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Bethlehem, North Carolina Weather

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon. Day 15 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

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

Bethlehem, NC
Saturday, July 4 at 10:46 PM
77
°
Partly Cloudy
Feels like
84°
Humidity
75%
Wind
3 mph
Sunrise
2:14 AM
Sunset
4:45 PM
Bethlehem, NC
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastBethlehem, NC: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 70 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit with a 26% chance of precipitation at 5 PM.
L 70°H 93°
Bethlehem, NC
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Overcast
    19%
    —
    98°72°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Overcast
    26%
    —
    93°70°-5°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Heavy Showers
    76%
    0.14″
    93°68°0°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Drizzle
    49%
    —
    96°67°+3°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Light Drizzle
    22%
    —
    97°67°+1°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Overcast
    24%
    —
    98°68°+1°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Light Drizzle
    24%
    —
    99°69°+1°
Bethlehem, NC
Next 24 hours · Mild now
HOT 90°60°80°100°6p12a6a12pnow 79°high 93°low 70°PRECIP %
Bethlehem, NC
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NNE
023° · veering 105°
Direction
NNE
023°
Sustained
3
mph
Gust
6
mph
Peak 24h
18
avg 3
Beaufort · 1 · LIGHT AIR
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 3 · pk 18 @ 5:00p
010203040MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6B7B8-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 381SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Bethlehem, NC
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
973.7
+0.1 mb in 3h · steady · 28.75 inHg
Now
973.7
mb
3h
+0.1
mb
12h
-3.6
mb
24h
-3.9
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 973–978
965970975980985-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW977.8973.3973.9
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Bethlehem, NC
Air quality
68
AQI
Moderate
↓-8 in 6h

AQI 68 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI down 8 over the last 6 hours (gradual decline). PM2.5 at 13.1 µg/m³ (AQI 58) with a 0.89 fine-to-coarse ratio and 3 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

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

PM 2.5DRIVERModerate
13.1μg/m³
PM 10Good
15μg/m³
NO₂Good
5μg/m³
OzoneModerate
64μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.0

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 30. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~84%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

Present
AQI 30
UV peak
0.0 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
overcast
Projected peak
AQI 4

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 13.1 µg/m³ (AQI 58) with a 0.89 fine-to-coarse ratio and 3 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.89
Wind
calm
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
stagnant smoke

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/m³340
Bethlehem, NC
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
51%
PARTLY CLOUDY
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
41.2mi
UNLIMITED
99 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
02:46 UTC · Bethlehem, 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
02:46 UTC · Bethlehem, NC · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Bethlehem, NC
Satellite · infrared · animated
Bethlehem, NC
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Bethlehem, NC
Almanac · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
5:45 AM
Sunrise
2:14 AM
Daylight
14h 31m
Sunset
4:45 PM
Civil dusk
9:16 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Bethlehem, NC
The moon
Waning Gibbous
76% illuminated
Moonrise
11:40 PM
Moonset
11:37 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Bethlehem, NC
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

plant
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Bethlehem at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 77°F — typical for the season
  • Last frost: March 22 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

16-Day Forecast — Bethlehem

  1. Sat98°72°19%
  2. Sun93°70°26%
  3. Mon93°68°76%
  4. Tue96°67°49%
  5. Wed97°67°22%
  6. Thu98°68°24%
  7. Fri99°69°24%
  8. Sat89°68°35%
  9. Sun83°69°28%
  10. Mon88°65°19%
  11. Tue93°62°20%
  12. Wed95°68°30%
  13. Thu93°68°48%
  14. Fri91°65°40%
  15. Sat92°66°36%
  16. Sun100°69°50%

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

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 5, 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 — Bethlehem

SPC has placed Bethlehem in the Marginal Risk category for severe thunderstorms today.

  • TODAYMRGLMarginal Risk
  • TOMORROWMRGLMarginal Risk
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Isolated severe storms possible. Limited threat for hail or damaging wind.

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.

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 · July 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

Dog-day cicadas emerge in waves, their rasp dominating every sunny hour; heat peaks above 90 degrees daily.

Day 186 of 365 · Wedge 37 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

The year in Bethlehem tops out in July (~79°F) and dips lowest in January (~38°F), with August wettest at 5.0 inches and October driest at 2.4 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January38°4.0″13
February42°3.8″12
March49°4.4″15
April58°3.6″16
May67°3.4″17
June75°3.9″17
July79°4.1″21
August77°5.0″24
September72°3.5″16
October61°2.4″10
November49°3.7″12
December41°4.4″13

Regional context

Bethlehem swings from 38°F in January to 79°F in July (40°F) per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals; precipitation in Bethlehem runs about 46.3 inches on roughly 186 measurable days.

Rainfall in Bethlehem stays even across the calendar: August tops out at 5.0 inches over 24.0 rainy days, and October still logs 2.4 inches across 10.5 — a narrow range for Bethlehem. It is a balanced pattern Bethlehem shares with places like St. Stephens, NC, Northlakes, NC and Hickory, NC.

Around mid-March, Bethlehem sheds its freezing nights — peas, lettuce, spinach, and radishes go into Bethlehem's beds. Heat-demanding starts go out a fortnight on in Bethlehem, after the soil warms and cold snaps clear. By mid-December, frost is back in Bethlehem — protect or harvest anything tender. A creek-bottom lot in Bethlehem can lag Bethlehem's last frost 7-10 days behind a south slope.

Similar climates: St. Stephens, NC, Northlakes, NC, Hickory, NC, Granite Falls, NC, Long View, NC.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Bethlehem?
In Bethlehem, expect the last spring frost near mid-March; Bethlehem's first autumn frost comes around mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Bethlehem?
Rainfall in Bethlehem peaks in August near 5.0 inches, out of about 46 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Bethlehem?
Bethlehem peaks in July, when the mean runs near 79°F.
What is the coldest month in Bethlehem?
January is Bethlehem's coldest month, averaging about 38°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Bethlehem?
Hardy spring crops go in near mid-March in Bethlehem; tender peppers and squash wait 10–14 days.
How many rainy days does Bethlehem get?
Expect roughly 186 wet days a year in Bethlehem.
What hardiness zone is Bethlehem?
With January around 38°F, Bethlehem's zone reflects that minimum — the USDA ZIP map confirms Bethlehem's band.
What is the 10-day forecast for Bethlehem?
Bethlehem'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 Bethlehem?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Bethlehem in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Bethlehem?
Current conditions for Bethlehem and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Bethlehem forecast updated?
The Bethlehem forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Bethlehem?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Bethlehem 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 Bethlehem?
The next few days in Bethlehem's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

The humid subtropical climate of Bethlehem, North Carolina carries typical Januarys near 38°F and Julys around 79°F — 41°F of seasonal travel.

In a typical year Bethlehem records about 46 inches of precipitation on around 186 days.

Bethlehem sits at 35.8°N; that 41°F seasonal swing frames planting windows and frost dates across Bethlehem.

All cities in North Carolina →

Hickory, NC weather →

ZIP codes in Bethlehem

  • 28601
  • 28681

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.