Climate & Weather

A Moderate Year Round Climate

Cherokee’s climate is pleasant all year long. We enjoy four distinct seasons, yet none are extreme. Southerners flock to our mountains to enjoy the cool Summer evenings, and our warmest days rarely exceed the 80s. July temperatures reflect an average daily high of 84 degrees and an average low of 62.4 degrees.

Our winters are cold enough to support skiing and snow tubing on nearby mountain slopes. Yet most winter days are moderate enough to make hiking an inviting outdoor activity. The average daily high in January is 47.5 degrees, while the average low is 26 degrees.

Winter always brings some snow to the mountains, with snowfall averaging around 11 inches each year. However, the amount of snow at any one time is rarely an inconvenience and tends to lend charm to the winter season. Crews work around the clock in the event of snow to keep highways passable.

The exception are the National Park Service roads — the Blue Ridge Parkway and Highway 441 through the Smokies, connecting Cherokee and Gatlinburg. Because the Park Service can use no chemicals to melt snow and ice, these roads are occasionally closed to winter traffic. 

Annual precipitation averages around 47.71 inches. The average relative humidity is about 70 percent in the summer and 66 percent during the winter.