Western North Carolina's largest attraction isn't a destination or an activity, it's the weather. Sheltered by mountains and lush forests, the climate is unusually temperate. Summer thermometers rarely report temperatures above the 70s, and somehow, winters too seem to escape the extremes, with average annual snow accumulations of less than 10 inches. Sylva, NC reports the warmest month of the year as July, with an average maximum temperature of 84.30 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 24.90 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 22 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 24 degrees Fahrenheit. The annual average precipitation in Sylva is 51.71 inches, and rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is March with an average rainfall of 5.43 Inches, a welcomed surplus that feeds the local rivers, creeks and lakes.