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

Hickory, North Carolina Weather

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

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

Hickory, NC
Saturday, July 4 at 9:03 PM
82
°
Clear
Feels like
90°
Humidity
74%
Wind
3 mph
Sunrise
2:14 AM
Sunset
4:44 PM
Hickory, NC
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastHickory, NC: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 71 to 94 degrees Fahrenheit with a 29% chance of precipitation at 4 PM.
L 71°H 94°
Hickory, NC
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Overcast
    17%
    —
    97°72°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Light Showers
    29%
    0.62″
    94°71°-3°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Drizzle
    75%
    0.02″
    97°68°+3°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Drizzle
    48%
    —
    96°67°-1°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Light Drizzle
    20%
    —
    97°67°+1°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Overcast
    24%
    —
    97°68°0°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Light Drizzle
    25%
    —
    99°69°+2°
Hickory, NC
Next 24 hours · Warm now
HOT 90°65°83°100°6p12a6a12pnow 82°high 94°low 71°PRECIP %
Hickory, NC
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
ENE
073° · veering 169°
Direction
ENE
073°
Sustained
3
mph
Gust
4
mph
Peak 24h
11
avg 4
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 4 · pk 11 @ 5:00p
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 134SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Hickory, NC
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
971.5
-1.5 mb in 3h · falling · 28.69 inHg
Now
971.5
mb
3h
-1.5
mb
12h
-4.4
mb
24h
-4.8
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 972–976
965970975980985-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW976.3971.5971.5
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Deep low still deepening — rough seas, strong wind, persistent rain.
Hickory, NC
Air quality
75
AQI
Moderate
↑+13 in 6h

AQI 75 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI up 13 over the last 6 hours (gradual rise). PM2.5 at 10.4 µg/m³ (AQI 53) with a 0.87 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 2.5DRIVERGood
10.4μg/m³
PM 10Good
12μg/m³
NO₂Good
4μg/m³
OzoneModerate
93μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.0

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 44 now. With UV 0.0 peaking around 1 PM under partly cloudy skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 7 around 1 PM.

Present
AQI 44
UV peak
0.0 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
partly cloudy
Projected peak
AQI 7

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 10.4 µg/m³ (AQI 53) with a 0.87 fine-to-coarse ratio and 3 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.87
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/m³300
Hickory, NC
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
2%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
41.8mi
UNLIMITED
109 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
01:03 UTC · Hickory, 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
01:03 UTC · Hickory, NC · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Hickory, NC
Satellite · infrared · animated
Hickory, NC
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Hickory, 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 30m
Sunset
4:44 PM
Civil dusk
9:16 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Hickory, NC
The moon
Waning Gibbous
77% illuminated
Moonrise
11:40 PM
Moonset
11:37 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Hickory, NC
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

plant
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Hickory at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 6°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 21 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP codes: 28601, 28602

16-Day Forecast — Hickory

  1. Sat97°72°17%
  2. Sun94°71°29%
  3. Mon97°68°75%
  4. Tue96°67°48%
  5. Wed97°67°20%
  6. Thu97°68°24%
  7. Fri99°69°25%
  8. Sat89°68°37%
  9. Sun83°69°29%
  10. Mon88°65°20%
  11. Tue92°62°20%
  12. Wed95°68°32%
  13. Thu93°68°41%
  14. Fri91°65°53%
  15. Sat92°66°59%
  16. Sun99°69°62%

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

Live wind & temperature near Hickory

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 — Hickory

SPC has placed Hickory 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

In Hickory, July runs warmest near 79°F and January coldest around 38°F, while August is the wettest month (5.0 inches) and October the driest (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

By the nearest station's NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Hickory sees 38°F Januarys and 79°F Julys, a 40°F range, plus around 46.3 inches of precipitation across 186 days.

No season owns Hickory's rain: August reaches 5.0 inches across 24.0 days and October keeps 2.4 inches on 10.5, an even spread through Hickory's year. That even rhythm groups Hickory with places like Brookford, NC, St. Stephens, NC and Northlakes, NC.

Hickory's growing window opens around mid-March, once Hickory's overnight lows stop freezing — sow peas, lettuce, spinach, and radishes. Warm-soil crops in Hickory wait about two weeks past Hickory's last frost, once the soil warms. It shuts near mid-December, when freezes return to Hickory and tender plants need cover. In Hickory, low spots run 4-7°F colder than nearby slopes, nudging Hickory's frost dates a week.

Similar climates: Brookford, NC, St. Stephens, NC, Northlakes, NC, Long View, NC, Mountain View, NC.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the peak migration of wood warblers through the Carolina foothills, with species like the Blackburnian Warbler passing through on their way to northern breeding grounds.

Dogwood trees typically finish blooming by early May in this region, their white bracts giving way to emerging summer foliage.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Hickory?
In Hickory, expect the last spring frost near mid-March; Hickory's first autumn frost comes around mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Hickory?
Rainfall in Hickory peaks in August near 5.0 inches, out of about 46 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Hickory?
July is Hickory's warmest month, averaging about 79°F.
What is the coldest month in Hickory?
Hickory bottoms out in January, with a mean near 38°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Hickory?
Time tomatoes in Hickory for two weeks after mid-March; peas and greens start at Hickory's frost line.
How many rainy days does Hickory get?
Expect roughly 186 wet days a year in Hickory.
What hardiness zone is Hickory?
Hickory's hardiness zone tracks its winter low; with January near 38°F, check the USDA ZIP map for the exact zone.
What is the 10-day forecast for Hickory?
Hickory'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 Hickory?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Hickory in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Hickory?
Current conditions for Hickory and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Hickory forecast updated?
The Hickory forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Hickory?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Hickory 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 Hickory?
The next few days in Hickory's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Hickory, North Carolina occupies a humid subtropical zone, with January means near 38°F and July around 79°F — a 41°F swing.

Across the year, Hickory collects about 46 inches of precipitation over roughly 186 days with measurable rain or snow.

The 41°F gap between Hickory's summer and winter, at 35.7°N, shapes Hickory's frost calendar.

All cities in North Carolina →

Charlotte, NC weather →

ZIP codes in Hickory

  • 28601
  • 28602
  • 28603

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.