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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Wilmington in October

Wilmington in October: 22% of days see measurable rain, 74°F average high, 40% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Wilmington in October is a mixed month for sun: 40% of days historically clear (n=248, avg high 74°F). The outcome varies year to year — check the early/late split below. 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 October

Clear-sky percentage for Wilmington in October, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early October
1st–15th		 45% n=120 74°F
Late October
16th–end		 35% n=128 74°F
Full month average 40% n=248 74°F

Sunshine & warmth in October

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 October. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early October
1st–15th		 76% n=120
Late October
16th–end		 48% n=128
Full month average 62% n=248
10.5 h median sunshine per day 77% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 22% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 40%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 62%. The 22-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 in October is genuinely mixed: 40% of days historically clear (n=248), avg high 74°F — more cloudy than clear. The outcome varies year to year; don't book if you need guaranteed sun.

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 19% n=248 All destinations →
September 36% n=240 All destinations →
October ← this page 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 October?

Sometimes. Wilmington sees measurable rain on 22% of days in October historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Wilmington good for sun in October?

It's mixed. Wilmington in October is clear on 40% of days historically (avg high 74°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — the outcome varies year to year.

How Wilmington compares in October

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.