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

Winston-Salem, North Carolina Weather

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

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

Winston-Salem, NC
Saturday, July 4 at 9:19 PM
85
°
Overcast
Feels like
91°
Humidity
62%
Wind
6 mph
Sunrise
2:09 AM
Sunset
4:41 PM
Winston-Salem, NC
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastWinston-Salem, NC: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 75 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 75°H 97°
Winston-Salem, NC
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Overcast
    10%
    —
    100°76°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Light Drizzle
    16%
    —
    97°75°-3°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Light Rain
    74%
    0.09″
    101°74°+4°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Light Showers
    65%
    0.06″
    96°72°-5°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Light Drizzle
    34%
    —
    97°71°+1°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Overcast
    24%
    —
    99°72°+2°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Overcast
    29%
    —
    100°76°+1°
Winston-Salem, NC
Next 24 hours · Warm now
HOT 90°70°88°105°6p12a6a12pnow 86°high 97°low 75°PRECIP %
Winston-Salem, NC
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
N
358° · veering 117°
Direction
N
358°
Sustained
6
mph
Gust
11
mph
Peak 24h
14
avg 5
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT 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 5 · pk 14 @ 3:00p
0102030MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 237SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze veering 117° from the n.
Winston-Salem, NC
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
984.7
-0.7 mb in 3h · falling · 29.08 inHg
Now
984.7
mb
3h
-0.7
mb
12h
-3.7
mb
24h
-4.1
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 985–989
9809859909951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW988.7984.5984.5
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Winston-Salem, NC
Air quality
86
AQI
Moderate
↑+22 in 6h

AQI 86 (Moderate), driven by Ozone. AQI up 22 in the last 6 hours — air quality is degrading. Ozone at AQI 46. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~63%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

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

PM 2.5Good
8.0μg/m³
PM 10Good
10μg/m³
NO₂Good
3μg/m³
OzoneDRIVERModerate
97μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.0

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 46. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~63%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

Present
AQI 46
UV peak
0.0 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
overcast
Projected peak
AQI 6

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 8.0 µg/m³ (AQI 44) with a 0.82 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.82
Wind
light
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
Winston-Salem, NC
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
100%
OVERCAST
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
55.5mi
UNLIMITED
123 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
01:19 UTC · Winston-Salem, 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
01:19 UTC · Winston-Salem, NC · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Winston-Salem, NC
Satellite · infrared · animated
Winston-Salem, NC
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Winston-Salem, NC
Almanac · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
5:40 AM
Sunrise
2:09 AM
Daylight
14h 32m
Sunset
4:41 PM
Civil dusk
9:13 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Winston-Salem, NC
The moon
Waning Gibbous
77% illuminated
Moonrise
11:36 PM
Moonset
11:32 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Winston-Salem, NC
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

plant
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Winston-Salem at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 9°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 24 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

16-Day Forecast — Winston-Salem

  1. Sat100°76°10%
  2. Sun97°75°16%
  3. Mon101°74°74%
  4. Tue96°72°65%
  5. Wed97°71°34%
  6. Thu99°72°24%
  7. Fri100°76°29%
  8. Sat87°71°45%
  9. Sun83°70°29%
  10. Mon86°67°23%
  11. Tue93°66°21%
  12. Wed96°72°39%
  13. Thu94°72°43%
  14. Fri93°69°54%
  15. Sat89°69°58%
  16. Sun101°72°58%

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

Live wind & temperature near Winston-Salem

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 — Winston-Salem

SPC has placed Winston-Salem in the Marginal Risk category for severe thunderstorms today.

  • TODAYMRGLMarginal Risk
  • TOMORROWMRGLMarginal Risk
  • DAY 3MRGLMarginal Risk

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——
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

Winston-Salem's warmest month is July (~79°F mean) and its coldest is January (~40°F). Rainfall peaks in August (4.5 inches) and bottoms out in February (2.9 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January40°3.4″6
February43°2.9″6
March50°3.6″7
April59°3.7″7
May68°3.8″7
June75°3.6″7
July79°4.2″8
August77°4.5″7
September71°3.9″6
October60°3.3″5
November50°3.1″5
December43°3.3″6

Regional context

Drawing on NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Winston-Salem's January averages 40°F and July 79°F — 39°F apart — while precipitation totals roughly 43.2 inches over some 76 days.

Winston-Salem's precipitation spreads evenly: August peaks at 4.5 inches on 6.6 wet days, while February holds 2.9 inches over 6.1 — no month dominates Winston-Salem's rain calendar. That even rhythm groups Winston-Salem with places like Walkertown, NC, Bethania, NC and Clemmons, NC.

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

Similar climates: Walkertown, NC, Bethania, NC, Clemmons, NC, Rural Hall, NC, Lewisville, NC.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the arrival of migrating ruby-throated hummingbirds to Winston-Salem's gardens and feeders.

Dogwood trees typically reach full bloom across the city during mid-April.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Winston-Salem?
Winston-Salem's last spring frost lands near mid-April, and in Winston-Salem the first fall frost follows around mid-November.
What is the rainy season in Winston-Salem?
Rainfall in Winston-Salem peaks in August near 4.5 inches, out of about 43 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Winston-Salem?
July is Winston-Salem's warmest month, averaging about 79°F.
What is the coldest month in Winston-Salem?
Winston-Salem bottoms out in January, with a mean near 40°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Winston-Salem?
Winston-Salem's last frost (mid-April) cues hardy greens; in Winston-Salem, hold heat-lovers two weeks past.
How many rainy days does Winston-Salem get?
Expect roughly 76 wet days a year in Winston-Salem.
What hardiness zone is Winston-Salem?
Winston-Salem's hardiness zone tracks its winter low; with January near 40°F, check the USDA ZIP map for the exact zone.
What is the 10-day forecast for Winston-Salem?
Winston-Salem'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 Winston-Salem?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Winston-Salem in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Winston-Salem?
Current conditions for Winston-Salem and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Winston-Salem forecast updated?
The Winston-Salem forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Winston-Salem?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem?
The next few days in Winston-Salem's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Winston-Salem's humid subtropical climate in North Carolina pairs 40°F Januarys with 79°F Julys, 39°F apart across the seasons.

Rain and snow bring Winston-Salem roughly 43 inches a year across approximately 76 measurable-precipitation days.

At 36.1°N, Winston-Salem's 39°F summer-to-winter swing sets when Winston-Salem's gardens wake and when frost returns.

All cities in North Carolina →

Charlotte, NC weather →

ZIP codes in Winston-Salem

  • 27110
  • 27127
  • 27040
  • 27107
  • 27106
  • 27105
  • 27104
  • 27103
  • 27101
  • 27109
  • 27102
  • 27108
  • 27111
  • 27113
  • 27114
  • 27115
  • 27116
  • 27117
  • 27120
  • 27130
  • 27150
  • 27152
  • 27155
  • 27157
  • 27198
  • 27199

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.