Raleigh - Coldest Decades

The coldest decades on record are ranked here for Raleigh, North Carolina. The lists include decades when Raleigh had the lowest average temperatures, the fewest hot days and the most cold days. These extremes are for temperatures observed at Raleigh—Durham International Airport and cover seven decades, from the 1950s to the 2010s.

That is when Raleigh had weather measurements that are consistent and complete enough to compare decades. Each decade comprises a standard 10-year range. For instance, the 1990s includes measurements from Jan 1, 1990 to Dec 31, 1999. Links to the data behind these lists are in the References section on this page.

Coolest High Temperatures

Average daily maximum temperature at Raleigh
High °F Decade High °C
Lowest 69.6 1960s 20.9
Runner-up 70.1 1980s 21.2

Coldest Low Temperatures

Average daily minimum temperature at Raleigh
Low °F Decade Low °C
Lowest 47.0 1960s 8.4
Runner-up 47.6 1970s 8.7

Fewest Warm Days

Total days per year on average when Raleigh had temperatures of at least 70 °F (21 °C)
Days Decade
Lowest 202 1960s
Runner-up 204 1980s

Fewest Hot Days

Total days per year on average when Raleigh had temperatures of at least 90 °F (32 °C)
Days Decade
Lowest 29 1970s
Runner-up 31 1960s

Most Freezing Days

Total days per year on average when Raleigh had temperatures of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower
Days Decade
Highest 88 1960s
Runner-up 79 1970s
References

Current Results. 2020. Raleigh NC Temperature Averages by Decade

Jay Lawrimore, Ron Ray, Scott Applequist, Bryant Korzeniewski, Matthew Menne. 2016. Global Summary of the Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

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