High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! North Carolina`s climate varies from the Atlantic coast in the east to the Appalachian Mountain range in the west. The mountains often act as a "shield", blocking cold temperatures and storms from the Midwest from entering the Piedmont of North Carolina. Most of the state has a humid subtropical climate (Koppen climate classification Cfa), except in the higher elevations of the Appalachians which have a subtropical highland climate (Koppen Cfb). For most areas in the state, the temperatures in July during the daytime are around 90 °F (32 °C). In January the average temperatures range near 50 °F (10 °C).