Raleigh Weather and Climate
Like most other cities in the United States, the city of Raleigh is also subjected distinctly to the four seasons of winter, spring, summer and autumn. The summer and the winter climatic conditions are the most prevalent than spring and autumn. There is a plateau like higher range that gradually slopes to the flat plains near the coast, this land characteristic classifies the climate of Raleigh as humid sub tropical climate as per the Koppen Classification. This type of climate is characterized by warm moist summers and mild cool winters typically seen in the city of Raleigh.
The temperatures in summer generally vary from warm to hot during the day with sometimes warm humid nights. The temperatures in summer vary between 80 degrees Fahrenheit to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (31 degrees Celsius to 34 degrees Celsius). The high heat in the summer leads to the receding water tables resulting in drought. The highest temperature recorded in summer was 100 degrees Fahrenheit (34 degrees Celsius).
The winters in Raleigh vary from mild to very cold and sometimes wet. Occurrences of ice storms and rain during winter called freezing rains are common to this city. The winter temperatures are about 45 - 53 degrees Fahrenheit (8 to 12 degrees Celsius) to sub zero temperatures of 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit (-9 to -7 degrees Celsius). The city receives about 6.8 inches (17.3 cm) of snowfall in winter. The highest snowfall reading was 20.3 inches (17.3 centimeters) due to the big storm that occurred on January 25, 2000 (named Blizzard of 2000). This variation in the winter conditions is attributed to the city's proximity to the Appalachian Mountains.
Spring and autumn are generally mild and characterized with warm temperatures during the day and cool temperatures during the nights. The city receives rainfall. The heaviest rainfall is seen during the months of January and March. Another characteristic in the climate of this city is that it is affected by the left over of hurricanes that hit the Gulf Coast and travel northwards.