Wilmington, NC weather in September
Wilmington is warm and oppressively humid in September, with frequent rain: highs average 84°F and nights drop to about 67°F. There are about 11 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 84°F
- Normal low
- 67°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 8.7 in total
- Muggy days
- 19
- dew point 65°F+
How September changes from start to finish
| September 1 | September 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 87°F | 81°F |
| Normal low | 70°F | 62°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 38% | 33% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:45 am / 7:38 pm | 7:05 am / 6:57 pm |
| Daylight | 12.9 h | 11.9 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 September day
- 6 am68°Fdew point 65°F
- 9 am75°Fdew point 67°F
- Noon81°Fdew point 66°F
- 3 pm81°Fdew point 66°F
- 6 pm76°Fdew point 67°F
- 9 pm72°Fdew point 67°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from New River Mcaf (46 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 32% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 48%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F3 of 30
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph17 of 30
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more4 of 30
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more19 of 30
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 30
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 30
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 30
Average days per September, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in September
Normal precipitation is 8.7 in; a dry September brings about 5.1 in and a wet one about 9.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 4 days bring half an inch or more, and about 3 an inch or more.
How September varies from year to year
- Warmest September, 1991-20202019: average high 88°F
- Coolest September2001: average high 80°F
- Wettest September2018: 24.1 in
- Driest September2013: 1.0 in
- Highest reading97°F (September 4, 2020)
- Lowest reading46°F (September 23, 1999)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
September compared with August and October
| August | September | October | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 88°F | 84°F | 76°F |
| Normal low | 72°F | 67°F | 56°F |
| Wet days | 14 | 11 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 3 | 15 |
| Daylight | 13.4 h | 12.4 h | 11.3 h |
Highs change by -4°F from August and -8°F into October.
Nearby alternatives in September
- Drier: Raleigh, NC114 mi · high 82°F · 7 wet days
How Wilmington ranks in September
- Normal high148th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days329th driest of 378
- Comfortable days232nd most of 342
What to pack for Wilmington in September
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
- A swimsuit – about 17 beach days
Heating and cooling
September has 3 heating degree days and 312 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Wilmington in September?
The normal high is 84°F and the normal low is 67°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest September reading was 97°F (most recently on September 4, 2020).
Does it rain a lot in Wilmington in September?
About 11 days in September have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 8.7 in. The wettest September in 1991-2020 was in 2018 (24.1 in); the driest was in 2013 (1.0 in).
Is September a good time to visit Wilmington?
September ranks 9th of 12 months on our comfort score for Wilmington (50 out of 100). It has about 3 comfortable days and about 4 days at 90°F or hotter. 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.