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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Memphis in April

Memphis in April: 37% of days see measurable rain, 71°F average high, 20% of days historically clear (n=240, ERA5 2018–2025).

Memphis in April is historically a poor month for sun: only 20% of days clear across 8 years (n=240, avg high 71°F). September is the clearest month for Memphis 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 Memphis 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 Memphis 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		 18% n=120 71°F
Late April
16th–end		 21% n=120 71°F
Full month average 20% n=240 71°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 Memphis 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		 33% n=120
Late April
16th–end		 48% n=120
Full month average 40% n=240
10.8 h median sunshine per day 68% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 37% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 20%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 40%. The 20-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

Memphis is mostly overcast in April historically: only 20% of days are clear across 8 years (n=240), avg high 71°F. If you want sun in Memphis, September is historically much better. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

→ See all destinations in September — historically the best month for sun in Memphis.

Every month in Memphis

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

Historical clear-sky % for Memphis, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 1% n=226 All destinations →
March 8% n=248 All destinations →
April ← this page 20% n=240 All destinations →
May 32% n=248 All destinations →
June 38% n=240 All destinations →
July 33% n=248 All destinations →
August 42% n=248 All destinations →
September 58% n=240 All destinations →
October 45% n=248 All destinations →
November 8% n=240 All destinations →
December 1% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Memphis in April?

Sometimes. Memphis sees measurable rain on 37% of days in April historically (n=240 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Memphis good for sun in April?

Not usually. Memphis is historically overcast in April: only 20% of days are clear (avg high 71°F, n=240 days, ERA5 2018–2025). September is historically far better for sun here.

How Memphis compares in April

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against Memphis 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.