CLIMATE

Geography

Macon County is located in southwestern North Carolina, about 65 miles west of Asheville, NC and 130 miles north of Atlanta, GA. The county lies within the Blue Ridge Physiographic Providence and contains several mountain ranges with peaks over 5,000 feet in elevation.

The county land area is 516 sq. miles and the population is 33,756. Franklin, the county seat, lies near the center of the county at an elevation of 2,110 feet with a population of 3,490. Highlands is the other majot town in the county with a population of 1,100 year round residents and is the highest incorporated town(4,118 feet) east of the Mississippi River. major highways run north - south in the Little Tennessee River Basin and east - west across mountain ranges.

Climate

Climate of the region is classified as marine, humid, temperate because of high moisture and mild temperatures. Four distinct seasons provide a diverse climate. Although the county is in one of the highest rainfall zones in the eastern U.S., there can be large spatial variability in precipitation amounts during storm events.

Average Temperature (degrees Farenheit) Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, 1934-2007

Precipitation

Precipitation is usually abundant in all months but greatest occur in late winter and smallest amounts during the fall season. Snow comprises only 2 to 10% of the annual precipitation at low elevations. Average annual precipitation is about 70 inches at low elevation but is highly variable from year to year. The driest year on record at Coweeta occured in 2007 with only 47.7 inches at the base station, which is a 22.9-inch decifit for the year. In general, precipitation increases with elevation, and, at Coweeta, averages about 90 inches at the highest elevations.

Average Monthly Precipitation (inches) Coweeta Hyrdologic Laboratory, 1934-2007