Wilmington, NC weather in October
Expect mild weather with some rain in Wilmington in October, with highs near 76°F and lows near 56°F. Rain falls on about 8 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 76°F
- Normal low
- 56°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 4.7 in total
- Muggy days
- 6
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 80°F | 72°F |
| Normal low | 62°F | 49°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 26% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:06 am / 6:56 pm | 7:30 am / 6:19 pm |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 10.8 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 October day
- 6 am57°Fdew point 54°F
- 9 am65°Fdew point 56°F
- Noon72°Fdew point 56°F
- 3 pm73°Fdew point 55°F
- 6 pm66°Fdew point 57°F
- 9 pm62°Fdew point 57°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from New River Mcaf (46 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 47% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 39%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph9 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more6 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in October
Normal precipitation is 4.7 in; a dry October brings about 2.0 in and a wet one about 6.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202019: average high 81°F
- Coolest October2009: average high 73°F
- Wettest October2015: 15.9 in
- Driest October2000: 0.4 in
- Highest reading98°F (October 3, 2019)
- Lowest reading32°F (October 31, 2008)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
October compared with September and November
| September | October | November | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 84°F | 76°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 67°F | 56°F | 45°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 8 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 15 | 15 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.3 h | 10.4 h |
Highs change by -8°F from September and -9°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Cooler: Greensboro, NC165 mi · high 71°F · 8 wet days
How Wilmington ranks in October
- Normal high140th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days212th driest of 378
- Comfortable days70th most of 340
What to pack for Wilmington in October
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 8 days
Heating and cooling
October has 82 heating degree days and 108 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Wilmington in October?
The normal high is 76°F and the normal low is 56°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest October reading was 98°F (October 3, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Wilmington in October?
About 8 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.7 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (15.9 in); the driest was in 2000 (0.4 in).
Is October a good time to visit Wilmington?
October ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Wilmington (66 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Wilmington Intl Airport (USW00013748), 3.9 mi NE of the city center, 33 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: New River Mcaf (USW00093727), 46 mi NE of the city center, 26 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Jacksonville (723096-93727), 44 mi NE of the city center, 26 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.