Durham, NC weather in April
Durham is mild in April, with some rain: highs average 73°F and nights drop to about 49°F. There are about 10 days with rain. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 73°F
- Normal low
- 49°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.5 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How April changes from start to finish
| April 1 | April 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 68°F | 77°F |
| Normal low | 45°F | 53°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 33% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:01 am / 7:37 pm | 6:24 am / 8:01 pm |
| Daylight | 12.6 h | 13.6 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical April day
- 6 am51°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 am60°Fdew point 47°F
- Noon67°Fdew point 47°F
- 3 pm70°Fdew point 46°F
- 6 pm68°Fdew point 46°F
- 9 pm60°Fdew point 47°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Raleigh Durham Intl Airport (10 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 49% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 40%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F16 of 30
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 30
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 30
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow10 of 30
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 30
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 of 30
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 30
Average days per April, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in April
Normal precipitation is 3.5 in; a dry April brings about 1.8 in and a wet one about 4.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How April varies from year to year
- Warmest April, 1991-20202017: average high 78°F
- Coolest April1997: average high 68°F
- Wettest April2017: 8.7 in
- Driest April1994: 0.9 in
- Highest reading92°F (April 25, 2009)
- Lowest reading25°F (April 3, 1992)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
April compared with March and May
| March | April | May | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 63°F | 73°F | 80°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 49°F | 58°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 10 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 13 | 16 | 10 |
| Daylight | 12.0 h | 13.1 h | 14.1 h |
Highs change by +10°F from March and +7°F into May.
Nearby alternatives in April
- Warmer: Columbia, SC183 mi · high 81°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Fayetteville, WV187 mi · high 65°F · 13 wet days
How Durham ranks in April
- Normal high146th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days215th driest of 378
- Comfortable days61st most of 340
What to pack for Durham in April
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Heating and cooling
April has 180 heating degree days and 54 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Durham in April?
The normal high is 73°F and the normal low is 49°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest April reading was 92°F (April 25, 2009).
Does it rain a lot in Durham in April?
About 10 days in April have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.5 in. The wettest April in 1991-2020 was in 2017 (8.7 in); the driest was in 1994 (0.9 in).
Is April a good time to visit Durham?
April ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Durham (72 out of 100). It has about 16 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Raleigh Durham Intl Airport (USW00013722), 9.6 mi SE of the city center, 416 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Pope AFB (USW00013714), 57 mi S of the city center, 218 ft (177 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Raleigh-Durham International Airport (723060-13722), 9.6 mi SE of the city center, 395 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.