Are you contemplating a move to Charlotte NC? What are your worst fears about the move?  Could it be the weather?!?! 

The weather in Charlotte is a popular topic for people considering a move here and fears about tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding and other weather events are among the questions I am asked most often by potential newcomers.

Relax. 

Here is what newcomers from the northern United States need to know about Charlotte weather.

• You will love our mild winters.  Cold weather doesn't really begin until after Christmas and it usually ends around March 15 when the first flowering trees and daffodils begin to bloom.  From March 15th through June 15th, Charlotte has one long glorious spring blooming season.
• Leave your closets of winter coats, hats, gloves and boots behind when you move here.  Average temperatures range from highs in the 40s and 50s to lows in the 20s and 30s  in the Charlotte winter.  When the thermometer dips below 20 degrees, we experience record-breaking temperatures.  Come to think of it, leave your wool sweaters behind as well. 
• Charlotte will have several snow and ice storms every year.  Panic sets in at the mention of a snowflake or two and Charlotteans will crowd the grocery stores for bread and milk.  A couple of inches can paralyze the city. 
• There isn't much snow removal equipment available in Charlotte.  We rely on the sunshine to melt the frozen precipitation from the roads.  It's usually gone by noon or tomorrow. 
• You are not expected to go to work or school during one of our snow or ice storms.  In fact, you are asked to stay home because no one knows how to drive on slippery roads.  After you've lived here a few years, you too will forget how to navigate treacherous roads and you will be very afraid of the other drivers.
• Flooding?  Yes, there is occasional flooding but Charlotte's topography is hilly.  Homes are built at the top and the rainwater runs downhill to the bottom.
• Tornadoes and hurricanes?  Occasionally, but not very often.  The last and perhaps only significant hurricane to pass over Charlotte was Hurricane Hugo in 1989.

Is there anything else you need to know about Charlotte's weather?  Heat and humidity?  We won't talk about that!

Learn more about real estate and living in Charlotte NC and area small towns at www.CarolinaSmallTownLiving.com.

Copyright 2009.  Carol Fox.  All rights reserved.  "Moving from the North to Charlotte NC?  What You Need to Know about the Weather."