The Mountains 

Due to their mild summer temperatures, have always been a welcome escape from the heat at the lower elevations. Midsummer afternoon temperatures average only around 80 degrees at elevations of 3,000 feet or higher. Nights are crisp and cool, but seldom too cold for outdoor activities or camping. In winter, snowfall is likely most years, but ski resorts use snowmaking equipment to ensure a reliable supply. Large amounts of snow and extreme low temperatures are rare except at the highest peaks. Rainfall is common in spring and summer. In spring, storm systems that bring cold weather southward reach North Carolina less often and less forcefully than in other parts of the country. Occasional invasions of cool dry air from the north continue during the summer, but are of short duration. Fall has warm days and cool nights and is the driest period.