NC Map/Climate

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North Carolina Map of Regions and Climate

One of the highlights of living in North Carolina is the varied climate and weather throughout the state.  North Carolina is made up of three geographic regions, the Coastal Plain, the Piedmont Plateau , and the Mountains , each with their own unique characteristics.

In each of the three regions, there are four distinct seasons, with precipitation spread throughout the year.  Overall, summer is the wettest season, with July as the wettest month, and autumn is the driest season, with November as the driest month.  Elevation has a great effect on temperatures and precipitation.

Yearly temperatures in North Carolina range from average highs above ninety in the summer to lows bottoming out around twenty degrees, in the winter.  Most of the state experiences an average swing of twenty degrees in a day, while at location closer to the coast, the temperature range shrinks to only about ten or fifteen degrees in a day.  The highest recorded temperature in North Carolina is 110 degrees, which was recorded in Fayetteville on August 21, 1983.  The lowest recorded temperature was -34 degrees, which was recorded on the top of Mt. Mitchell on January 21, 1985.

North Carolina's geographic location and physical make-up are key factors in creating the hospitable climate it is known for.  The great mountains in the west of the state limit the severity of storms that pass from inland sources into the state, as well as keeping temperatures up.  The Gulf Stream that passes along the Outer Banks serves as a weather moderator also, keeping temperatures higher during the winter.  The Gulf Stream is also responsible for some of the storms that North Carolina and states to the north experience.  When the southern end of the cold Labrador Current meets the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, storms and rough weather are the result.  Cities and towns along the coast are the most effected by the Gulf Stream.

Climate by Region

Coastal Plain

The Coastal Plain makes up almost half of North Carolina and can be broken up into two parts:  the immediate coast and tidewater area, and the interior section that connects with the Piedmont Plateau.

Read More about the North Carolina Coastal Plain

Piedmont Plateau

The Piedmont Plateau comprises about one-third of North Carolina and is bordered to the east by the state capital Raleigh, and to the west by Forest City.  It comprises the middle of the state.

Read More about the North Carolina Piedmont Plateau

Mountains

The Mountains are the smallest of the three regions in North Carolina, accounting for only about a fifth of the total state.

Read More about the North Carolina Mountains