Wilmington, NC Climate & Monthly Averages
Wilmington has a humid subtropical climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 87° by day; January is the coldest at 56°.
Sunshine is a defining feature of Wilmington's climate
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.
How sun, temperature and rain fit together
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.
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.
More climate facts for Wilmington
- 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%
The most comfortable sunny-weather window
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.
What to pack
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.
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
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Wilmington's coldest night and 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
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Wilmington's coolest part of the year: January, February, December.
Seasonal weather under Wilmington's sunnier skies
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.
How unusual is Wilmington?
- 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.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.
Wilmington temperature extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.