Climate Comfort Score
73/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 57°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Murphy, NC Climate
Average temperature, precipitation, and a comfort score, drawn from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 57°F
- Avg annual temp
- 73/100
- Comfort score
- 59.3"
- Annual precip
- 181d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Murphy
Murphy, North Carolina averages 57°F a year and scores 73/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 68% of U.S. cities.
- 57°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 73/100
- comfort score, milder than 68% of U.S. cities
- 59.3"
- annual precipitation · 4" snow
- 181 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
57°F (14°C)
Avg High
70°F
Avg Low
44°F
Annual Precip
59.3"
Annual Snow
4.4"
Comfort Score
73/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
57°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
59.3"
Plus 4.4" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Murphy) 73.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Murphy area.
How Murphy compares to every U.S. city
Murphy's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
73 Top 32% higher than 68% 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 Murphy
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For Murphy, 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 | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 50°F (10°C) | 25°F (-4°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 5.1" | 0.8" | 22.4 | 0.0 |
| February | 54°F (12°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 5.3" | 1.5" | 19.1 | 0.0 |
| March | 62°F (16°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 5.3" | 0.1" | 14.6 | 0.0 |
| April | 71°F (22°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 5.2" | 0.0" | 5.0 | 0.0 |
| May | 78°F (25°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 4.8" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| June | 84°F (29°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 5.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.3 |
| July | 87°F (30°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 5.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 8.2 |
| August | 86°F (30°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 4.7" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 6.4 |
| September | 81°F (27°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 69°F (20°C) | 4.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.5 |
| October | 72°F (22°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 3.5" | 0.0" | 4.5 | 0.2 |
| November | 61°F (16°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 4.6" | 0.1" | 16.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 53°F (12°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 6.0" | 1.9" | 20.8 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 5.1"
Snow: 0.8"
11.5 days with precipitation
February 5.3"
Snow: 1.5"
11.3 days with precipitation
March 5.3"
Snow: 0.1"
11.9 days with precipitation
April 5.2"
10.9 days with precipitation
May 4.8"
11.4 days with precipitation
June 5.4"
12.6 days with precipitation
July 5.3"
12.2 days with precipitation
August 4.7"
11.3 days with precipitation
September 4.3"
9.2 days with precipitation
October 3.5"
8.2 days with precipitation
November 4.6"
Snow: 0.1"
9.3 days with precipitation
December 6.0"
Snow: 1.9"
11.9 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 20
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 22
50% probability date
Growing Season
181 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
4,041
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,038
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Murphy's climate means for you
Murphy runs 57°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 181 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 22 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 4,041 heating and 1,038 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: Murphy, NC
Murphy, North Carolina runs an annual average of 57°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 70°F to a mean daily low of 44°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Drawn from station USC00316001, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Murphy averages 59.3 inches of precipitation a year, with 4.4 inches typically falling as snow, and that matters as much to daily life here as temperature does. The frost-free season averages 181 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 22 and the first fall freeze near October 20. As for energy demand, 4,041 heating degree days and 1,038 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Murphy scores 73/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above turn that into a planning tool: expect the mildest highs and lows in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat at the peak of summer, and January-driven cold at the depth of winter. Every number here is a thirty-year average, not a forecast, so any given year can and does run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Murphy, NC? ▼
The average annual temperature in Murphy, North Carolina is 57°F. The warmest month averages 87°F (30°C) and the coldest averages 25°F (-4°C).
How much rain does Murphy get? ▼
Murphy receives 59.3 inches of precipitation annually, including 4.4 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Murphy? ▼
Murphy has a climate comfort score of 73/100 (Good), milder than 68% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Murphy? ▼
Murphy has approximately 181 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 22 and the first fall freeze around October 20.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Murphy? ▼
Murphy has 4,041 heating degree days and 1,038 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 Murphy climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00316001 near Murphy.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00316001. 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.