Climate

LEGEND:
Average Max Temp. Degrees F
Average Min Temp. Degrees F
Average Days of Sunshine
Average Precipitation
  Average Max Temp.
Degrees F
Average Min Temp.
Degrees F
Average Days of
Sunshine
Average
Precipitation
January 52 31 13 5.28
February 56 34 14 5
March 66 41 17 5.16
April 74 49 19 4.65
May 81 58 20 4.65
June 88 67 19 4.37
July 91 71 18 4.72
August 90 70 19 3.9
September 85 63 18 3.98
October 75 51 20 3.66
November 65 40 16 4.96
December 55 34 14 4.37
Annual 73.2 50.8 211 54.7

*Data as of December 2017 taken from US Climate Data located here.

Related Data
Average January Relative Humidity 71%
Average July Relative Humidity 75%
Average Annual Snowfall 1 inch
Annual Number of Degree Days 100 Heating, 120 cooling
Growing Season Days 216
Average Elevation 621 feet ASL
Prevailing Winds SW at 7 m.p.h.

Natural Disaster Risk

Tornadoes

According to the National Severe Storms Forecast Center, tornado frequency is maximum in central Oklahoma and drops off toward the south and east before rising again in central Florida.  Alabama averages about 22 tornadoes per year.  For this reason, tornado property damage in Alabama ranks behind the “tornado alley” states as well as such states as Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.   The likelihood of a tornado setting down on a specific acre in a given year in Alabama is about 1 in 13,000. In other words, there is a 50% chance of being in the path of any tornado (most are weak) about once in 600 years.  The standard reference for tornadoes is the annual occurrence within 10,000 square miles.  For this region in Alabama, the number is 4.5 for all tornadoes, and 2.0 for category F2 or greater.

Hurricanes

The straight-line distance from the Gulf Coast to Etowah County is approximately 250 miles.  Hurricanes lose energy as soon as landfall is made, so we have not recorded hurricane-force winds from a tropical system in this area.  The main threat in the inland areas is flash flooding due to heavy rain, although events such as this are extremely rare because our runoff systems already accommodate heavy rain events.

Flooding

Alabama’s abundant rainfall assures that generous sources of fresh water are readily available.  With plentiful rainfall being the norm, damage due to extreme rainfall events is rare because the runoff systems (natural and manmade) have evolved to handle large amounts of water.  The Coosa River is dammed and is managed to minimize flooding impacts.   From rainfall frequency calculations, local rainfall can reach 7.5 inches in 24 hours once per century.

Hail

Hail is relatively rare in Alabama, occurring on average only 1 to 2 days per year.  Hail events occur with greater frequency and with generally larger stones in every state northward to Canada and westward to the Pacific coast because hail-producing thunderstorms require especially cold and dry air at the upper levels, a condition fairly rare in the Southeast.  The average number of events ranges from 2.2 days per year in North Alabama to 1.3 days per year along the Gulf Coast. The great majority of these events cause very little damage because stones are only pea to marble in size.

Earthquakes

Etowah County is categorized in range IV of the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (some shaking, no damage.)  Such events are extremely rare.