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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Wilmington in July

Wilmington in July: 63% of days see measurable rain, 87°F average high, 16% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Wilmington in July is historically a poor month for sun: only 16% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 87°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 July

Clear-sky percentage for Wilmington in July, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early July
1st–15th		 14% n=120 87°F
Late July
16th–end		 18% n=128 87°F
Full month average 16% n=248 87°F

Sunshine & warmth in July

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 July. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early July
1st–15th		 94% n=120
Late July
16th–end		 92% n=128
Full month average 93% n=248
12.3 h median sunshine per day 86% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 63% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 16%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 93%. The 77-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 July: just 16% 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 ← this page 16% n=248 All destinations →
August 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 July?

Yes, frequently. In Wilmington, 63% of days in July 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 July?

Not usually. Wilmington is historically overcast in July: only 16% of days are clear (avg high 87°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025). October is historically far better for sun here.

How Wilmington compares in July

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.