15 Days Out: Early Weather Patterns for the 2025 Cheerwine Festival

As of today, we’re just 15 days away from the 2025 Cheerwine Festival, and that means it’s time to start keeping a close eye on how the weather might shape up for Saturday, May 17 in downtown Salisbury.

While it’s still too early to provide a precise forecast, early trends and long-range models give us a good idea of what may be unfolding.

What We’re Watching
Right now, the biggest factor in play is the setup of a broad upper-level ridge that could bring warmer-than-average temperatures to much of the Southeast in mid-May. At the same time, there are signs of increased Gulf moisture that could spark isolated afternoon showers or storms in the days surrounding the festival.

This pattern is fairly typical for our region in May and doesn’t point to a washout, but it does mean we’ll be monitoring the potential for pop-up storms during peak heating hours.

Historical Festival Weather
Looking back at past Cheerwine Festival dates, Salisbury has seen a wide variety of conditions:

• 2023: Sunny, highs in the mid 70s

• 2022: Mostly cloudy, upper 70s with light afternoon showers

• 2021: Cancelled due to pandemic

• 2019: Warm and humid, highs near 86 with isolated storms

It’s not uncommon to see warm afternoons, so it’s a safe bet to expect seasonal warmth and some humidity. We’ll fine-tune rain chances as we get closer.

When the Forecast Gets Serious
Rowan County Weather will begin releasing daily forecast details starting Monday, May 12, leading up to full coverage on festival day. These updates will include:

• Temperature outlooks

• Storm timing (if applicable)

• Wind & air quality info

• Heat safety tips

As the official weather forecast provider for the festival, Steve Monday will also be working directly with the City of Salisbury, Cheerwine, Downtown Salisbury Inc., and Rowan County Emergency Management to ensure everyone stays informed.

Stay Tuned
For now, keep your fingers crossed for a warm, dry day — and stay tuned to Rowan County Weather for the most trusted updates as we count down to Cheerwine Festival 2025.

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