Wilmington, NC Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Wilmington
Wilmington records 141 wet days and 9.5 hours of daily sunshine in an average year. Temperatures follow a humid subtropical pattern, running 56°F (13°C) in January up to 87°F (30°C) in July.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 87°F (30°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 56°F (13°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 99°F (37°C) high · 15°F (-10°C) low
- Wettest month: September (13 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (11.8 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 18°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 8°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 1
- Average humidity: 76%
Temperatures through the year
Sunshine averages 9.5 hours a day over the year, peaking in June at 11.8 hours. July is the warm end of the year, averaging 87°F (30°C) by day and 75°F (24°C) overnight. January sits at the other end of the year: 56°F (13°C) by day, 40°F (5°C) at night. Snowfall is rare but not unheard of.
Rain, sun and snow
September is the wettest month at 8.3 inches (212 mm) over 13 days; October is the driest. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 99°F (37°C) and bottoms at 15°F (-10°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Wilmington compares
- Wilmington sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 65°F (18°C) as an annual average, 58.6 inches (1489 mm) of precipitation and 9.5 hours of sun a day.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56° | 40° | 10 | 3.9 in | 7.4 h/day | 10.1 h | 31% | 73% |
| February | 60° | 44° | 9 | 4.0 in | 7.8 h/day | 10.9 h | 32% | 74% |
| March | 65° | 49° | 10 | 3.4 in | 8.8 h/day | 11.9 h | 33% | 72% |
| April | 71° | 56° | 9 | 3.6 in | 10.7 h/day | 13.0 h | 31% | 71% |
| May | 79° | 64° | 12 | 4.8 in | 11.4 h/day | 13.9 h | 38% | 75% |
| June | 84° | 71° | 15 | 5.1 in | 11.8 h/day | 14.4 h | 50% | 78% |
| July | 87° | 75° | 19 | 5.9 in | 11.4 h/day | 14.2 h | 61% | 81% |
| August | 85° | 74° | 19 | 7.4 in | 10.4 h/day | 13.4 h | 62% | 83% |
| September | 82° | 70° | 13 | 8.3 in | 9.8 h/day | 12.3 h | 42% | 81% |
| October | 75° | 60° | 7 | 3.2 in | 9.2 h/day | 11.3 h | 22% | 76% |
| November | 66° | 50° | 8 | 4.2 in | 8.2 h/day | 10.3 h | 27% | 75% |
| December | 60° | 45° | 10 | 4.7 in | 7.1 h/day | 9.9 h | 33% | 77% |
Wilmington month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Wilmington's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 7.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.1 h
February
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 7.8 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
March
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 8.8 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
April
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 13.0 h
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.9 h
June
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 11.8 h
- Daylight
- 14.4 h
July
- Rain
- 19 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 14.2 h
August
- Rain
- 19 days
- Sunshine
- 10.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.4 h
September
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
October
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 9.2 h
- Daylight
- 11.3 h
November
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 8.2 h
- Daylight
- 10.3 h
December
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 7.1 h
- Daylight
- 9.9 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Wilmington
Spring (March through May)
Spring settles into easy warmth here - highs near 72°F (22°C), nights near 56°F (13°C), and rain falls on around 31 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.3 hours of sun a day.
Summer (June through August)
Summer brings hot afternoons here - highs near 85°F (30°C), nights near 73°F (23°C), and rain falls on around 53 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.2 hours of sun a day. With the moisture factored in, afternoons feel hotter than the reading suggests - the humidity and dew point converter shows why.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Wilmington is pleasantly warm, with daytime highs averaging 74°F (23°C) and nights around 60°F (16°C); expect showers on roughly 28 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Wilmington is crisp but comfortable, with daytime highs averaging 59°F (15°C) and nights around 43°F (6°C); expect showers on roughly 29 days across the season.
Climate questions, answered
What should I pack for Wilmington?
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How warm is Wilmington on average?
Best time to visit Wilmington
Aim for February to May and October to November if you get the choice: warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up, and highs average 69°F (21°C) against roughly 9 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in February.
Pack for Wilmington with light clothing for the warm months, a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season, proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here and moisture-wicking fabrics for the humidity. July nights average 75°F (24°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Wilmington temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.