Climate

The mountains surrounding Asheville serve as a moderating influence from extreme conditions. Major snow storms are rare and annual precipitation is low; average annual rainfall is around 47 inches and average annual snowfall is about 13 inches. The mountains serve to keep the area cool also during the summer months, and with their higher elevations are usually 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the lowlands of the Carolinas and Georgia.

Spring in the Appalachians is a wondrous time, with mild days and nights and all chance of snow has virtually disappeared by April. Summer brings more humidity and heat. Late afternoon thunderstorms are common and August usually brings a few weeks when it is hot enough for air conditioning. Winter doesn’t make its presence known until after Christmas, and January and February can be very cold with temperatures dipping down below 20 degrees. Light snows and ice storms occur frequently, although the snow rarely stays on the ground for more than a few days.