Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Raleigh, North Carolina Weather

Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night. Day 43 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Raleigh weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Raleigh, NC
Sunday, August 2 at 11:00 AM
82
°
Mostly Clear
Feels like
91°
Humidity
83%
Wind
8 mph
Sunrise
2:23 AM
Sunset
4:18 PM
Raleigh, NC
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastRaleigh, NC: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 74 to 87 degrees Fahrenheit with a 33% chance of precipitation at 4 PM.
L 74°H 87°
Raleigh, NC
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Heavy Showers
    33%
    1.5″
    87°75°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Overcast
    22%
    —
    87°74°0°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Light Showers
    61%
    —
    81°72°-6°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Drizzle
    58%
    —
    87°71°+6°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Overcast
    29%
    —
    94°71°+7°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Overcast
    28%
    —
    95°75°+1°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Drizzle
    31%
    —
    95°75°0°
Raleigh, NC
Next 24 hours · Mild now
HOT 90°70°80°90°12p6p12a6anow 79°high 87°low 74°PRECIP %
Raleigh, NC
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
SSE
151° · backing 21°
Direction
SSE
151°
Sustained
8
mph
Gust
17
mph
Peak 24h
22
avg 6 mph
Beaufort · 3 · GENTLE BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 6 mph · pk 22 mph @ 8:00p
0102030MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 257SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze backing 21° from the sse.
Raleigh, NC
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
998.9
+0.5 mb in 3h · steady · 29.50 inHg
Now
998.9
mb
3h
+0.5
mb
12h
-0.7
mb
24h
-3.2
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 999–1003
9909951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1002.7998.6999.5
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Raleigh, NC
Air quality
46
AQI
Good
→-4 in 6h

AQI 46 (Good), driven by Ozone. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±4 points). Ozone at AQI 41 now. With UV 2.4 peaking around 1 PM under partly cloudy skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 9.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5Good
5.3μg/m³
PM 10Good
6μg/m³
NO₂Good
2μg/m³
OzoneDRIVERModerate
86μg/m³
UV IndexLow
1.7

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 41 now. With UV 2.4 peaking around 1 PM under partly cloudy skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 9.

Present
AQI 41
UV peak
2.4 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
partly cloudy
Projected peak
AQI 9

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 5.3 µg/m³, PM10 at 5.9 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.90
Wind
light
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
background

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³440
Raleigh, NC
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
45%
MOSTLY CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
34.5mi
UNLIMITED
83 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
15:00 UTC · Raleigh, NC · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
15:00 UTC · Raleigh, NC · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Raleigh, NC
Satellite · infrared · animated
Raleigh, NC
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Raleigh, NC
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
5:56 AM
Sunrise
2:23 AM
Daylight
13h 55m
Sunset
4:18 PM
Civil dusk
8:48 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Raleigh, NC
The moon
Waning Gibbous
84% illuminated
Moonrise
9:56 PM
Moonset
10:17 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Raleigh, NC
Microseason
Aug 1–5

Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night

celestial
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Raleigh at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 15°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 22 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 27601, 27603, 27604, 27605, 27606, 27607, 27608, 27609 +9 more

16-Day Forecast — Raleigh

  1. Sun87°75°42%
  2. Mon87°74°20%
  3. Tue81°72°71%
  4. Wed87°71°55%
  5. Thu94°71°36%
  6. Fri95°75°34%
  7. Sat95°75°28%
  8. Sun85°74°31%
  9. Mon96°72°23%
  10. Tue100°76°23%
  11. Wed94°75°23%
  12. Thu100°77°32%
  13. Fri98°79°45%
  14. Sat99°79°39%
  15. Sun99°78°45%
  16. Mon97°78°35%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near Raleigh

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of August 2, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — Raleigh

SPC includes Raleigh in the general thunderstorm area today — no severe risk, but storms are possible.

  • TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.

Sun & seasons in Raleigh

Raleigh sits in Wake County, where the year’s longest day runs 14h 35m of daylight and its shortest just 9h 43m — a swing of +4h 52m between the June and December solstices. Clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Charlotte, the state’s largest city, lies about 130 miles to the WSW. The nearest town Raleigh tracks is Cary, roughly 10 miles to the WSW.

Air quality in Raleigh’s county has held roughly steady since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2025 (median AQI 43). See the full air-quality history for Raleigh.

January 1–5: Frost quiets the live oaks.January 6–10: Still water thickens with ice.January 11–15: Springs begin to move beneath ice.January 16–20: Cardinal dawn calls grow bolder.January 21–25: Late January thaw pulses.January 26–31: Last freeze locks the land.February 1–5: February's lengthening light.February 6–10: Warming winds thaw the margin.February 11–15: Magnolia blooms break the gray.February 16–20: Mockingbirds resume the dawn chorus.February 21–25: Rain replaces the last snow.February 26–28: Mist clings to greening valleys.March 1–5: The green pulse awakens.March 6–10: Hibernators emerge to call.March 11–15: Dogwood and redbud ignite.March 16–20: Swallowtails emerge from winter silk.March 21–25: Light crowns the dogwood canopy.March 26–31: Redbud cascades over the thaw.April 1–5: Thunder announces the wet season.April 6–10: Barn swallows carve the warming sky.April 11–15: Magnolia blooms and falls in a breath.April 16–20: First rainbows arch over thunderheads.April 21–25: Reeds push through marsh water.April 26–30: Frost retreats; seedlings rise free.May 1–5: Warblers flood the canopy in waves.May 6–10: Tulip poplar lights the forest crown.May 11–15: Shad pulse upstream through rapids.May 16–20: Roses open on the Piedmont edge.May 21–25: Fireflies scout the humid dusk.May 26–31: Frog choruses rise from every wetland.June 1–5: Fireflies pulse through the magnolias.June 6–10: Kudzu climbs deeper into green.June 11–15: Sun climbs to its northern throne.June 16–20: Heat settles and the rain begins.June 21–25: The longest day turns toward shadow.June 26–30: Fireflies drift through Spanish moss.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon.July 6–10: Thunderheads boil and break at dusk.July 11–15: Thunder builds each drowsy afternoon.July 16–20: Cicadas claim the long noon.July 21–25: Dog days drape the earth in haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their rasping chorus.August 1–5: Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night.August 6–10: Meteorological summer's turning page.August 11–15: Cool winds gather at the margins.August 16–20: Dog-day cicadas rise.August 21–25: Heat breaks in creek beds.August 26–31: Monarchs gather strength.September 1–5: Harvests begin in earnest.September 6–10: Dew beads on resurrection fern.September 11–15: Raptors trail the thermals.September 16–20: Day and dark find balance.September 21–25: Thunder quiets the land.September 26–30: Insects retreat below.October 1–5: Swamp waters recede.October 6–10: Maples ignite the ridge.October 11–15: Asters crown the meadows.October 16–20: Crickets sing at dusk.October 21–25: Frost paints the garden.October 26–31: Light rains whisper down.November 1–5: Sweetgum Turns Crimson.November 6–10: Camellia Blooms Break Through.November 11–15: Earth Stiffens Underfoot.November 16–20: Bare Limbs Hold the Light.November 21–25: First Frost Grips the High Ground.November 26–30: North Wind Strips the Last Leaves.December 1–5: Darkness Falls Before Dinner.December 6–10: Winter Locks the Land.December 11–15: Wildlife Retreats to Shelter.December 16–20: Ice Edges Deepen Inward.December 21–25: The Sun Begins its Return.December 26–31: The Year Turns in Silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · August 1–5

Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night

Sunset slides back toward 8 PM; darkness creeps in, signaling summer's decline though heat persists.

Day 214 of 365 · Wedge 43 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
Marchlettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash—
Maytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
July—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
September—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
Novemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots—
December——

A year in weather

July is Raleigh's warmest stretch (~80°F) and January its coldest (~42°F); precipitation crests in September at 5.7 inches and ebbs in February to 2.9 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January42°3.6″7
February44°2.9″6
March51°4.2″7
April61°3.6″6
May69°4.0″6
June77°4.9″7
July80°4.7″7
August79°4.7″7
September73°5.7″6
October62°3.9″5
November52°3.5″5
December45°3.7″6

Regional context

In Raleigh, NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals put January near 42°F and July near 80°F — a 39°F seasonal arc — with about 49.4 inches of precipitation over 74 rainy or snowy days.

No season owns Raleigh's rain: September reaches 5.7 inches across 5.9 days and February keeps 2.9 inches on 6.0, an even spread through Raleigh's year. It is a balanced pattern Raleigh shares with places like Knightdale, NC, Garner, NC and Cary, NC.

Raleigh reaches its last hard frost near mid-March; that is the cue for peas, lettuce, spinach, and radishes. Heat-demanding starts go out a fortnight on in Raleigh, after the soil warms and cold snaps clear. By mid-December, frost is back in Raleigh — protect or harvest anything tender. Raleigh's low ground holds frost later into spring than Raleigh's benches, which run 3-5 days ahead.

Similar climates: Knightdale, NC, Garner, NC, Cary, NC, Morrisville, NC, Wake Forest, NC.

Naturalist notes

Carolina wrens begin their territorial singing in late March as daylight hours extend past the spring equinox.

Dogwood trees start leafing out in early April when soil temperatures consistently reach the mid-50s°F range.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Raleigh?
In Raleigh, expect the last spring frost near mid-March; Raleigh's first autumn frost comes around mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Raleigh?
Raleigh sees its heaviest rain in September (around 5.7 inches), part of roughly 49 inches a year.
What is the warmest month in Raleigh?
On average July tops the year in Raleigh at about 80°F.
What is the coldest month in Raleigh?
The coldest stretch in Raleigh falls in January, around 42°F on average.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Raleigh?
Hardy spring crops go in near mid-March in Raleigh; tender peppers and squash wait 10–14 days.
How many rainy days does Raleigh get?
Expect roughly 74 wet days a year in Raleigh.
What hardiness zone is Raleigh?
With January around 42°F, Raleigh's zone reflects that minimum — the USDA ZIP map confirms Raleigh's band.
What is the 10-day forecast for Raleigh?
Raleigh's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Raleigh?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Raleigh in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Raleigh?
Current conditions for Raleigh and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Raleigh forecast updated?
The Raleigh forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Raleigh?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Raleigh are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Raleigh?
The next few days in Raleigh's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Set in a humid subtropical zone, Raleigh, North Carolina swings from 42°F in the heart of winter to 80°F at midsummer — a 38°F arc.

Yearly precipitation in Raleigh totals around 49 inches, spread over about 74 days of rain or snow.

Raleigh sits at 35.8°N; that 38°F seasonal swing frames planting windows and frost dates across Raleigh.

All cities in North Carolina →

Charlotte, NC weather →

ZIP codes in Raleigh

  • 27617
  • 27616
  • 27615
  • 27614
  • 27613
  • 27612
  • 27610
  • 27609
  • 27601
  • 27603
  • 27604
  • 27605
  • 27606
  • 27608
  • 27607
  • 27697
  • 27695
  • 27602
  • 27619
  • 27620
  • 27622
  • 27624
  • 27626
  • 27627
  • 27628
  • 27634
  • 27636
  • 27640
  • 27650
  • 27656
  • 27658
  • 27661
  • 27668
  • 27675
  • 27676
  • 27690
  • 27698

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.