Climate Comfort Score
93/100
Excellent
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 61°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Sanford, NC Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 61°F
- Avg annual temp
- 93/100
- Comfort score
- 46.9"
- Annual precip
- 203d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Sanford
Sanford, North Carolina averages 61°F a year and scores 93/100 on the comfort index - excellent, milder than 95% of U.S. cities.
- 61°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 93/100
- comfort score, milder than 95% of U.S. cities
- 46.9"
- annual precipitation · 2" snow
- 203 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
61°F (16°C)
Avg High
73°F
Avg Low
49°F
Annual Precip
46.9"
Annual Snow
2.4"
Comfort Score
93/100
Excellent
Avg Annual Temperature
61°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
46.9"
Plus 2.4" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Sanford) 93.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Excellent for the Sanford area.
How Sanford compares to every U.S. city
Sanford's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
93 Top 5% higher than 95% 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 Sanford
MethodologyHow the U.S. land temperature anomaly tracks against the global mean since 1900. The current NOAA 1991-2020 normal for Sanford captures average conditions across the spread shown, the most recent decade is warmer than the 30-year mean.
- 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 | 53°F (12°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 3.6" | 1.8" | 19.2 | 0.0 |
| February | 57°F (14°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 3.0" | 0.1" | 15.9 | 0.0 |
| March | 65°F (19°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 3.6" | 0.0" | 10.6 | 0.1 |
| April | 75°F (24°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 3.4" | 0.0" | 2.5 | 0.8 |
| May | 81°F (27°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 69°F (20°C) | 3.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.5 |
| June | 87°F (31°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 5.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 12.6 |
| July | 90°F (32°C) | 69°F (20°C) | 80°F (26°C) | 5.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 19.2 |
| August | 88°F (31°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 78°F (25°C) | 4.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 13.4 |
| September | 83°F (28°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 4.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 4.4 |
| October | 74°F (23°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 3.4" | 0.0" | 2.0 | 0.2 |
| November | 63°F (17°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 3.4" | 0.0" | 11.6 | 0.0 |
| December | 55°F (13°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 3.1" | 0.5" | 17.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 3.6"
Snow: 1.8"
8.7 days with precipitation
February 3.0"
Snow: 0.1"
8.3 days with precipitation
March 3.6"
9.1 days with precipitation
April 3.4"
8.5 days with precipitation
May 3.5"
8.9 days with precipitation
June 5.0"
8.3 days with precipitation
July 5.3"
10.2 days with precipitation
August 4.8"
9.8 days with precipitation
September 4.6"
7.3 days with precipitation
October 3.4"
6.9 days with precipitation
November 3.4"
7.6 days with precipitation
December 3.1"
Snow: 0.5"
8.8 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 30
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 10
50% probability date
Growing Season
203 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
3,180
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,669
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Sanford's climate means for you
Sanford runs 61°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 203 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 10 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 3,180 heating and 1,669 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: Sanford, NC
An annual average temperature of 61°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 73°F to a mean daily low of 49°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Sanford, North Carolina. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00317656 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Sanford receives roughly 46.9 inches of precipitation each year, with 2.4 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 203 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 10 and the first fall freeze near October 30. For energy use, 3,180 heating degree days and 1,669 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Sanford scores 93/100 (Excellent), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows in the monthly tables above, summer brings July-driven heat, and winter brings January-driven cold - use that rhythm for planning. These figures are thirty-year averages rather than forecasts, so a specific year may still run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than what's shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Sanford, NC? ▼
The average annual temperature in Sanford, North Carolina is 61°F. The warmest month averages 90°F (32°C) and the coldest averages 31°F (-1°C).
How much rain does Sanford get? ▼
Sanford receives 46.9 inches of precipitation annually, including 2.4 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Sanford? ▼
Sanford has a climate comfort score of 93/100 (Excellent), milder than 95% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Sanford? ▼
Sanford has approximately 203 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 10 and the first fall freeze around October 30.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Sanford? ▼
Sanford has 3,180 heating degree days and 1,669 cooling degree days annually, a fairly balanced heating/cooling split. 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 Sanford climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00317656 near Sanford.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00317656. 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.