Summers are cool, with average high temperature of 82 degrees and average low of 61 degrees. Fall brings brilliant foliage, painting area peaks and an average temperature of 48 degrees. Winter s average temperature is 42 degrees. Man-made snow affords skiing on the East s highest and most southern slopes. Snowfall is heavy in the higher elevations, but the past 20-year average in Asheville is 12 inches per year.
Many educational opportunities are available.
The campus of the University of North Carolina at Asheville is situated close to the heart of the city on 175 acres. Other nearby advanced educational institutions include Western Carolina University, Warren Wilson College, Mars Hill College, Montreat-Anderson College, and Brevard College. WCU and UNCA have expanding graduate programs. Recreational opportunities abound. Asheville's nine parks provide swimming pools, tennis courts, and a Nature Center with a variety of animals native to this region.