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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Wilmington in August

Wilmington in August: 61% of days see measurable rain, 85°F average high, 19% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Wilmington in August is historically a poor month for sun: only 19% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 85°F). October is the clearest month for Wilmington 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 Wilmington 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 August

Clear-sky percentage for Wilmington in August, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early August
1st–15th		 10% n=120 85°F
Late August
16th–end		 27% n=128 85°F
Full month average 19% n=248 85°F

Sunshine & warmth in August

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 Wilmington in August. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early August
1st–15th		 87% n=120
Late August
16th–end		 92% n=128
Full month average 90% n=248
11.8 h median sunshine per day 79% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 61% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 19%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 90%. The 71-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

Wilmington is a poor choice for sun in August: just 19% of days clear historically (n=248). October is the historically strongest month for sun here. The 8-year record is consistent — this is not a fluke bad stretch.

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

Every month in Wilmington

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

Historical clear-sky % for Wilmington, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 1% n=248 All destinations →
February 7% n=226 All destinations →
March 12% n=248 All destinations →
April 32% n=240 All destinations →
May 34% n=248 All destinations →
June 22% n=240 All destinations →
July 16% n=248 All destinations →
August ← this page 19% n=248 All destinations →
September 36% n=240 All destinations →
October 40% n=248 All destinations →
November 8% n=240 All destinations →
December 3% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Wilmington in August?

Yes, frequently. In Wilmington, 61% of days in August see measurable rain, based on 8 years of ERA5 historical data (n=248 days, 2018–2025). This is a historical average, not a forecast.

Is Wilmington good for sun in August?

Not usually. Wilmington is historically overcast in August: only 19% of days are clear (avg high 85°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025). October is historically far better for sun here.

How Wilmington compares in August

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