Climate Comfort Score
78/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 60°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
- 60°F
- Avg annual temp
- 78/100
- Comfort score
- 48.8"
- Annual precip
- 224d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Cary
Cary, North Carolina averages 60°F a year and scores 78/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 74% of U.S. cities.
- 60°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 78/100
- comfort score, milder than 74% of U.S. cities
- 48.8"
- yearly precipitation total
- 224 days
- frost-free growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
60°F (15°C)
Avg High
70°F
Avg Low
49°F
Annual Precip
48.8"
Comfort Score
78/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
60°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
48.8"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Cary) 78.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Cary area.
How Cary compares to every U.S. city
Cary's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
78 Top 26% higher than 74% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Cary
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For Cary, the NOAA 1991-2020 normal captures average conditions across that spread - notably, the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean itself.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 50°F (10°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 3.5" | 20.1 | 0.0 |
| February | 54°F (12°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 2.9" | 15.4 | 0.0 |
| March | 61°F (16°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 4.0" | 9.9 | 0.0 |
| April | 71°F (22°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 3.7" | 1.2 | 0.4 |
| May | 78°F (26°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 67°F (20°C) | 3.7" | 0.0 | 1.3 |
| June | 85°F (29°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 4.6" | 0.0 | 7.7 |
| July | 88°F (31°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 79°F (26°C) | 5.3" | 0.0 | 12.6 |
| August | 86°F (30°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 4.8" | 0.0 | 8.8 |
| September | 80°F (27°C) | 62°F (16°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 5.6" | 0.0 | 1.9 |
| October | 71°F (22°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 3.5" | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| November | 62°F (16°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 3.5" | 7.6 | 0.0 |
| December | 53°F (12°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 3.5" | 16.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 3.5"
February 2.9"
March 4.0"
April 3.7"
May 3.7"
June 4.6"
July 5.3"
August 4.8"
September 5.6"
October 3.5"
November 3.5"
December 3.5"
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
November 10
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
March 31
50% probability date
Growing Season
224 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
3,430
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,509
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Cary's climate means for you
Cary runs 60°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 224 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near March 31 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 3,430 heating and 1,509 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Cary, NC
An annual average temperature of 60°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 70°F to a mean daily low of 49°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Cary, North Carolina. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00311535 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Cary averages 48.8 inches of precipitation a year, predominantly as rainfall, and that matters as much to daily life here as temperature does. The frost-free season averages 224 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near March 31 and the first fall freeze near November 10. As for energy demand, 3,430 heating degree days and 1,509 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Cary scores 78/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Use the monthly tables above to plan around specific windows, shoulder seasons for mild highs and lows, peak summer for July-driven heat, or deep winter for January-driven cold. All figures here are thirty-year averages: any single year may run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal, so treat them as planning guidance rather than forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Cary, NC? ▼
The average annual temperature in Cary, North Carolina is 60°F. The warmest month averages 88°F (31°C) and the coldest averages 31°F (0°C).
How much rain does Cary get? ▼
Cary receives 48.8 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Cary? ▼
Cary has a climate comfort score of 78/100 (Good), milder than 74% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Cary? ▼
Cary has approximately 224 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around March 31 and the first fall freeze around November 10.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Cary? ▼
Cary has 3,430 heating degree days and 1,509 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Cary climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00311535 near Cary.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00311535. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.