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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Houston in April

Houston in April: 42% of days see measurable rain, 78°F average high, 28% of days historically clear (n=240, ERA5 2018–2025).

Houston in April is historically a poor month for sun: only 28% of days clear across 8 years (n=240, avg high 78°F). October is the clearest month for Houston historically. Historical average, not a forecast.

What you are reading: 8-year historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis, not a forecast. A month that is historically 90% clear can still be overcast on your specific trip. For this week’s actual forecast, see the live Houston page. Both can be true at once: “historically strong in this month; this particular week is not.” We label which is which.

Early vs. Late April

Clear-sky percentage for Houston in April, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early April
1st–15th		 27% n=120 78°F
Late April
16th–end		 28% n=120 78°F
Full month average 28% n=240 78°F

Sunshine & warmth in April

A second measure using actual sunshine hours (ERA5 sunshine_duration), not the daily weather code. A Lowcountry day with 12 hours of sun and a 25-minute afternoon storm is counted below as a warm, sunny day — because it was. How we define this.

Sunshine-based metrics for Houston in April. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early April
1st–15th		 66% n=120
Late April
16th–end		 77% n=120
Full month average 72% n=240
9.9 h median sunshine per day 64% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 42% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 28%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 72%. The 44-point gap is from brief afternoon convective storms that stamp the whole day as “rain” in the WMO code but leave the bulk of the sunshine untouched.

Bottom line

Houston is mostly overcast in April historically: only 28% of days are clear across 8 years (n=240), avg high 78°F. If you want sun in Houston, October is historically much better. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

→ See all destinations in October — historically the best month for sun in Houston.

Every month in Houston

Compare across all months with data. Numbers are historical clear-sky %.

Historical clear-sky % for Houston, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 2% n=248 All destinations →
February 6% n=226 All destinations →
March 15% n=248 All destinations →
April ← this page 28% n=240 All destinations →
May 23% n=248 All destinations →
June 19% n=240 All destinations →
July 21% n=248 All destinations →
August 23% n=248 All destinations →
September 30% n=240 All destinations →
October 44% n=248 All destinations →
November 25% n=240 All destinations →
December 6% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Houston in April?

Sometimes. Houston sees measurable rain on 42% of days in April historically (n=240 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Houston good for sun in April?

Not usually. Houston is historically overcast in April: only 28% of days are clear (avg high 78°F, n=240 days, ERA5 2018–2025). October is historically far better for sun here.

How Houston compares in April

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against Houston this month — same passport tier, similar flight distance, both sides from the same 8-year ERA5 record.

All percentages are historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 8 full years (2018–2025). “Clear” means avg high ≥ 72 °F, precipitation < 1 mm, and a non-precipitation weather code. This is history, not a forecast. The live 7-day outlook for any destination is on its own page and may differ from the long-run average. Data from Open-Meteo.