides and games, time for turkey legs and funnel cake. Yes, the North Carolina State Fair starts today! The Fair has a rich history dating back to its beginning in 1853. It started as a four-day event but now runs over 11 days with plenty of
- [Summer Projects: Evaluating a New Drought Dataset for NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/09/summer-projects-evaluating-a-new-drought-dataset-for-nc/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's student research assistants. The author, Brandon Black, is a rising junior in the meteorology program at North Carolina State University. You may have seen on the news or in our blogs recently that parts of the Carolinas have entered a severe
- [Summer Projects: Verifying Winter Precipitation Type Forecasts](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/09/summer-projects-verifying-winter-precipitation-type-forecasts/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. This post is by Samuel Roback, who is currently a senior in the meteorology program at NC State University. Roads blocked, abandoned vehicles everywhere, cars on fire, people walking for hours just to get back to their homes
- [Summer Projects: Finding the Best Historical Dataset For Ecological Modeling](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/08/summer-projects-finding-the-best-historical-dataset-for-ecological-modeling/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. This post is by Michael Brackett, a senior majoring in Meteorology and minoring in Mathematics at NC State University. Coastal ecosystems such as estuaries are highly sensitive to changes in weather and climate. Because of this, the Strategic
- [Summer Projects: Behind the Scenes of Drought Measurement](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/08/summer-projects-behind-the-scenes-of-drought-measurement/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's student research assistants. The author, Jessica Miller, recently entered the PhD program in Statistics at NC State University. Do you remember when North Carolina first found itself in a state of drought earlier this summer? The climatological phenomenon received more attention
- [Rapid Reaction: The Return of Drought](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/06/rapid-reaction-the-return-of-drought/) - If you caught the news this morning, you may have heard about the appearance of drought in North Carolina for the first time in over two years! With other notable droughts also in the news -- like the one that's impacting California, Oregon, and Washington -- you also might be concerned about whether NC is
- [Weather and Fossils Collide at the Aurora Fossil Festival](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/06/weather-and-fossils-collide-at-the-aurora-fossil-festival/) - Part of the mission of the State Climate Office is to increase public awareness of variations in North Carolina's climate and environment. One way to do this is to attend different events and festivals throughout the state. A recent example of this occurred on May 23, when we participated in the 2015 Aurora Fossil Festival
- [Heavy Rain by Any Other Name Still Has an Impact](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/03/heavy-rain-by-any-other-name-still-has-an-impact/) - We conclude our series on CoCoRaHS March Madness with some perspective on heavy rain events and how CoCoRaHS observations are used. Heavy rain goes by many names: "frog-strangler", "gully-washer", "raining cats and dogs", and "raining to beat the band", just to name a few. No matter what name you give it, precipitation in all forms
- [NC Extremes: Series Overview](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/01/nc-extremes-series-overview/) - North Carolina has some iconic weather extremes: a low of -34°F at Mount Mitchell, a high of 110°F in Fayetteville, and 30 tornadoes on a single day, just to name a few. As part of a year-long blog post series in 2015, we will look at some of these events in more detail. We hope
- [CCMMS Interns Investigate Pumpkin Growth Potential](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/12/ccmms-interns-investigate-pumpkin-growth-potential/) - This fall, the State Climate Office invited three students from Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School to learn more about weather and climate and complete a research project similar to those done by SCO's scientists. The three students were eight-graders Ribhi Triesh and Savannah Mosley, and sixth-grader Zach Flatt. The students met every Monday for two
- [Are Those Values Real?!](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/12/are-those-values-real/) - Sometimes, looking at climate data on a daily basis always brings new and unexpected results. One such result occurred earlier in November when relative humidity (RH) values at five of our western NC ECONet stations were below 10%. To put this in perspective, on the driest days in North Carolina, RH values will rarely dip
- [The SCOfficial 2014-15 Winter Outlook](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/11/the-scofficial-2014-15-winter-outlook/) - This is the final part of our 2014-15 winter outlook series, featuring our office's official forecast for the coming winter. Before we get to our outlook, let's recap the current state of the atmosphere, specifically in the Pacific Ocean and factors that could shape the polar jet stream. We will also look some past years
- [From Top to Bottom, Global Conditions May Shape Winter's Polar Jet Stream](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/11/from-top-to-bottom-global-conditions-may-shape-winters-polar-jet-stream/) - This is the third part of our 2014-15 winter outlook series. Following our discussion of ENSO and its possible impacts, today we cover two other global climate patterns with connections to our winter weather. The Arctic Oscillation and North Atlantic Oscillation (AO and NAO, respectively) are two of the most important large-scale climate patterns that
- [Summer Projects: The New and Improved Drought Page](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/09/summer-projects-the-new-and-improved-drought-page/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. The author, Emma Scott, is a sophomore in Meteorology at NC State University. Have you ever worried about the rising cost of groceries, a parched lawn, or the impending threat of water usage restrictions? Earlier this week we
- [Summer Projects: Impacts of Weather on Aviation Delays](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/09/summer-projects-impacts-of-weather-on-aviation-delays/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our offices' undergraduate research assistants. The fifth part of this series is by Andrew Martin, a senior majoring in Meteorology at NC State. Have you ever been delayed at the airport because of weather? According to the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA),
- [Summer Projects: Downscaled Climate Projections Search Tool](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/09/summer-projects-downscaled-climate-projections-search-tool/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. This post is by Samuel Roback, who is currently a junior in the meteorology program at NC State University. Global climate models produce projections of the climate which can be especially useful in helping to plan for the
- [Summer Projects: Tropical Cyclone Impacts in SC and GA](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/09/summer-projects-tropical-cyclone-impacts-in-sc-and-ga/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. This part of this series is by Melissa Mainhart, who is finishing her degree in Meteorology at NC State University. When you think about summer, what comes to mind? Family vacations? Community swim team practices? For many people
- [Summer Projects: Soil Temperature Quality Checking](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/09/summer-projects-soil-temperature-quality-checking/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. This part of this series is by Madeline Pope, who is finishing her degree in Environmental Science and a minor in Meteorology at NC State University. Farmers till it. Baseball players slide in it. Golfers put divots in
- [Summer Projects: Predicting Pine Productivity with Drought Indices](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/08/summer-projects-predicting-pine-productivity-with-drought-indices/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. This part of this series is by Colin Loftin, who is finishing his degree in Meteorology and a minor in Mathematics at NC State University. Drought is an important subject, and given the conditions in the western part
- [Summer Projects: Big Data Applications with Rainfall Estimates](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/08/summer-projects-big-data-applications-with-rainfall-estimates/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. This post is by Geneva Ely, a recent graduate with degrees in Meteorology and Environmental Sciences. From dialect maps to user-tailored Facebook ads, big data has been making the news rounds for the last couple years. These leaps
- [Air Quality Forecasting: A Case Study](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/08/air-quality-forecasting-a-case-study/) - This is the second of two guest posts about air quality forecasting by Bradley McLamb from the NC Division of Air Quality. This post looks at June 29, 2012: a day for the record books in North Carolina that featured extraordinary heat, severe weather, and the worst air quality episode in five years. For many
- [An Introduction to Air Quality Forecasting](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/08/an-introduction-to-air-quality-forecasting/) - This is the first of two guest posts this week about air quality forecasting by Bradley McLamb, a SCO alum and meteorologist with the NC Division of Air Quality. Today's post looks at the basics behind air pollution and the informative index used for air quality forecasts. Air pollution can harm people's health and damage
- [Hebert Boxes and NC: Tracking Our Landfalling Hurricanes](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/08/hebert-boxes-and-nc-tracking-our-landfalling-hurricanes/) - During hurricane season, tropical systems generally move westward across the Atlantic Basin towards North America. Some systems may form into hurricanes staying over open waters during their lifespan, while a few may make landfall, even in North Carolina. This leads to an interesting climatological question: Do hurricanes making landfall in North Carolina share a common
- [Climatologically, the Warmest Day of Summer is Just Around the Corner](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/07/climatologically-the-warmest-day-of-summer-is-just-around-the-corner/) - Last week, we tweeted a graphic from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) showing when the warmest day of the year happens climatologically. According to this map, the warmest day of the year, climatologically speaking, occurs between July 11 and July 15 for the majority of North Carolina. Two questions arose when this map was
- [How Hot Does it Feel Outside? Heat Index Explained](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/06/how-hot-does-it-feel-outside-heat-index-explained/) - Summer temperatures have been ramping up lately, but temperature only tells part of the story about how hot it feels. In this post, we review the history of the heat index, give a climatology for North Carolina, explain how excessive heat events are forecasted, and discuss health hazards posed by high heat. History of the
- [Lingering Wintry Weather Throughout a Cool March](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/04/climate-summary-march-2014/) - With the arrival (finally!) of warmer temperature across the state during this first week of April, many may be quickly leaving the memory of March -- with its cooler temperatures and winter storms -- in the past. Before we get too far into April, we thought we'd ask: how did March 2014 stack up against
- [The Impact of Wildfires in North Carolina](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/04/the-impact-of-wildfires-in-north-carolina/) - As part of our continuing series on drought and its hazards, today we look at the history and impacts -- both good and bad -- of wildfires in North Carolina. This post was written by Paul Gellerstedt, a Fire Staff Forester and Training Officer with the NC Forest Service. When North Carolinians hear the word
- [Monitoring and Predicting Drought](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/04/monitoring-and-predicting-drought/) - This is the first in a multi-part series looking at drought. Before we cover some the drought tools we've developed, we thought it might be best to provide some basics on drought monitoring and prediction. Drought is a part of North Carolina's climate, defined as a deficit in normal precipitation for a region over a
- [High-Resolution Drought Monitoring](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/04/high-resolution-drought-monitoring/) - Earlier this week, we talked about how drought is monitored and why spring is a good time to take a step back and evaluate how we're doing, moisture-wise. Today's post will be dedicated to a useful drought monitoring tool the State Climate Office of North Carolina has developed. The Need for High-Resolution Drought Monitoring Drought
- [Winter 2013-14: Event Recap, Prediction Review, and Spring Outlook](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/03/winter-2013-14-event-recap-prediction-review-spring-outlook/) - It has been a long and active winter in North Carolina, and it appears it is finally coming to an end. In this blog post, we recap our eventful winter, revisit the seasonal predictions made last fall, and look ahead to the spring. Event Recap In our previous post, we quantified just how variable this
- [Snowy Weather but Typical Temperatures for February](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/03/climate-summary-february-2014/) - Monthly statistics for February 2014:Statewide Average Precipitation: 3.27 inches (42nd driest since 1895)Statewide Average Temperature: 42.12°F (60th warmest / 61st coldest since 1895)* Values generated from preliminary numbers Believe It or Not, February was Near-Normal! Many reading this will have the mid-February wintry event -- and even the plunging temperatures and subsequent ice storm that occurred last
- [2013-2014 CCMMS Internship: Studies Involving Christmas Trees and Apples](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/02/2013-2014-ccmms-internship-studies-involving-christmas-trees-and-apples/) - Each year, the State Climate Office invites middle school students from Centennial Campus Middle School to participate in an internship to better their knowledge of weather and climate, as well as work on a project similar to what scientists here at the SCO do for a living. This year, the SCO decided to change how
- [Cold, Snowy Weather Dominates January](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/02/climate-summary-january-2014/) - Monthly statistics for January 2014:Statewide Average Precipitation: 3.38 inches (52nd driest since 1895)Statewide Average Temperature: 33.93°F (7th coldest since 1895)* Values generated from preliminary numbers A Cold Start to the New Year While the big story with the weather in December focused on the high precipitation amounts across the bulk of the state, January's tale is all
- [Lake Effect Snow in North Carolina? It's Happening Today!](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/01/lake-effect-snow-in-north-carolina-its-happening-today/) - When you hear the term "lake effect snow", you probably think of the Great Lakes phenomenon that gives cities like Buffalo, NY, several feet of snow each winter. But this morning, thanks to a quirk of our cold weather, lake effect snow is happening right here in North Carolina! Radar and surface observations from around
- [December Brings a Wet End to a Wet Year](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/01/climate-summary-december-2013/) - Monthly statistics for December 2013:Statewide Average Precipitation: 5.75 inches (12th wettest since 1895)Statewide Average Temperature: 44.65°F (27th warmest since 1895)* Values generated from preliminary numbers Both minimum and maximum temperatures in December were generally just a bit above normal, and otherwise typical for December. The big news for the close of the year was the continued wet
- [Winter 2013-14 Outlook for North Carolina](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/12/winter-2013-14-outlook-for-north-carolina/) - This is the final part of our 2013-14 winter outlook series, which includes our official winter outlook based on clues from global climate patterns. This post is by Bradley McLamb, a State Climate Office alumnus and meteorologist at the North Carolina Division of Air Quality. El Niño/Southern Oscillation Computer model guidance has been very consistent
- [Winter Outlook 2013-14: Anatomy of a Winter Storm](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/12/winter-outlook-2013-14-anatomy-of-a-winter-storm/) - This is the first part in our four-part 2013-14 winter outlook series. The first two posts this year will look back at some memorable major snow and ice storms in North Carolina. When it comes to major weather events, North Carolina is often known most for its hurricanes and springtime thunderstorms. However, our state is
- [A Frigid End to Fall in November](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/12/climate-summary-november-2013/) - Monthly statistics for November 2013:Statewide Average Precipitation: 3.84 inches (34th wettest since 1895)Statewide Average Temperature: 47.32°F (26th coldest since 1895)* Values generated from preliminary numbers November Brings a Cold, Dry End to Autumn Temperatures in November were cold -- maximum, minimum and mean daily temperatures ranked in the top 10 coldest on record for many reporting sites
- [Summer Projects: Bias Correction of Multi-Sensor Precipitation Estimates in North Carolina](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/11/summer-projects-bias-correction-of-multi-sensor-precipitation-estimates-in-north-carolina/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. The sixth part of this series is by Geneva Ely, a senior double majoring in Meteorology and Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Air Quality at NC State. This summer I started working on a research project to
- [Cloudy Weather But Little Rain in October](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/11/climate-summary-october-2013/) - Monthly statistics for October 2013:Statewide Average Precipitation: 2.34 inches (51st driest since 1895)Statewide Average Temperature: 60.08°F (22nd coldest since 1895)* Values generated from preliminary numbers Cloudy October Tempers our Temperatures You may have noticed October seemed a bit on the cloudy side in your area, especially toward the beginning of the month. This begs the question --
- [Summer Projects: PINEMAP Web Tools](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/10/summer-projects-pinemap-web-tools/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. The fifth part of this series is by Andrew Martin, a junior majoring in Meteorology and minoring in Computer Science at NC State. One of my responsibilities over the summer was to develop web tools that would benefit
- [First Freeze for Autumn 2013: How Does it Compare?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/10/first-freeze-for-autumn-2013-how-does-it-compare/) - Thursday, Friday, and Saturday will likely produce the first freeze events of the season across most of the lower elevations of North Carolina. Higher elevations have already experienced a freeze. How does the timing of the first freeze in 2013 compare with historical climatology? Below is a table with dates of average, earliest, and latest
- [Summer Projects: Leaf Wetness and its Effects](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/10/summer-projects-leaf-wetness-and-its-effects/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. The third part of this series is by Madeline Pope, a senior majoring in Environmental Science and minoring in Meteorology at NC State University. Everyone has seen it. You walk outside as the sun is rising and see
- [Dryness Creeps Back in During September](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/10/climate-summary-september-2013/) - Monthly statistics for September 2013:Statewide Average Precipitation: 3.00 inches (36th driest since 1895)Statewide Average Temperature: 69.1 degrees (42nd coolest since 1895)* Values generated from preliminary numbers Cool Temperatures Continue Much like the summer months, September was marked with temperatures on the cooler side of normal -- 0.3°F cooler statewide, to be more precise. While most individual locations
- [Summer Projects: Freeze Risk and a New ECONet Station](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/10/summer-projects-freeze-risk-study-new-web-tool/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. The second post in this series is by Joseph Taylor, a recent graduate with degrees in Meteorology and Marine Science from NC State. I am currently researching how the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)
- [Cooler Temperatures Across NC in August](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/09/climate-summary-august-2013/) - Monthly statistics for August 2013:Statewide Average Precipitation: 5.00 inches (0.17 inches above normal)Statewide Average Temperature: 74.6°F (1.3°F below normal)* Values generated from preliminary numbers A Wet, Cool Summer Continues August in North Carolina was a continuation of the cool, wet conditions experienced in previous months. It didn't rain quite as much, but temperatures continued to be below
- [A Soaking Wet Summer Continues in July](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/08/climate-summary-july-2013/) - Monthly statistics for July 2013:Statewide Average Precipitation: 9.30 inches (very wet - 3rd wettest since 1895)Statewide Average Temperature: 76.83 (in the middle - 60th coolest since 1895)* Values generated from preliminary numbers Cool Daytime and Warm Nighttime Temperatures Don't let that statewide mean temperature fool you. Temperatures in July 2013 probably felt unusually cool to most residents
- [Last Chance for Sea Breeze](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/07/last-chance-for-sea-breeze/) - Escaping from the heat is on the minds of many this time of year, even with the mild summer that we have had in 2013. The two locations that come to mind when trying to keep cool are the mountains and the beach. The mountains make sense: higher elevations mean cooler temperatures. But why the
- [Halfway Through Summer... What Summer?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/07/halfway-through-summer-what-summer/) - This week marks the halfway point for summer, and the first series of days in quite a while that have "typical" summer weather in North Carolina. How does the cool, wet start to summer compare with other years? Here are some statistics since June 1: Temperatures greater than 90°F: For most locations in NC, 2013
- [What's the Trend in Your Area: A Precipitation Pattern or Just Random Rainfall?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/07/whats-the-trend-in-your-area-a-precipitation-pattern-or-just-random-rainfall/) - How many times have you been waiting for a rain system to arrive, only to see it just miss you or dissipate before reaching your location? Or can you count the number of times you have left the store during a downpour, only to find not a single drop has fallen at your house? Don't
- [A Stormy June Sees Heavy Rain and Flooding](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/07/climate-summary-june-2013/) - Monthly statistics for June 2013:Statewide Average Precipitation: 8.86 inches (2nd wettest since 1895)Statewide Average Temperature: 73.8 (59th coolest since 1895)* Values generated from preliminary numbers Temperatures Mostly Normal Across the State Temperatures across the state in June 2013 were very different from those observed at the same time last year. While much of North Carolina was dealing
- [Nothing Could Be Finer: A Look Back at our Seasonable Spring](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/06/nothing-could-be-finer-a-look-back-at-our-seasonable-spring/) - As anyone who spent time outdoors over the past few months can attest, the idyllic spring of 2013 is one for the memory banks, and it turns out that it's also one for the record books. The preliminary rankings show this spring was the 7th coldest and 50th driest on record for North Carolina. That
- [May Remains Wet in Western North Carolina](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/06/climate-summary-may-2013/) - Monthly statistics for May 2013:Statewide Average Precipitation: 4.47 inches (43rd wettest since 1895)Statewide Average Temperature: 64.6°F (30th coldest since 1895)* Values generated from preliminary numbers Cool Start, Warm Finish to May May 2013 started off cool -- almost cold (at least for May). Most of North Carolina experienced maximum temperatures in the first week of May that
- [Temperatures Moderate and Drought Abates in April](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/05/climate-summary-april-2013/) - Monthly statistics for April 2013: Statewide Average Precipitation: 4.89 inches (18th wettest since 1895)Statewide Average Temperature: 57.7°F (59th coldest since 1895)* Values generated from preliminary numbers Normal Temperatures for Most of the State Most stations across North Carolina observed mean temperatures that were relatively normal for this time of year, ranking April 2013 as the 59th coldest
- [March was Cold and (Mostly) Dry, with Some Late Season Snowfall](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/04/climate-summary-march-2013/) - March 2013 was a cold one! Not only did the statewide average temperature for the month rank it as the 6th coldest March on record, that value was roughly 0.3 degrees lower than in January -- typically the coldest month of the year for North Carolina, on average. Statewide Average Precipitation: 2.85 inches (22nd driest
- [Winter 2012-13 Recap](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/04/winter-2012-13-recap/) - Back in December, we released our winter outlook that included our own winter forecast and the predictions of the woolly worm, farmers' almanacs, and two important global climate patterns. A little over three months later, the winter has now wrapped up, giving us a chance to review the winter and these predictions. ENSO's Impacts (or
- [Near-Normal Precipitation and Temperatures in February](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/03/climate-summary-february-2013/) - The statewide statistics below highlight a somewhat "normal" February in terms of precipitation. The majority of the state received anywhere from 2 to 5 inches of rainfall, with a few coastal areas receiving over 6 inches. While these rainfall totals equate to above-normal (or just below-normal) conditions for the northern Piedmont and most of the
- [Upgrades to Wind Rose Tool](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/02/upgrades-to-wind-rose-tool/) - A wind rose is a graphical tool used to show wind speed and wind direction for a particular location over a specified period of time. The wind rose is divided into a number of spokes which represent the frequency of winds blowing from a particular direction. For example, the longest spoke on the wind rose
- [Record Rainfall in the Mountains in January](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/02/climate-summary-january-2013/) - The statewide statistics below highlight the relative wetness and warmth in January 2013. But those statewide numbers represent an average of extremes. Let's start with rainfall: dry in the east, but record breaking wetness in the west. Statewide Average Precipitation: 5.47 inches (17th wettest since 1895)Statewide Average Temperature: 43.90°F (24th warmest since 1895) Extreme precipitation
- [Climate Summary: 2012 By the Numbers](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/02/climate-summary-2012-by-the-numbers/) - Now that all the numbers are in, we have sense as to how 2012 fits into our climate history for North Carolina. The statewide average annual precipitation of 46.2 inches ranked as the 32nd driest since 1895, and the average temperature of 60.35°F ranked as the 6th warmest since 1895. Here are some other interesting
- [When is it Most Likely to Snow?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/01/when-is-it-most-likely-to-snow/) - With the threat of snow for much of North Carolina in the forecast, we wondered how typical was the timing of this event. We often get asked about when the first snowfall for a region typically is - a question easily answered with our Climate Thresholds tool. For example, the most typical first day of
- [A Warmer, Wetter Start to Winter in December](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/01/climate-summary-december-2012/) - December brought welcome precipitation and relatively warm temperatures to North Carolina. Let's review precipitation patterns first. Western and eastern parts of the state did quite well. Two major rain events (and a couple of smaller events) brought substantial amounts to the mountains and the coastal plain. However, much of central NC missed out on the
- [Winter 2012-13 Pattern Update](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/01/winter-2012-13-pattern-update/) - To this point, the winter in 2012-13 has shown some potential for sending cold and wintry weather to North Carolina but has largely failed to deliver. The potential has been in the form of a persistent, moderately negative Arctic Oscillation (AO) for the past two months. Unfortunately for cold misers, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO),
- [Winter 2012-13 Outlook for North Carolina](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2012/12/winter-2012-13-outlook-for-north-carolina/) - Over the past two weeks, we have covered four different winter forecasting techniques, ranging from fun traditions (the woolly worm and farmers' almanacs) to more robust science (predicting the NAO/AO and ENSO patterns). So what are these methods telling us about the 2012-13 winter? The Woolly Worm This year's woolly worm predictions were made during
- [November 2012 was Cool and Very Dry](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2012/12/climate-summary-november-2012/) - You may have noticed it hasn't been raining much. The numbers from reporting gauges across the state would confirm that observation. November 2012 was dry in North Carolina: very dry. Most of the state received less than an inch of rainfall in November. Statewide, it ranks as the 7th driest November on record (since 1895).
- [Hello Blog, Goodbye Newsletter](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2012/12/hello-blog-goodbye-newsletter/) - As we hinted at in our last newsletter, we're saying goodbye to the old newsletter format. Starting this month, we will be pushing out updates and tidbits of climate information and news as they come along. This will all get captured here on our new blog. Monthly climate summaries will still come each month, but
- [CCMMS Students Return to Research at the SCO](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/03/ccmms-students-return-to-research-at-the-sco/) - For a few hours every week since October, the State Climate Office has welcomed two additional researchers: Miles Hunt and Maggie Loughlin, both eighth-grade students at Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School, who participated in the annual internship program now in its ninth year. Continuing in the tradition of past interns, Miles and Maggie each conducted
- [Death Valley Ready to Remember a Temperature Record](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/07/death-valley-ready-to-remember-a-temperature-record/) - On Wednesday, Death Valley, CA, should be a little livelier than usual as crowds are expected to come and celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the world's hottest recorded temperature. On July 10th, 1913, the mercury skyrocketed to 134°F at the appropriately named Furnace Creek. Note: Since this post was originally published, this Death Valley record
- [Summer 2013 Recap and Fall Outlook](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/09/summer-2013-recap-and-fall-outlook/) - If you've been in North Carolina for the last few years, you would be forgiven for thinking this summer felt almost out of place. The heat and drought of recent years was nowhere to be found, replaced by cooler and wetter weather across the state and throughout much of the Southeast. Officially, the summer was
- [Winter 2013-14: By the Numbers](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/03/winter-2013-14-by-the-numbers/) - In North Carolina, we had a little bit of everything this winter, from frozen precipitation to severe storms, and from single-digit low temperatures to highs pushing 80 degrees. We have highlighted some of this winter's interesting statistics in this post. The rankings for the meteorological winter -- December, January and February -- show that North
- [Arthur Brings Wind, Rain, Flooding to NC Coast](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/07/arthur-brings-wind-rain-flooding-to-nc-coast/) - It took almost a month of the 2014 hurricane season for the first storm to form, but once it did, Arthur strengthened quickly and set its sights on the North Carolina coast. Here is our event summary of Hurricane Arthur. Arthur's Development As we mentioned in our June climate summary, the system that eventually became
- [A Coastal White Christmas: Revisiting the 1989 Winter Storm](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/12/a-coastal-white-christmas-revisiting-the-1989-winter-storm/) - For the North Carolina coast, dreams of a white Christmas came true 25 years ago in 1989. An ideal setup with cold air in place, a strong offshore low, and timing just before the holiday meant snow on the ground on Christmas for the first time on record in some parts of eastern North Carolina.
- [Rare Air: A Look at the Cold Air Outbreak on January 7](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/01/rare-air-a-look-at-the-cold-air-outbreak-on-january-7/) - We recently saw -- and felt -- some of the coldest temperatures in more than a decade all across the state. On Tuesday morning, much of the coast dropped into the teens, including 17°F in Wilmington and 13° in Elizabeth City. Temperatures reached digit-numbing single digits in the Piedmont, as Raleigh hit 9°, Charlotte hit
- [2014 Climate Review: Piedmont Had an Active Winter, Cool Summer](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/01/2014-climate-review-piedmont-had-an-active-winter-cool-summer/) - This is the third part of our 2014 climate review. After looking at statewide extremes and coastal variability, today we look at conditions in the Piedmont. Annual Overview Across the 34 Piedmont counties, the average temperature in 2014 was 57.97°F, which ranks as the 19th-coolest year since 1895. The average precipitation of 43.87 inches ranks
- [2014 Climate Review: By the Numbers](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/01/2014-climate-review-by-the-numbers/) - In the first part of our 2014 climate review for North Carolina, we look at some statewide statistics and extremes from the past year. Temperatures The statewide average temperature was 57.53°F, making 2014 the 19th-coldest year in the past 120 years, and the coolest since 1988. The warmest location was Atlantic Beach in Carteret County,
- [2015 Climate Review: A Dry Summer But a Warm, Wet Year](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/01/2015-climate-review-a-dry-summer-but-a-warm-wet-year/) - Another year is in the books, and 2015 will go down as a warm and wet one for North Carolina, although we had some stretches of cool and dry conditions, too. Here's our review of the weather and climate over the past year, including some notable numbers from across the state. Annual Stats The statewide
- [January Cold Fronts Can Deliver a Rapid Chill](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/01/january-cold-fronts-can-deliver-a-rapid-chill/) - Wintertime cold frontal passages can usher in frigid Arctic air, and when warm air is in place ahead of the fronts, they can set the stage for other extremes: rapid temperature drops and large statewide differences. Greatest 24-Hour Temperature Change Temperature decreases of 30 degrees or more during these frontal passages are not uncommon. In
- [Summer Recap and Fall Outlook: How Long Will the Warm Weather Last?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/09/summer-recap-and-fall-outlook-how-long-will-the-warm-weather-last/) - Shorter days and the emergence of pumpkin spice everything are sure signals that we're entering the fall. In fact, meteorological fall began on September 1, but you wouldn't have known it from the thermometer readings alone. Indeed, North Carolina's summer was perhaps best defined by the persistence of above-normal temperatures that stretched from June through
- [Winter Storm Memories from Blog Readers and Writers](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/12/winter-storm-memories-from-blog-readers-and-writers/) - Last week, we looked ahead to the upcoming winter. Today, we want to look back and share a few stories of memorable winter storms as told by blog readers and writers alike. We hope you'll enjoy reminiscing about some of these events along with us! From blog reader David DuMond: One of the most remarkable
- [Winter Outlook 2013-14: How Rare are our Big Winter Events?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/12/winter-outlook-2013-14-how-rare-are-our-big-winter-events/) - This is the second part in our four-part 2013-14 winter outlook series. The first post recalled some major winter storms in North Carolina and their causes and impacts, and this one discusses the frequency of these events. Nearly every year in North Carolina, a handful of minor winter weather events cause closings, delays, and disruptions
- [Winter Outlook 2013-14: Forecasts from Winter Folklore](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/12/winter-outlook-2013-14-forecasts-from-winter-folklore/) - This is the third part in our four-part 2013-14 winter outlook series. Our previous posts looked at the causes and impacts and climatology of major snow and ice events. Our breakdown of this winter's forecast begins with a look at some popular pieces of winter weather folklore. We will begin by shedding some light on
- [Is El Niño a Go? The Latest on Pacific Patterns](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/11/is-el-nio-a-go-the-latest-on-pacific-patterns/) - This is the second part of our 2014-15 winter outlook series. We previously covered forecasts from folklore, and today we dip into the Pacific to see how ENSO could affect our winter. Perhaps the most commonly cited environmental predictor in seasonal outlooks is ENSO, or the El Niño/Southern Oscillation. ENSO describes the natural, cyclical change
- [Famous Folklore Suggests a Cool Winter Awaits](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/11/famous-folklore-suggests-a-cool-winter-awaits/) - Today we begin our four-part winter outlook series with the forecasts from some well-known bits of folklore. From bugs to plants to sun spots, many natural phenomena have become the basis for winter weather forecasts. While our own scientific knowledge of the atmosphere tends to give us a more confident forecast for the coming seasons,
- [Folklore-Based Forecasts Offer Little Consensus for this Winter](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/11/folklore-based-forecasts-offer-little-consensus-for-this-winter/) - Our 2016-17 Winter Outlook series includes three posts beginning today and concluding on November 17 with our office's predictions for the winter. The signs of the changing seasons are all around us, from falling leaves to first fall frosts. Before the days of scientific seasonal forecasts, these observations from nature were the main source of
- [Woolly Worms, Almanacs, and August Weather Predict the Winter](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/11/woolly-worms-almanacs-and-august-weather-predict-the-winter/) - Our 2015-16 Winter Outlook series begins today and concludes on November 23rd. In these five posts, we will discuss predictions and patterns that may shape North Carolina's winter weather. Folklore is a popular source for predictions about the weather, and North Carolina has a rich collection of winter weather folklore, ranging from insects to almanacs
- [Winter Recap 2015-16: El Niño Fuels Wet Weather, Little Snow](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/03/winter-recap-2015-16-el-nio-fuels-wet-weather-little-snow/) - With spring springing and blooms blooming, the winter has wrapped up in North Carolina. While we can't rule out additional frost or freeze events this spring, we can close the book on the winter, and it tells the story of a season dominated by the effects of a strong El Niño. Our recap of the
- [Fire Weather Portal Keeps Users Aware of Fire Risk in NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/05/fire-weather-portal-keeps-users-aware-of-fire-risk-in-nc/) - In our previous post, we looked at the importance of fire to ecosystems in North Carolina. Today we conclude this series on drought and fire by looking at a tool designed to help with monitoring weather and fire risk conditions across the state. Each spring, the risk of wildfires starting across North Carolina increases as
- [NC Forest Service Attacks April's Fires Using Lessons from the Past](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/05/nc-forest-service-attacks-aprils-fires-using-lessons-from-the-past/) - The pattern change from our wet winter to a dry spring brought on one of North Carolina's worst fire seasons in the last decade, with three large wildfires across the state last month. That's not to say we're in an above-normal fire season, though. The past several years were particularly quiet, which makes this year
- [Extended Wintry Event Sees a Mixed Bag of Precipitation](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/02/extended-wintry-event-sees-a-mixed-bag-of-precipitation/) - Winter's latest chapter in North Carolina was the longest and most eventful of the year, bringing the suspense of precipitation type transitions, the fears of freezing rain and power outages, and the drama of gridlock caused by snowy roads. Here's a summary of how the event unfolded, including a map of three-day snow totals. The
- [Record Snow or No? Behind the Scenes of a Record Event Review](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/12/record-snow-or-no-behind-the-scenes-of-a-record-event-review/) - Last year on our blog, we covered many of North Carolina's historical extreme weather events, including the state record snowfall -- 36 inches in 24 hours -- from Mount Mitchell during the so-called "Storm of the Century" in March of 1993. Given the well-timed convergence of potent ingredients in that event, it's no surprise that
- [Rapid Reaction: Winter's First Major Storm Brings Snow, Sleet, Ice, and Rain](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/01/rapid-reaction-winters-first-major-storm-brings-snow-sleet-ice-rain/) - A two-day wintry event last Friday and Saturday was a classic Carolina storm, with a mixed bag of precipitation across the state ranging from heavy snow in the Mountains to sleet and freezing rain in the Piedmont to rain along the coast. The Storm's Setup The event took shape earlier in the week as a
- [Rapid Reaction: 3 Observations about Last Night's Winter Weather](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/01/rapid-reaction-3-observations-about-last-nights-winter-weather/) - Just a week after a quick round of snow dusted much of North Carolina, last night's event brought an even heartier helping of winter weather to the state. Here are three observations we made about this event: 1. The most snow -- and most liquid -- fell in the eastern part of the state. As
- [Rapid Reaction: Winter Awakens with a Round of Frozen Precip.](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/02/rapid-reaction-winter-awakens-with-a-round-of-frozen-precip/) - The first statewide wintry event of the season brought a mixed bag of precipitation types and left an icy glaze across parts of North Carolina. The mix of precipitation was no surprise with this system; it brought the same sort of conditions to our west as it approached the Appalachians: Alabama and Mississippi received mostly
- [Rapid Reaction: Persistent Rains Soak the Carolinas](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/10/rapid-reaction-persistent-rains-soak-the-carolinas/) - Our recent spell of drenching rainfall is finally winding down, leaving flooding in parts of North Carolina and an historical watermark as one of the wettest weeks and most prolonged rainiest periods in our state's history. Event Setup The rain began on September 24 when an offshore low drifted northwestward and delivered more than an
- [Rapid Reaction: Quick-Hitting System Brings Light Snow to NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/01/rapid-reaction-quick-hitting-system-brings-light-snow-to-nc/) - What a wild weather weekend it was in North Carolina! After reaching highs near 60°F on Saturday, parts of the state woke up Sunday morning to light snow falling and the first flakes of the season in many areas. Across most of the Piedmont, accumulations were light and generally limited to a dusting on grassy
- [Rapid Reaction: Wintry Weather and Spring-Like Storms Hit NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/02/rapid-reaction-wintry-weather-and-spring-like-storms-hit-nc/) - Our winter roller coaster continued this week as high temperatures plummeted below freezing, we rounded a bend of snow and ice-slickened roads, and temperatures quickly rebounded into the 50s with heavy rain and thunderstorms. It was all part of our latest bout of wintry weather amid an active weather pattern. Arctic Air Settles In The
- [Rapid Reaction: Matthew's Mark on NC Includes Heavy Rain, Flooding](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2016/10/rapid-reaction-matthews-mark-on-nc-includes-heavy-rain-flooding/) - Hurricane Matthew won't go down in the record books as a landfalling storm in North Carolina. At Category-1 strength as it grazed the coastline, it also won't rank highly among the strongest storms to affect our state. However, its widespread impacts packed a punch that few other storms in our state's history can match. North
- [Fe-BRRRR-uary Was Cold and Wintry in NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/03/fe-brrrr-uary-was-cold-and-wintry-in-nc/) - February may be the shortest month, but we packed in plenty of cold weather and frozen precipitation during the past 28 days. Coldest February in 35+ Years If you were born in the 80s or later or have moved to North Carolina since then, this was probably the coldest February you've ever felt in this
- [Rapid Reaction: Wintry One-Two Punch Brings Frozen Precip. and Frigid Air](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/01/rapid-reaction-wintry-one-two-punch-brings-frozen-precip-and-frigid-air/) - The first winter storm of the season for most of North Carolina brought widely varied impacts across the state, with more than 10 inches of snow in the Triad, a wintry mix in the Triangle and Charlotte, and a run-of-the-mill rain event along the coast. That was followed by the coldest air of the season
- [NC Extremes: The Stories Behind Our Extremes](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/12/nc-extremes-the-stories-behind-our-extremes/) - This is the final post of 2015 in our year-long series about North Carolina's weather extremes. Every month this year, we have covered some of North Carolina's weather records from hot to cold, wet to dry, and fire to ice. These records describe a state with a wide variety of weather conditions and plenty of
- [NC Extremes: 2007's Drought Emerged Quickly, Affected Millions in NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/11/nc-extremes-2007s-drought-emerged-quickly-affected-millions-in-nc/) - This post is part of our year-long series about North Carolina's weather extremes. In some of the extreme weather events we've covered this year, there were dramatic impacts like an 18-foot storm surge or a line of damaging tornadoes. Other events had a clear peak, like when morning lows dropped below zero on "the Coldest
- [NC Extremes: Damaging Hurricanes From Slopes to Shores](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/10/nc-extremes-damaging-hurricanes-from-slopes-to-shores/) - This post is part of our year-long series about North Carolina's weather extremes. In September, our NC Extremes post highlighted the strongest hurricanes to affect North Carolina based on the pressure, wind speeds, and storm surge statistics. But when it comes to storm damage, strength isn't always in the numbers. All corners of our state
- [NC Extremes: Our History of Record Heat](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/08/nc-extremes-our-history-of-record-heat/) - This post is part of our year-long series about North Carolina's weather extremes. The heat and humidity of a North Carolina summer can be uncomfortable enough in a typical year. But our state has a history of the heat ramping up, often for days at a time, and pushing our statewide high temperature record --
- [NC Extremes: The Coldest Day Redefined Records](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/01/nc-extremes-the-coldest-day-redefined-records/) - This is the first post in a year-long series documenting some of North Carolina's weather extremes. Today's post looks at the event that brought the coldest air on record to most of the state. They say that records are made to be broken. But on January 21, 1985, the temperatures were so frigid that this
- [CoCoRaHS Condition Monitoring Reports Add a Narrative to the Numbers](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/03/cocorahs-condition-monitoring-reports-add-a-narrative-to-the-numbers/) - After the emergence of warm, dry weather last month, you might have been more likely to have pollen or dust coating the bottom of your rain gauge than actual precipitation. But even when the gauge is dry and you have nothing but a zero value to report in your daily CoCoRaHS observation, you can still
- [Warm Weather Bookends a Cool Mid-Month in March](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/04/warm-weather-bookends-a-cool-mid-month-in-march/) - After a warm, dry February, our temperatures and precipitation rebounded to near-normal levels in March. Winter's Parting Shot Brings an Early Spring Cooldown February's warm pattern spilled over into the beginning of March, and above-normal temperatures were also in place for the final week of the month. However, that warmer weather was balanced out by
- [April Showers Bring Flooding and Drought Relief](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/05/april-showers-bring-flooding-and-drought-relief/) - We're still cooling off and wringing out after one of our warmest and wettest Aprils on record. From Freezing to 90, Warm Weather Rushes In Warm, humid air in place for much of the month made for our warmest April on record out of the past 123 years, narrowly edging April 2002 by 0.04°F for
- [Remembering the Surprise Spring Snow in May 1992](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/05/remembering-the-surprise-spring-snow-in-may-1992/) - By early May, even North Carolina's Mountains have usually escaped winter's grasp. Ski resorts have closed, pastures are greening up, and spring's final freeze has come and gone. You can imagine the surprise, then, when a springtime storm brought a significant snowfall to the high elevations of the Mountains on May 5-9, 1992. Snow from
- [The State Bakes During a Warm, Dry July](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/08/the-state-bakes-during-a-warm-dry-july/) - July featured the hottest weather of the year and a widespread lack of rainfall that helped Abnormally Dry conditions emerge for the first time in several months. High Heat Hits Mid-Month The summer heat sizzled last month, with the statewide average temperature of 78.10°F ranking as our 29th-warmest July out of the past 123 years.
- [Rapid Reaction: Irma Brings Wet, Windy Weather to Western NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/09/rapid-reaction-irma-brings-wet-windy-weather-to-western-nc/) - Last week, Hurricane Irma crossed the central Atlantic at Category-5 strength with maximum sustained winds of 184 mph -- surpassed by only one known storm in this part of the world, Hurricane Allen in 1980. If that wasn't enough to capture your attention, model forecasts briefly showed the coast of North Carolina right in Irma's
- [Winter Folklore Hints at When Snow Might Arrive](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/11/winter-folklore-hints-at-when-snow-might-arrive/) - Whether you're an ardent believer in their forecasts or just an interested outside observer, the colorful collection of weather folklore provides plenty to talk about as we head into the winter. Before we release our office's winter outlook on Thursday, let's take a look at how some of this famous folklore suggests our winter might
- [NC's First Frost and Freeze Climatology](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/10/ncs-first-frost-and-freeze-climatology/) - The onset of fall means the end of the growing season as we see harsher conditions such as frosts and freezes. But what are these events, and when do we generally begin to see them in North Carolina? A frost occurs when ice crystals form at the surface of plants, which can damage some cold-sensitive
- [Leftovers to Chew On from November](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/12/leftovers-to-chew-on-from-november/) - Today's climate summary takes a look at some notable weather headlines from the past month, as well what to look for from those storylines as we head into meteorological winter. Into the Fridge November saw the fall's first onset of cooler weather and a decided change from October's warm pattern. The statewide average temperature was
- [Rapid Reaction: Season's Third Snow Did Things Its Own Way](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/01/rapid-reaction-seasons-third-snow-did-things-its-own-way/) - It sounds like a familiar story: a mid-January blast of cold air was followed by a winter storm, bringing snowfall across North Carolina. However, the setup for our latest wintry event, which brought up to a foot of snow in some areas, was far from typical. In this case, there was no high pressure in
- [A Cold, Snowy January Brings Drought Relief](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/02/a-cold-snowy-january-brings-drought-relief/) - Our latest climate summary looks back at a memorable January that saw an extended stretch of cold weather, two major snow events, and some drought recovery late in the month. Feeling the Freeze The Arctic chill that settled in for much of the past month resulted in our coldest January in the past 30 years.
- [Winter Wanes Early in a Near-Record Warm February](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/03/winter-wanes-early-in-a-near-record-warm-february/) - This month's climate summary highlights the warm weather and diminishing drought during February, plus the CoCoRaHS March Madness contest that's now underway. Spring-Like Weather Arrives A wave of warmth swept in during February, and the statewide average temperature of 50.51°F -- nearly 8 degrees above the 1981 to 2010 average -- ranked as our 2nd-warmest
- [Wisps of Winter, Sprinklings of Spring in a Cool, Wet April](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/05/wisps-of-winter-sprinklings-of-spring-in-a-cool-wet-april/) - Our April climate summary looks at last month's widespread rainfall and cool temperatures, as well as the severe weather so far this spring. April Showers from East to West An active upper-level pattern brought regular frontal passages and rainfall last month, with a preliminary statewide average precipitation of 5.57 inches. That's more than 2 inches
- [Summer 2014 Outlook: Eye on the Oceans](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/06/summer-2014-outlook-eye-on-the-oceans/) - This is the third post in our summer outlook series. This post looks at the conditions in the Pacific, the Atlantic, and in North Carolina. Following a near-normal spring, many folks are wondering what the summer holds for North Carolina. Will it have the heat of 2012, or be as mild as 2013? And how
- [Spring 2014 Started Cool, Finished Warm in NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/06/spring-2014-started-cool-finished-warm-in-nc/) - This is the second post in our 2014 summer outlook series. Today we review our spring temperatures, precipitation, drought, and severe weather. A Relatively Cool Spring Overall Wintry weather persisted through the early spring, resulting in the 11th coldest March since 1895. April 2014 was a little more like normal, ranking as the 51st warmest
- [FAQ: Seasonal Hurricane Outlooks](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2014/05/faq-seasonal-hurricane-outlooks/) - It is National Hurricane Preparedness Week, so we begin our 2014 summer outlook series with a primer on seasonal hurricane outlooks. As the beginning of hurricane season approaches each June, research teams around the world release their predictions for the number of tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic over the coming summer and fall.
- [The SCO at StormFest 2013](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/05/the-sco-at-stormfest-2013/) - StormFest is an annual event which brings together groups from around North Carolina to talk about storms, and how to be prepared for the dangers these storms can bring. This year, StormFest took place on May 4th, and was attended by an estimated 3700 people! Attendees got to participate in many events throughout the day,
- [Summer Projects: Building a Tool for Easy Mapping](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/08/summer-projects-building-a-tool-for-easy-mapping/) - This post is part of a series highlighting the summer projects from our office's undergraduate research assistants. This post was written by Rachel Bobyak, a senior in meteorology at North Carolina State University. Have you ever wondered what is happening behind the scenes on a website? It's often a hodgepodge of programming languages, ranging from
- [Century Since the Storm: Forecasting the Fury](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/09/century-since-the-storm-forecasting-the-fury/) - This is the second part of our weeklong blog post series Century Since the Storm. One of the greatest meteorological advances since 1913 is our improved ability to track and forecast hurricanes. These days, it is quite literally down to a science: Geostationary satellites observe systems from their birth as tropical thunderstorm clusters, reconnaissance aircraft
- [Century Since the Storm: Story of the Storm](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2013/09/century-since-the-storm-story-of-the-storm/) - When you think about memorable hurricanes in North Carolina, names like Fran, Floyd, Isabel, and Irene might come to mind. Perhaps you even remember older storms, such as Hazel and Connie, that caused severe damage along the coast. But prior to these storms, before hurricanes were monitored by satellites or even given names, another significant
- [Let the CoCoRaHS March Madness Begin!](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/03/let-the-cocorahs-march-madness-begin/) - This post is the first in a series focusing on the CoCoRaHS network and the 2015 March Madness campaign. More rain is on the way for North Carolina this week, and the return of warmer temperatures as winter gives way to spring will yield greater variability in precipitation amounts as the potential for thunderstorm activity
- [October According to the ECONet](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2017/11/october-according-to-the-econet/) - Over the past month, we've been in the field nearly every day visiting our ECONet weather stations for some final fall maintenance. With our statewide network on our minds, this month's climate summary will look at October through the lens of the ECONet. About the ECONet If you're not familiar with our network, here's a
- [North Carolina's Dog Days of Summer](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2015/07/north-carolinas-dog-days-of-summer/) - Y'all, it's hot outside! Just this week, heat index values stretched into the triple digits across North Carolina. It is hot enough to make even the most active dog lethargic from the heat. Yes folks, we are in the dog days of summer. Every few weeks, our office receives a question or two about North
- [July's Dry Start Gives Way to a Wet Finish](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/08/julys-dry-start-gives-way-to-a-wet-finish/) - It was a Jekyll and Hyde weather month in North Carolina as we switched weather patterns midway through July. Our latest climate summary has a closer look at our precipitation swings, moderate temperatures, and an update on ENSO conditions in the Pacific. From Bone Dry to Soaking Wet It was a tale of two halves
- [Despite a Wet August, Drought Returns in NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/09/despite-a-wet-august-drought-returns-in-nc/) - August included mixed precipitation in North Carolina, with dry weather in some of our southern counties and wet conditions in many other areas. In this climate summary, we also look at last month's temperatures across the state. How Dry It Is The return of drought conditions wasn't entirely unexpected. Parts of the southern Piedmont that
- [Clearing the Air: A Discussion with Air Quality Forecasters](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/10/clearing-the-air-a-discussion-with-air-quality-forecasters/) - Today, our look at the state of air quality in North Carolina concludes with the third guest post by the meteorologists from the NC Division of Air Quality. Our final post in this year's air quality series features a roundtable discussion about how we forecast air quality, the challenges we faced during the 2018 ozone
- [Beyond a Number: Making and Verifying an Air Quality Forecast](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/10/beyond-a-number-making-and-verifying-an-air-quality-forecast/) - Today, our look at the state of air quality in North Carolina continues with the second guest post by the meteorologists from the NC Division of Air Quality. Previously, we discussed the significant improvements in North Carolina's air quality over the past ten years and how this has actually made air quality forecasting more challenging.
- [Improving Air Quality Comes with a Forecasting Twist](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/10/improving-air-quality-comes-with-a-forecasting-twist/) - It's been more than four years since we checked in with our partners at the NC Division of Air Quality about the state of air quality in North Carolina. Over the next two weeks, the NC DAQ team of air quality forecasters will offer some updates in a series of guest blog posts. North Carolina's
- [Rapid Reaction: Michael Whips Up Winds and Widespread Damage](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/10/rapid-reaction-michael-whips-up-winds-and-widespread-damage/) - Less than a month removed from Florence, North Carolina has now weathered another hit from a hurricane. This time, though, it was the Piedmont -- not the coast -- that bore the brunt of the damage in our state. In Florence's case, we noted that it had few equals in our hurricane history because of
- [Florence-Soaked September Was Warm and Wet in NC](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/10/florence-soaked-september-was-warm-and-wet-in-nc/) - Hurricane Florence's impacts on North Carolina were our main weather stories in September. This climate summary looks at the heavy rainfall, an early damage assessment, as well as our warm weather over the past month. A Soggy September We've already detailed the record-breaking rainfall from Hurricane Florence, and even with two dry weeks after the
- [Michael Ushers in Fall in North Carolina](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/11/michael-ushers-in-fall-in-north-carolina/) - We nearly felt all four seasons during October, including a warm start, a mid-month tropical storm, the eventual arrival of fall, and the first frost in some areas, which left growers finishing their harvests. Michael Makes for Wet Weather in the West The second tropical system passing through North Carolina in as many months delivered
- [A Cold, Wet November Offers a Possible Winter Preview](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2018/12/a-cold-wet-november-offers-a-possible-winter-preview/) - November in North Carolina was another wet month accompanied by the arrival of wintry temperatures and the ending of the Atlantic hurricane season, which was an impactful one in our state. Rain, Ice, Snow, and Tornadoes A wet year so far in North Carolina got even wetter last month as most of the state received
- [A Drenched December Caps a Record Wet Year](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/01/a-drenched-december-caps-a-record-wet-year/) - Precipitation continued to be the main story in North Carolina's weather, including a record wet December that -- despite a substantial wintry event early in the month -- was also a bit warmer than normal. December's rainfall wrapped up a wet year that also set records across the state. Snowy to Start, Rainy for the
- [Spring's Slow March Leaves Winter Behind](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/04/springs-slow-march-leaves-winter-behind/) - Steadily warming temperatures throughout March, as well as a dry and mostly snow-free month, mean spring is upon us. In this post, we also look back at the winter and review our pre-season predictions. Temperatures Cool But Increasing The onset of spring slowly became apparent over the past month, although it was still a cooler-than-normal
- [Summer Sputters to a Start in a Cool, Cloudy June](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/07/summer-sputters-to-a-start-in-a-cool-cloudy-june/) - June continued our late-spring cooler pattern with wet conditions in parts of the state. At the halfway point in 2020, we also check the year-to-date temperature and precipitation rankings. Cool Temperatures and Cloudy Days Our cool spring has spilled over into summer. The statewide average temperature last month was 73.3°F, ranking as our 50th-coolest June since 1895, according to data from the National Centers
- [Showers Soak the State During a Stormy April](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/05/showers-soak-the-state-during-a-stormy-april/) - Plenty of April showers made for a wet month in North Carolina, and our weather pattern was also a cooler one with some gusty winds for good measure. Wet and Severe Weather Rain was widespread last month, giving an overall wet April across almost the entire state. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) reports
- [March Remains Warm, But with Drier Weather](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/04/march-remains-warm-but-with-drier-weather/) - We exited a warm winter and got a head-start on spring with above-normal temperatures in March. Dry weather returned to North Carolina last month, but the year-to-date remains wet, as well as warm. A Warm Start to Spring The past month was a warm one in North Carolina, as the National Centers for Environmental Information
- [Winter Recap 2019-20: Warm and Wet, But Little Snow](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/03/winter-recap-2019-20-warm-and-wet-but-little-snow/) - Heading into the winter, our weather predictions were literally up in the air -- or perhaps out to sea -- as few large-scale atmospheric patterns, including the status of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation across the equatorial Pacific Ocean, offered many helpful clues about how the season might play out. Four months later, we've emerged on
- [A Warm February Split by Mid-Month Snow](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/03/a-warm-february-split-by-mid-month-snow/) - Our warm winter continued in February with generally above-normal temperatures, although we did see cold and snow during the month. It was a wet month overall with some severe storms mixed in. Cold Air Remains Rare This Winter Mild weather continued through most of February, and the numbers reflect just how warm it was in
- [January Extends a Warm Winter and Expands Coastal Dryness](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/02/january-extends-a-warm-winter-and-expands-coastal-dryness/) - Cold air continued to stay away from North Carolina this winter in another warm month. Precipitation spanned the spectrum from wet to dry in January, but few areas saw any wintry weather as snowless streaks continued. The Winter That Wasn't Data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) shows that last month's statewide average
- [A Warm December Wraps Up a Record Warm Year](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2020/01/a-warm-december-wraps-up-a-record-warm-year/) - December was a month of mostly warm temperatures and fairly wet weather. It also put 2019 on top of the rankings for North Carolina's warmest years, as the statistics show. A Warm Start to Winter Several spells of fall-like warmth with only a few days of wintry chill yielded a warmer-than-normal December in North Carolina.
- [November Sees Cooler Weather and Drought Recovery](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/12/november-sees-cooler-weather-and-drought-recovery/) - The beginning of November brought a change to a cooler weather pattern and regular rainfall that helped drought conditions dissipate. We also wrapped up the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season, notable for Hurricane Dorian that hit North Carolina. Falling Temperatures, Fall-Like Weather After several months of warm weather this fall, November reversed course and left us
- [Winter Pattern Update: What Does ENSO Neutral Mean for NC?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/11/winter-pattern-update-what-does-enso-neutral-mean-for-nc/) - This is the first part of our annual winter outlook series. Our outlook will be released on Thursday, November 21. When assessing our likely wintertime weather conditions, we often start with ENSO, or the El Niño/Southern Oscillation. This pattern, which describes the cyclical warming and cooling of sea surface temperatures across the equatorial Pacific Ocean
- [The Heat Backed Off and Rain Picked Up in October](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/11/the-heat-backed-off-and-rain-picked-up-in-october/) - October began with hundred-degree heat, but a mid-month pattern change brought some relief from the heat and widespread rainfall that led to drought improvement. Record Heat Drives a Warm Month Yes, the calendar may have said it was October, but early last month felt more like July as temperatures hit the 100-degree mark in parts
- [The Leaves, They Are a Changin'... But Why?](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/10/the-leaves-they-are-a-changin-but-why/) - It's a tradition as old as nature itself -- the changing leaf colors that put a pop in our picturesque fall landscapes. Trees often look like they're completely in sync as they simultaneously change to shades of yellow, orange, and red, but each tree is operating independently and using everything from its genetics to the
- [The Dog Days are Done, But Dorian Approaches](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/09/the-dog-days-are-done-but-dorian-approaches/) - August ended with near-normal temperatures and precipitation across the state, on average, but all eyes are on Hurricane Dorian as it threatens the coast this week. From Summer Heat to Fall-Like Temperatures The hot weather that plagued our July backed off as the calendar turned to August, giving us more moderate weather over the past
- [A Fryin' July: Temperatures Soar in a Mid-Summer Heat Wave](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2019/08/a-fryin-july-temperatures-soar-in-a-mid-summer-heat-wave/) - Headlined by a week of often-oppressive heat for humans and crops alike, July was marked by warm temperatures and scattered but near-normal rainfall. In this climate summary, we also turn our attention to the tropical Atlantic in a hurricane season update. Summer Heat Sizzles A mid-month spell of hot weather punctuated what was a warm

## Pages

- [From The Mountains To The Outer Banks](https://climate.ncsu.edu/) - Top image: Cape Lookout Lighthouse (Photo by National Park Service) What we do ECONet Our office hosts the North Carolina Environment and Climate Observing Network (ECONet). Learn more about the 45-site network here. Explore more Education Learn about our state’s unique climate and weather and browse classroom-ready lessons and activities. Learn more Data + Products
- [Status Updates](https://climate.ncsu.edu/status/) - August 6, 2026 at 12:20pm The electrical work is complete. Products and services hosted by the NCSCO are back online and operational. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at help@climate.ncsu.edu August 5, 2026 at 2:15pm On Thursday, August 6, there is a planned outage for our main server room between 7
- [This Page Has Disappeared](https://climate.ncsu.edu/not-found/) - We can’t find anything at this location. The page you’re looking for may have been moved or may no longer exist. For a list of our web products or tools, please visithttps://climate.ncsu.edu/all-tools-products/ For information about our ECONet, please visit https://econet.climate.ncsu.edu Looking for something specific? Try using the site search at the top right of this
- [Office History](https://climate.ncsu.edu/office/history/) - From its origins at the US Weather Bureau to the modern university-based offices, North Carolina has a history of climate services dating back more than 130 years, spanning multiple institutions and directors. This page includes a snapshot of this storied past. The Weather Bureau Era Beginning in the 1890s, climate services were provided by the
- [All Tools and Products](https://climate.ncsu.edu/all-tools-products/)
- [Staff and Students](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/) - Staff Dr. Jared Bowden Director and State ClimatologistEmail: jhbowden@ncsu.eduPhone: 919-513-0244 View Jared's Profile Corey Davis Assistant State ClimatologistEmail: cndavis@ncsu.edu View Corey's Profile Dr. Kátia Fernandes Senior Research ScholarEmail: kdeavil@ncsu.edu View Kátia's Profile Dr. Timothy Glotfelty Research ScholarEmail: twglotfe@ncsu.edu View Tim's Profile Sean Heuser Assistant State ClimatologistECONet ManagerPhone: 919-515-0411Email: spheuser@ncsu.edu View Sean's Profile Josh Ledford IT
- [Jared Bowden](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/jared-bowden/) - Dr. Jared BowdenDirector and State Climatologist130 Research III Building, Centennial CampusBox 7236, North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC 27695-7236Email: jhbowden@ncsu.eduPhone: 919-513-0244 Dr. Jared Bowden was named director and state climatologist in May 2026. He had previously been serving as interim director of the office since August 2025, having joining the State Climate Office as associate director
- [Heat Action Plan Toolkit for Local Governments](https://climate.ncsu.edu/heat_toolkit/) - About the Heat Action Plan Toolkit The Heat Action Plan Toolkit provides resources for local government staff and community partners to help residents adapt to extreme heat. Designed for communities in North Carolina, this toolkit includes: Background on the importance of addressing extreme heat in your community; a heat action plan template featuring step-by-step guidance
- [Research](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/) - Air Quality Monitoring A partnership with NC Division of Air Quality for monitoring air quality and weather Urban Heat Islands Mapping Raleigh and Durham as part of the 2021 NIHHIS-CAPA HeatWatch Campaign CAnVAS In development: A tool for US Fish & Wildlife Service biologists to view future climate data relevant for endangered species Fire Weather
- [Thresholds for Extreme Heat](https://climate.ncsu.edu/heat_toolkit/thresholds/) - Extreme heat and extreme heat events occur when temperatures or heat indices surpass specific thresholds. A heat threshold refers to a specific temperature above which environmental conditions are considered extreme or hazardous. These thresholds can be based on air temperatures or other heat stress indicators such as the heat index or Wet Bulb Globe Temperature.
- [Hurricane Imelda](https://climate.ncsu.edu/hurricane/) - Latest Information - National Hurricane Center Latest Public Advisory Link - National Hurricane Center Hurricane Information + Links National Hurricane Center Website X/Twitter National Weather Service Website X/Twitter NC Department of Public Safety Website X/Twitter NC Emergency Management ReadyNC.org NC FIMAN (Flood Mapping) X/Twitter NC Department of Transportation DriveNC.gov (Latest road conditions) Travel Resources NC
- [Urban Heat Island Temperature Mapping Campaign](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/uhi/) - Raleigh and Durham - 2021 Downloads Results from the 2021 HeatWatch campaign. CAPA HeatWatch Report (.pdf) README (.txt) Driving traverses (.shp) Rasters of temperature and heat index (.tif) Our Partners The 2021 Raleigh and Durham Urban Heat Island Temperature Mapping Campaign is a partnership between the Museum of Life and Science, NC Museum of Natural
- [Allison Whitaker](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/allison-whitaker/) - Allison WhitakerExtension AssociateBox 7236, North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC 27695-7236Email: ahwhita2@ncsu.edu Allison helps leaders across North Carolina make informed decisions about our changing world. With over a decade of experience, she has worked with everyone from city leaders and federal agencies to business executives and community leaders. Her work is defined by a unique ability
- [North Carolina Climate Blog](https://climate.ncsu.edu/climateblog/) - Subscribe To The Climate Blog Climate Blog View All August 03, 2026 Holiday Heat Gave Way to Wet Weather in July After hundred-degree temperatures early on, July ended with soaking rainfall that has improved, but not eliminated, drought conditions across the state. A Warm Month With a Sizzling Start Despite a late-month cooldown, our early
- [Urban Heat Island Temperature Mapping Campaign](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/uhi/news/) - Raleigh and Durham - 2021 About The Project Urban Heat Islands Campaign Day News Post-campaign articles Monday numbers: Our concrete jungles harm vulnerable people and contribute to climate change NC Policy Watch - February 14, 2022 Sensor, satellite data help map, predict heat islands GCN - February 9, 2022 Study shows uneven heat differences in
- [Urban Heat Island Temperature Mapping Campaign](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/uhi/campaign_day/) - Raleigh and Durham - 2021 About The Project Urban Heat Islands Campaign Day News Photos of State Climate Office staff and volunteers on campaign day! FAQs about the campaign day What did volunteers do? Volunteers served as Drivers and Navigators (to help steer drivers), Bicyclists, and Walkers. Volunteers were assigned to pre-planned routes in Raleigh
- [Urban Heat Island Temperature Mapping Campaign](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/uhi/background/) - Raleigh and Durham - 2021 About The Project Urban Heat Islands Campaign Day News In the United States, heat waves injure more people than all other natural disasters combined. Hot days create physical stress for people and can be hazardous to the elderly, the young, people with pre-existing medical conditions, and those working outdoors. Some
- [Climate Analysis & Visualization for the Assessment of Species Status (CAnVAS)](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/canvas/) - Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) must evaluate the status of at-risk plants and animals in the US. A Species Status Assessment (SSA) is a scientific assessment prepared for each at-risk species to help inform a range of management decisions under the ESA. SSA’s are currently needed for
- [About Our Office](https://climate.ncsu.edu/office/) - North Carolina has a complex climate due in part to its three distinct regions: the Mountains, the Piedmont, and the Coastal Plain. Climate affects many aspects of our daily lives such as agriculture, environment, transportation, tourism, and public health. The North Carolina State Climate Office was established in 1976, originally at UNC-Chapel Hill, and moved
- [Charter](https://climate.ncsu.edu/office/charter/) - State Climate Office of North Carolina(Public Service Center for Climate-Environment Interaction)North Carolina State University CHARTERApproved by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors on October 8, 1998 Mission, Goals, and Objectives The mission of the State Climate Office of North Carolina (SCO) as a Public Service Center is to define, predict and disseminate information
- [Corey Davis](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/corey-davis/) - Corey DavisAssistant State ClimatologistBox 7236, North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC 27695-7236Email: cndavis@ncsu.edu From summers as a kid spent tracking the tropical storms that frequent the North Carolina coastline, Corey's interest in weather, maps, and science communication took him to NC State University, and eventually to the State Climate Office, where he joined the staff in
- [Dr. Kathie Dello](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/kathie-dello/) - Dr. Kathie DelloDirector / State Climatologist (2019 - 2025) In 2019, Dr. Kathie Dello was hired as the state climatologist of North Carolina and the director of the State Climate Office. She was the 5th permanent director and first woman to hold this position. Kathie left the NCSCO in August 2025 to become the Assistant
- [Climate Blog - Subscribe](https://climate.ncsu.edu/climateblog/subscribe/)
- [Hurricane Helene Resources](https://climate.ncsu.edu/heleneresources/) - Data, tools, and expertise from the North Carolina State Climate Office to support state, county, and local governments in recovery and rebuilding after Hurricane Helene. Summaries and Graphics Event Summary: Historic Flooding Follows Helene in Western North Carolina (September 30, 2024) Summary: Drought Finally Disappears After a Fiery Start to 2025 (June 18, 2025) Frontal
- [Carolinas Climate Adaptation Partnership (CAP)](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/cap/) - Climate change is here and now in the Carolinas. We are seeing more extreme rainfall and higher temperatures. Severe weather events are causing unprecedented damage. We work together with communities across the Carolinas to help predict and understand their exposure and vulnerability to climate threats, such as drought, heat, and flooding. By integrating social science,
- [Our Social Media](https://climate.ncsu.edu/social/) - While we monitor our social media platforms and reply to comments as we're able, email remains the most reliable way to reach us. If you have questions about our data or other climate information, please email us at climate-office@ncsu.edu for the fastest response from our staff. Make sure you're following us across all of our
- [News and Features](https://climate.ncsu.edu/news/) - Six Years of Service and Science: Honoring our Departing Director, Kathie DelloAugust 28, 2025 This week, we at the State Climate Office say farewell to our director, Dr. Kathie Dello, and wish her all the best as she begins a new chapter in her service to the state of North Carolina as the Assistant Secretary
- [Search](https://climate.ncsu.edu/search/)
- [McKenzie Peters](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/mckenzie-peters/) - McKenzie PetersECONet Researcher145 Research III Building, Centennial CampusBox 7236, North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC 27695-7236Email:mrpeter7@ncsu.edu McKenzie joined the State Climate Office in August 2024 as an ECONet Researcher, but is no stranger to North Carolina. She earned her B.S. in Meteorology with a minor in Environmental Science from NC State in 2022, followed by an
- [Greg Tierney](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/greg-tierney/) - Greg TierneyResearch Scholar State Climate Office of North Carolina136 Research III Building, Centennial CampusNorth Carolina State UniversityPhone: 919-513-0927E-mail: getierne@ncsu.edu Greg Tierney is a Research Scholar in the North Carolina State Climate Office (NCSCO) interested in improving risk assessment and communication around high-impact weather such as heat waves and extreme precipitation, including how that risk may
- [Haven Cashwell](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/haven-cashwell/) - Haven CashwellPostdoctoral Research ScholarBox 7236, North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC 27695-7236Email: hjcashwe@ncsu.edu Haven Cashwell joined the State Climate Office in July 2024 as a Postdoctoral Research Scholar. Haven recently obtained her Ph.D. in Earth System Science from Auburn University (2024) where her dissertation work focused on climate communication using co-production techniques with different stakeholder groups.
- [5th NCA Regional Event: Southeast](https://climate.ncsu.edu/nca5event/) - The authors of the Southeast Chapter of the 5th National Climate Assessment and the US Global Change Research Program invite you to NC State University in beautiful Raleigh, NC on April 3, 2024 for a regional workshop. This workshop is hosted by the State Climate Office of North Carolina at NC State University. Event date:
- [NCSCO at AMS 2024](https://climate.ncsu.edu/presentations/) - January 2024 - American Meteorological Society (Baltimore, MD) Show Less State Climate Office presentations at the American Meteorological Society's Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD
- [Kátia Fernandes](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/katia-fernandes/) - Kátia FernandesSenior Research Scholar137 Research III Building, Centennial CampusBox 7236, North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC 27695-7236 Email: kdeavil@ncsu.edu Kátia Fernandes joined the State Climate Office in January 2024. She is a climate scientist, whose work focuses on applied climate research to the benefit of society. She developed the first fire seasonal forecast model for the
- [John McGuire](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/john-mcguire/) - John McGuireApplied Meteorologist and Data Manager147 Research III Building, Centennial CampusBox 7236, North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC 27695-7236Telephone: 919-515-0412Email: jamcguir@ncsu.edu John joined the State Climate Office (SCO) in 2009 as an Applied Meteorologist and Web Developer. Some of his early projects included developing and optimizing weather-based products for the SCO and the NOAA Southeast Regional
- [TEST Climate Blog](https://climate.ncsu.edu/test-climateblog/) - Holiday Heat Gave Way to Wet Weather in JulyAugust 3, 2026 After hundred-degree temperatures early on, July ended with soaking rainfall that has improved, but not eliminated, drought conditions across the state. A Warm Month With a Sizzling Start Despite a late-month cooldown, our early heat waves cemented this as an overall warm July in
- [Mission](https://climate.ncsu.edu/office/mission/) - Mission Statement The State Climate Office of North Carolina is a UNC System Public Service Center dedicated to serving the needs of North Carolinians by translating climate information into useful and usable knowledge, and bridging the gap between scientists, decision-makers, and community members.
- [Timothy Glotfelty](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/timothy-glotfelty/) - Dr. Timothy GlotfeltyResearch Scholar145 Research III Building, Centennial CampusBox 7236, North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC 27695-7236Email: twglotfe@ncsu.edu Tim joined the State Climate Office in summer 2022 as a research scholar. His work focuses on downscaling future climate projections from global climate models for use in regional climate and policy initiatives. Tim’s broader area of expertise
- [Air Quality Monitoring](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/air-quality/) - The State Climate Office has a history of partnership with the North Carolina Division of Air Quality. Both groups have a shared mission to monitor atmospheric conditions across the state, to share that data and its applications to health and safety, and to inform and educate the public. In our latest collaboration with NC DAQ,
- [Drought Communications](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/drought_comm/) - From 2018 through 2020, the North Carolina State Climate Office and the Carolinas Integrated Sciences and Assessments (CISA) partnered on a NOAA-funded project aimed to increase the transparency and effectiveness of drought communications in North Carolina. This project, titled Innovating Approaches to Drought Communications with North Carolina Decision Makers, included developing resources to present weather and drought information
- [Climate Dashboard for Corn Growers](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/climate-dashboard-for-corn-growers/) - The North Carolina State Climate Office recently developed an online dashboard to specifically support North Carolina corn growers' needs for weather and climate information. This dashboard enables users to view contextualized forecast and historical climatological information, tailored to their location, and designed to facilitate weather- and climate-affected decision-making at time scales of days to months.
- [Myleigh Neill](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/myleigh-neill/) - Myleigh NeillInstrumentation Technician139 Research III Building, Centennial CampusBox 7236, North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC 27695-7236Telephone: 919-515-4052Email: mneill@ncsu.edu Growing up in Aurora, MO, Myleigh’s interest in weather was sparked by the ever-changing weather patterns over the Missouri Ozarks. She pursued her interests at the University of Oklahoma and spent time studying abroad at Monash University in
- [Sean Heuser](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/sean-heuser/) - Sean HeuserECONet Manager143 Research III Building, Centennial CampusBox 7236, North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, NC 27695-7236Telephone: 919-515-0411Email: spheuser@ncsu.edu Born in Raleigh, NC, Sean Heuser joined the State Climate Office in 2008 as an ECONet Technician. As a technician, his primary responsibilities were performing maintenance on ECONet stations and enhancing the automated quality control (QC) routines for
- [Organic Soil Moisture Monitoring](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/organic-soil-moisture/) - Historically, North Carolina’s largest wildfires have occurred not on treacherous mountain slopes or in dense Piedmont pine plantations, but in remote coastal peatlands. Parts of eastern North Carolina are unique for their soils rich in organic matter, which creates many monitoring and management challenges, especially surrounding fire danger. While these peat soils tend to resist
- [Fire Weather in the Southeast](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/fire-weather-se/) - While our fire weather work began in North Carolina more than ten years ago, it quickly drew region-wide interest, which has led to opportunities to share our data, our science, and our expertise beyond our state’s borders. In 2017, the USDA Southeast Regional Climate Hub (SERCH) supported the expansion of the Fire Weather Intelligence Portal
- [Fire Weather in North Carolina](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/fire-weather-nc/) - Since 2011, the State Climate Office has partnered with the North Carolina Forest Service to provide enhanced monitoring and planning capabilities for wildfires and prescribed burning across the state. The primary product of this partnership has been the Fire Weather Intelligence Portal, a real-time monitoring tool for weather and fire risk conditions. This tool brings
- [Data Retrieval](https://climate.ncsu.edu/cronos/) - Looking to get weather and climate data? Use Our New Data Retreival System: Cardinal! Or click here to continue to CRONOS. Please note that CRONOS is no longer supported as of April 5, 2021, and will be shut down later this year.
- [Josh Ledford](https://climate.ncsu.edu/staff/josh-ledford/) - Josh LedfordIT System AdministratorCollege of SciencesEmail: jdledfo2@ncsu.edu Coming Soon!
- [Project 1](https://climate.ncsu.edu/research/project-1/) - Content goes here

## People

- [John McGuire](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/jamcguir/) - John joined the State Climate Office (SCO) in 2009 as an Applied Meteorologist and Web Developer. Some of his early projects included developing and optimizing weather-based products for the SCO and the NOAA Southeast Regional Climate Center (SERCC). In 2018, John added the role of the Environmental Data Manager, where he is currently responsible for
- [Sean Heuser](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/spheuser/)
- [Jared Bowden](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/jhbowden/)
- [Corey Davis](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/cndavis/)
- [Myleigh Neill](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/mneill/)
- [Timothy Glotfelty](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/twglotfe/)
- [Kátia Fernandes](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/kdeavil/)
- [Allison Whitaker](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/ahwhita2/)
- [Greg Tierney](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/getierne/)
- [McKenzie Peters](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/mrpeter7/)
- [Jordan Root](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/jdroot/)
- [Sara Kreuser](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/sichrist/)
- [Mayra Cruz](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/mcruz3/)
- [Aranzazu Lascurain](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/alascur/)
- [Aaron Sims](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/apsims/)
- [Lexi Seal](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/aeseal/)
- [Audrey Simmons](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/amsimmo3/)
- [Lauren Grimsrud](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/lngrimsr/)
- [Sheila Saia](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/ssaia/)
- [Dani McArthur](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/kdmcarth/)
- [Katherine Fowler](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/kefowle4/)
- [Rebecca Ward](https://climate.ncsu.edu/people/rvcumbie/)

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/uncategorized/)
- [Climate Blog](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/climateblog/)
- [Climate Summary](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/climateblog/climate-summary/)
- [Events](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/climateblog/events/)
- [News](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/news/)
- [Products](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/climateblog/products/)
- [Seasonal Outlook](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/climateblog/seasonal-outlook/)
- [Homepage](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/homepage/)
- [Newswire](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/newswire/)
- [Climate Curiosities](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/climateblog/climate-curiosities/)
- [Our Curious Coast](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/climateblog/our-curious-coast/)
- [Florence After Five](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/climateblog/florence-after-five/)
- [Features](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/news/features/)
- [Show Featured Photo](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/category/news/show-featured-photo/)

## Tags

- [agriculture](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/agriculture/)
- [air quality](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/air-quality/)
- [April](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/april/)
- [August](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/august/)
- [biology](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/biology/)
- [climate change](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/climate-change/)
- [December](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/december/)
- [drought](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/drought/)
- [February](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/february/)
- [fire](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/fire/)
- [flooding](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/flooding/)
- [global patterns](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/global-patterns/)
- [heat](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/heat/)
- [hurricanes](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/hurricanes/)
- [January](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/january/)
- [July](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/july/)
- [June](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/june/)
- [March](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/march/)
- [May](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/may/)
- [November](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/november/)
- [October](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/october/)
- [presentations](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/presentations/)
- [records](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/records/)
- [September](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/september/)
- [snow](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/snow/)
- [Stormy Summer 2019](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/stormy-summer-2019/)
- [thunderstorms](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/thunderstorms/)
- [tornadoes](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/tornadoes/)
- [wind](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/wind/)
- [winter weather](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/winter-weather/)
- [fog](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/fog/)
- [CoCoRaHS](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/cocorahs/)
- [ECONet](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/econet/)
- [research](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/research/)
- [student projects](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/student-projects/)
- [folklore](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/folklore/)
- [astronomy](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/astronomy/)
- [NC Extremes](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/nc-extremes/)
- [wildfire](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/wildfire/)
- [news](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/news/)
- [_from-newswire-collection-308](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/_from-newswire-collection-308/)
- [transportation](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/transportation/)
- [education](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/education/)
- [geography](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/geography/)
- [culture](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/culture/)
- [geology](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/geology/)
- [oceanography](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/oceanography/)
- [rivers](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/rivers/)
- [wetlands](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/wetlands/)
- [Mountains](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/mountains/)
- [hockey](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/hockey/)
- [_from-newswire-collection-360](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/_from-newswire-collection-360/)
- [C3H3](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/c3h3/)
- [climate health and equity](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/climate-health-and-equity/)
- [NOAA](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/noaa/)
- [CAP RISA](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/cap-risa-2/)
- [undergraduate research](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/undergraduate-research/)
- [NC mountains](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/nc-mountains/)
- [ice storm](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/ice-storm/)
- [pollen](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/pollen/)
- [water resources](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/water-resources/)
- [_from-newswire-collection-591](https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/tag/_from-newswire-collection-591/)

## Subgroup

- [Staff](https://climate.ncsu.edu/subgroup/staff/)
- [Student](https://climate.ncsu.edu/subgroup/student/)