Winston-Salem, North Carolina Weather

Thunder quiets the land. Day 93 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

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

Winston-Salem, NC
Monday, September 21 at 10:27 AM
79
°
Clear
Feels like
87°
Humidity
82%
Wind
2 mph
Sunrise
7:08 AM
Sunset
7:19 PM

Conditions updated 10:27 AM EDT · Open-Meteo

Winston-Salem, NC
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastWinston-Salem, NC: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 72 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit with a 23% chance of precipitation at 11 PM.
L 72°H 91°
Winston-Salem, NC
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Sep 21
    Clear
    23%
    —
    91°68°—
  2. Tuesday
    Sep 22
    Heavy Rain
    70%
    1.8″
    82°65°-9°
  3. Wednesday
    Sep 23
    Heavy Rain
    70%
    0.58″
    64°56°-18°
  4. Thursday
    Sep 24
    Drizzle
    53%
    0.09″
    66°55°+2°
  5. Friday
    Sep 25
    Overcast
    —
    —
    73°51°+7°
  6. Saturday
    Sep 26
    Partly Cloudy
    —
    —
    77°51°+4°
  7. Sunday
    Sep 27
    Overcast
    —
    —
    76°54°-1°
Winston-Salem, NC
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
W
259° · veering 73°
Direction
W
259°
Sustained
2
mph
Gust
5
mph
Peak 24h
8
avg 3 mph
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 mph · pk 8 mph @ 11:00a
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 178SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Winston-Salem, NC
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1014.6
+0.1 mb in 3h · steady · 29.96 inHg
Now
1014.6
mb
3h
+0.1
mb
12h
+0.3
mb
24h
-2.2
mb
Regime · CHANGE
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1013–1017
9951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1016.81013.11014.5
Air sits at the threshold — small shifts decide the day.
Air quality now AQI 53 · Moderate
Winston-Salem, NC
Air quality
53
AQI
Moderate
→+1 in 6h▲Peak ~97 @ 7 PM

AQI 53 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI projected to climb to 97 over the next 6 hours. PM2.5 at 10.1 µg/m³ (AQI 53) with a 0.97 fine-to-coarse ratio and 2 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in stagnant air, not road dust.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion during the projected peak around 7 PM.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
10.1μg/m³
PM 10Good
10μg/m³
NO₂Good
6μg/m³
OzoneModerate
94μg/m³
UV IndexModerate
2.6

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 44 now. With UV 3.7 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 22.

Present
AQI 44
UV peak
3.7 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
clear
Projected peak
AQI 22

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 10.1 µg/m³ (AQI 53) with a 0.97 fine-to-coarse ratio and 2 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in stagnant air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.97
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 TREND50100MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUNMON7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Winston-Salem, NC
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
14%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
10.6mi
UNLIMITED
19 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Winston-Salem, NC
Almanac · Monday, September 21
September dries up ditches or breaks down bridges.
Civil dawn
6:43 AM
Sunrise
7:08 AM
Daylight
12h 11m
Sunset
7:19 PM
Civil dusk
7:47 PM
Planting note
September — harvest tomatoes, peppers, beans, summer squash, winter squash
Winston-Salem, NC
The moon
Waxing Gibbous
75% illuminated
Moonrise
4:43 PM
Moonset
1:53 AM
In sign
♑︎ Capricorn
Winston-Salem, NC
Microseason
Sep 21–25

Thunder quiets the land

weather
Jan 172% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
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Winston-Salem at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: Today averages 80°F (high 91°F, low 68°F), 12°F above the 68°F normal for Sep 21
  • Last frost: March 26 (1991–2020 median, NOAA station 5 km away)
  • Microseason: Sep 21–25
  • Planting calendar: September — harvest tomatoes, peppers, beans, summer squash, winter squash

16-Day Forecast — Winston-Salem

  1. Mon91°68°23%
  2. Tue82°65°70%
  3. Wed64°56°70%
  4. Thu66°55°53%
  5. Fri73°51°1%
  6. Sat77°51°2%
  7. Sun76°54°2%
  8. Mon81°60°3%
  9. Tue81°60°8%
  10. Wed81°60°17%
  11. Thu83°65°15%
  12. Fri84°64°20%
  13. Sat83°63°20%
  14. Sun71°65°19%
  15. Mon71°56°20%
  16. Tue66°47°27%

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

Live wind & temperature near Winston-Salem

Interactive wind and temperature map centered on Winston-Salem — it loads in your browser. Open the full weather map.

Right now in the garden

Late season

As of September 21, the first frost (around November 9) is about 7 weeks away. Frost-tender plants keep producing until then. This city's planting calendar for September: harvest tomatoes, peppers, beans, summer squash, and winter squash.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — Winston-Salem

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

  • TODAYMRGLMarginal Risk
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

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

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook.

Sun & seasons in Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem sits in Forsyth County, where the year’s longest day runs 14h 37m of daylight and its shortest just 9h 42m — a swing of +4h 55m 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 70 miles to the SSW. The nearest town Winston-Salem tracks is High Point, roughly 17 miles to the ESE.

Air quality in Winston-Salem

Air quality in Winston-Salem’s county has held roughly steady since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2020 (median AQI 45). See the full air-quality history for Winston-Salem.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
Marchlettuce, peas, spinach, radishesradishes
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, spinach, radishes
Maytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, spinach, radishes
Junebeans, squashlettuce, peas, spinach, beans, summer squash, garlic
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, peppers, beans, summer squash, garlic
Augustbeans, squash, fall brassicas, carrotstomatoes, peppers, beans, summer squash, winter squash
September—tomatoes, peppers, beans, summer squash, winter squash
Octobergarlic (overwinter)tomatoes, peppers, beans, summer squash, winter squash
November—tomatoes, peppers, beans, summer squash, winter squash, fall brassicas, carrots
December—fall brassicas, carrots

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

Similar climates Walkertown, NC, Bethania, NC, Clemmons, NC

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 across the seasons: August peaks at 4.5 inches on 6.6 wet days, while February holds 2.9 inches over 6.1 — no season 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 March 26, 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 November 9, when freezes return to Winston-Salem and tender plants need cover. In about half of years, Winston-Salem's last freeze comes after March 26.

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

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Winston-Salem?
Winston-Salem's last spring frost lands near March 26, and in Winston-Salem the first fall frost follows around November 9.
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 (March 26) 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.

Winston-Salem sits at 36.1°N; its climate zone is humid subtropical (Köppen approximation).

All cities in North Carolina →

Charlotte, NC weather →

ZIP codes in Winston-Salem

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

Climate normals: NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals from the nearest station. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.