Does it snow in Jacksonville NC? Jacksonville has a humid subtropical climate. It is classified as Cfa according to the Köppen climate classification.
It means that the city has pretty mild winters and really hot, sticky summers with lots of rain throughout the year.
It is easy to notice that it rains a lot in the area, but the question is, “Does Jacksonville NC get snow?” Seems unlikely, right? But, let’s dig deeper to know what the winter weather is like in Jacksonville.
It does snow in Jacksonville, but it is not a lot, and usually stays close to only 2 inches a year.
More about the Weather in Jacksonville NC
The weather in Jacksonville can change a lot throughout the year, with big temperature differences.
The hottest months are July and August, with temperatures reaching a high of 88.5°F and 87.6°F, respectively.
On the other hand, the coldest temperatures happen in January and February, with average temperatures of 37.9°F and 40.6°F, respectively.
Here is a bit more about the average temperatures in Jacksonville throughout the year:
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Temp | 44°F | 47°F | 54°F | 62°F | 70°F | 77°F | 80°F | 78°F | 74°F | 64°F | 55°F | 48°F |
A Word about Humidity and Rainfall
The air in Jacksonville is usually pretty moist, with an average humidity of about 75% all year round. The numbers go up and down a little bit, usually between 73% and 77%.
It rains a lot in the city, with monthly averages ranging from just under an inch to over three inches.
August is the month when it rains the most, with an average of 3.43 inches of rainfall. July is a close second, with an average of 2.91 inches of rainfall. There is not much snow that falls in this area.
Here is more about the high and low temperatures in Jacksonville, NC:
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Low | 36°F | 38°F | 45°F | 52°F | 61°F | 69°F | 73°F | 71°F | 66°F | 55°F | 46°F | 39°F |
| High | 55°F | 58°F | 65°F | 73°F | 80°F | 86°F | 88°F | 87°F | 82°F | 74°F | 66°F | 59°F |
Does It Snow in Jacksonville NC?
Yes, it does snow in Jacksonville, NC, but it does not happen very often and when it does, the amount of snow is usually not very much.
If you are in Jacksonville during winter, there is a good chance you will see snow falling at least once.
But it is not very likely that the snow will pile up and stay on the ground.
When to Expect Snow in Jacksonville?
In January, Jacksonville usually gets about one inch of snow, and in February, it gets about half an inch.
Sometimes it starts snowing in December, and other times it does not start until March.
For example, in 1989, there was a big snowfall of 13 inches during Christmas. And in 2019, on March 5th, the city got 2 inches of snow.
December and March do not usually have a lot of snow, but January and February are more likely to have a good amount of snow.
An Important Thing to Consider
Sometimes, there are winters where there is no snow that stays on the ground.
When it snows more than half an inch in Jacksonville, the city usually closes for a little while. But usually, the snow goes away in a day because the weather here is not too cold.
How Is Weather in Jacksonville Compared to the Country?
Jacksonville, NC has cold and sticky weather in the summer and pretty mild in the winter.
During the summer, it gets pretty hot, with temperatures usually in the mid-80s to low-90s Fahrenheit. It can also feel sticky and humid.
On the other hand, during winter, the temperatures usually stay between the low 40s and mid-50s Fahrenheit, which means the winters are pretty mild and pleasant.
Jacksonville’s weather is quite different from the rest of the country.
Here is more about it:
| Climate Average | United States | Jacksonville |
| Rainfall | 38.1 in. | 55.5 in. |
| Snowfall | 27.8 in. | 1.5 in. |
| Precipitation | 106.2 days | 118.6 days |
| Sunny | 205 days | 214 days |
| Avg. July High | 85.8° | 89.4° |
| Avg. Jan. Low | 21.7° | 32.0° |
| Elevation | 2443 ft. | 13 ft. |
Fact: Jacksonville has four different seasons, and it rains a lot in late spring and early summer, with an average of about 44 inches of rain each year.
How is Winter in Jacksonville, NC?
Winter in Jacksonville, North Carolina, happens from December to February and is colder than the other seasons.
Here’s a simple summary of the winter weather in Jacksonville:
December
Winter starts in December and it gets colder as the month goes on.
The average temperature is about 52.9°F. The humidity stays pretty much the same, around 75-77%.
The amount of rain goes down to 1.73 inches, which means there is less rain falling. It might snow a little bit, with an average of 0.28 inches of snow.
January
In January, it gets really cold in Jacksonville, with temperatures dropping to around 37.9°F on average.
The amount of moisture in the air stays pretty consistent during this time.
Fact: In January, the days are shorter and darker in Jacksonville, which makes it feel colder overall.
February
In February, the cold winter weather starts to go away and it starts getting a little warmer.
However, even during this time, the weather is still pretty cool. The amount of rain also decreases even more to 0.94 inches.
Precipitation in Jacksonville, NC
It is quite easy to notice that most of the precipitation in Jacksonville is in the form of rain.
It rains a lot in Jacksonville all year round, but sometimes it is heavy and sometimes it is light.
August is the rainiest month, with an average rainfall of 5.8 inches.
This month, there will be more rain showers that are both more frequent and heavier.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Rainfall | 3.4″ | 3.5″ | 3.4″ | 3.1″ | 3.3″ | 4.0″ | 5.0″ | 5.8″ | 5.6″ | 3.7″ | 2.9″ | 3.2″ |
Why is Snow Rare in Jacksonville, NC?
Jacksonville, North Carolina does not get much snow compared to a lot of other cities in the country. Here are some possible explanations for the limited snowfall you notice in Jacksonville:
Southern Location
One of the main reasons why it does not snow much in Jacksonville is because it is located in the southern part of the country.
Winter storms that bring snow tend to move more toward the north, but since Jacksonville is located in the south, it is not usually directly affected by big snowstorms.
Fact: Cities that are closer to the North or South Pole are more likely to get snow during the winter.
Proximity to the Atlantic Ocean
Jacksonville is not likely to get much snow because it is really close to the Atlantic Ocean.
The warm waters near the coast help to make cold fronts less severe when they come from the north and west.
This means that it does not get very cold, with typical winter temperatures around freezing but hardly ever dropping much lower.
Elevation and Flat Terrain
The fact that Jacksonville is not at a high elevation and has mostly flat land makes it less likely to experience heavy snowfall.
It is located in a flat area called the coastal plain. Places that are higher up have colder temperatures, which makes them better for snow, and that is not the case with Jacksonville.
The Best Time to Visit Jacksonville
The ideal time to go to Jacksonville, North Carolina, really just depends on what kind of weather you like.
But if you prefer more comfortable temperatures and less sticky air, the best time to visit is usually in the spring, from March to May.
During this time, the weather is usually nice and comfortable for being outside. The temperatures range from around 62.2°F to 79.3°F, so it is not too hot or too cold.
Fact: During spring, there is a lot of daylight, as in March, the area gets about 12 hours of daylight, and in May, it is about 14 hours.
Takeaway
Does it snow in Jacksonville NC? Yes, it does snow in Jacksonville, but do not expect it to be so much to facilitate winter sports, like skiing.
However, the weather during winter is quite impressive, as it does not get too cold during the day.
It also means you will have plenty of things to do during the day even if you plan your visit in the winter.
