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

Elkin, North Carolina Weather

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon. Day 14 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

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

Elkin, NC
Saturday, July 4 at 5:55 PM
93
°
Drizzle
Feels like
89°
Humidity
32%
Wind
16 mph
Sunrise
2:11 AM
Sunset
4:44 PM
Elkin, NC
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastElkin, NC: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 73 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 73°H 100°
Elkin, NC
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Light Drizzle
    17%
    0.01″
    100°71°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Overcast
    22%
    —
    97°73°-3°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Light Showers
    81%
    0.01″
    96°68°-1°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Light Drizzle
    59%
    —
    92°66°-4°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Mostly Clear
    25%
    —
    93°65°+1°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Overcast
    30%
    —
    96°66°+3°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Partly Cloudy
    26%
    —
    100°70°+4°
Elkin, NC
Next 24 hours · Hot now
HOT 90°65°85°105°6p12a6a12pnow 100°high 100°low 73°PRECIP %
Elkin, NC
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
SW
219° · veering 113°
Direction
SW
219°
Sustained
16
mph
Gust
22
mph
Peak 24h
22
avg 4
Beaufort · 4 · MOD 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 4 · pk 22
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 2012SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A fresh breeze drives the sw-bound air across the harbor.
Elkin, NC
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
975.8
-1.5 mb in 3h · falling · 28.82 inHg
Now
975.8
mb
3h
-1.5
mb
12h
-0.4
mb
24h
-2.4
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 976–979
970975980985-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW979.3976.4976.4
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Deep low still deepening — rough seas, strong wind, persistent rain.
Elkin, NC
Air quality
85
AQI
Moderate
↑+31 in 6h▲Peak ~94 @ 11 PM

AQI 85 (Moderate), driven by Ozone. AQI up 31 in the last 6 hours — air quality is degrading. Ozone at AQI 88 — peak already passed at 1 PM under clear skies. Levels should ease through evening.

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

PM 2.5Good
9.8μg/m³
PM 10Good
12μg/m³
NO₂Good
1μg/m³
OzoneDRIVERUnhealthy SG
130μg/m³
UV IndexModerate
3.1

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 88 — peak already passed at 1 PM under clear skies. Levels should ease through evening.

Present
AQI 88
UV peak
2.6 at earlier today
Sky at peak
clear
Projected peak
AQI 88

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 9.8 µg/m³, PM10 at 12.0 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.82
Wind
breezy
Recent rain
1h 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 TREND50100SATSUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Elkin, NC
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
76%
MOSTLY CLOUDY
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
42.8mi
UNLIMITED
140 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
21:55 UTC · Elkin, 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
21:55 UTC · Elkin, NC · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Elkin, NC
Satellite · infrared · animated
Elkin, NC
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Elkin, NC
Almanac · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
5:41 AM
Sunrise
2:11 AM
Daylight
14h 33m
Sunset
4:44 PM
Civil dusk
9:15 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Elkin, NC
The moon
Waning Gibbous
78% illuminated
Moonrise
11:12 PM
Moonset
10:31 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Elkin, NC
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

bird
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Elkin at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 18°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 25 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP code: 28621

16-Day Forecast — Elkin

  1. Sat100°71°17%
  2. Sun97°73°22%
  3. Mon96°68°81%
  4. Tue92°66°59%
  5. Wed93°65°25%
  6. Thu96°66°30%
  7. Fri100°70°26%
  8. Sat93°71°34%
  9. Sun78°65°30%
  10. Mon89°60°18%
  11. Tue93°64°18%
  12. Wed93°67°43%
  13. Thu92°67°48%
  14. Fri87°67°61%
  15. Sat96°68°71%
  16. Sun94°68°63%

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

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 4, 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 — Elkin

SPC has placed Elkin 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 185 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——
March——
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

Elkin peaks at about 76°F in July and bottoms near 36°F in January; July brings the heaviest rain (5.0 inches) and February the least (3.0 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January36°4.0″7
February38°3.0″6
March46°3.9″7
April55°4.5″7
May64°4.5″8
June72°4.6″8
July76°5.0″9
August75°4.5″7
September69°4.3″7
October57°3.5″5
November46°3.1″6
December39°4.0″7

Regional context

Drawing on NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Elkin's January averages 36°F and July 76°F — 40°F apart — while precipitation totals roughly 49 inches over some 83 days.

No season owns Elkin's rain: July reaches 5.0 inches across 9.3 days and February keeps 3.0 inches on 6.0, an even spread through Elkin's year. That lines Elkin up with places like Jonesville, NC, Pleasant Hill, NC and Ronda, NC, fed by overlapping storm tracks.

The cool-season window in Elkin starts at mid-April, when nights stop freezing — think peas, lettuce, spinach, and radishes. Hold Elkin's tender crops — tomatoes, peppers, basil — until 10-14 days past Elkin's last frost. Elkin's window closes around mid-November as overnight lows return below freezing. Within Elkin, cold-air pooling chills low spots by 5-10°F, shifting Elkin's local frost dates.

Similar climates: Jonesville, NC, Pleasant Hill, NC, Ronda, NC, Boonville, NC, Dobson, NC.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Elkin?
Elkin's last spring frost lands near mid-April, and in Elkin the first fall frost follows around mid-November.
What is the rainy season in Elkin?
July is the wettest month in Elkin, about 5.0 inches on average; the year totals roughly 49 inches.
What is the warmest month in Elkin?
The warmest stretch in Elkin comes in July, around 76°F on average.
What is the coldest month in Elkin?
On average January is the chilliest month in Elkin, about 36°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Elkin?
Frost-hardy sowings begin at mid-April in Elkin; warm-season starts follow two weeks on.
How many rainy days does Elkin get?
Elkin records around 83 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is Elkin?
Elkin's USDA zone comes from its January mean (36°F); enter the ZIP on the USDA lookup for the number.
What is the 10-day forecast for Elkin?
Elkin'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 Elkin?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Elkin in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Elkin?
Current conditions for Elkin and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Elkin forecast updated?
The Elkin forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Elkin?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Elkin 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 Elkin?
The next few days in Elkin's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Elkin's humid subtropical climate in North Carolina pairs 36°F Januarys with 76°F Julys, 40°F apart across the seasons.

Yearly precipitation in Elkin totals around 49 inches, spread over about 83 days of rain or snow.

The 40°F gap between Elkin's summer and winter, at 36.3°N, shapes Elkin's frost calendar.

All cities in North Carolina →

Winston-Salem, NC weather →

ZIP codes in Elkin

  • 28621

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.