Current weather · Oct 1, 1:27 AM EDT

34.1320, -78.1880

69°

Patchy fogFeels like 69° · Humidity 96%NWS forecast for this hour; no recent station reportForecast by NWS NWS Wilmington, NC · grid 81,70
High
88°
Low
67°
Rain today
0%
Sunrise
7:07 AM
Sunset
6:57 PM

Hour by hour

NWS forecast grid

Scroll sideways for more hours. Pick an hour for every number.

Every hour as a table48 hours
TimeWeatherTemperatureFeels likeDew pointHumidityChanceAmountSnowDirWindGustSky coverThunderPressureVisibilityCeiling
Thu 1 AMPatchy fog69°69°68°96%0%E1 mph1 mph8%0.01 inHg5 mi
Thu 2 AMPatchy fog68°68°68°98%0%E1 mph1 mph11%0.01 inHg5 mi
Thu 3 AMAreas of fog67°67°67°99%0%ENE0 mph0 mph15%0.01 inHg5 mi
Thu 4 AMAreas of fog66°66°66°100%0%ENE0 mph0 mph19%0.01 inHg1.0 mi
Thu 5 AMAreas of fog66°66°66°100%0%ENE0 mph0 mph21%0.01 inHg1.0 mi
Thu 6 AMAreas of fog65°65°65°100%0%NE0 mph1 mph35%0.01 inHg5 mi
Thu 7 AMAreas of fog65°65°65°100%0%NE0 mph1 mph39%0.01 inHg5 mi
Thu 8 AMPatchy fog66°66°66°100%0%NE1 mph1 mph32%0.01 inHg5 mi
Thu 9 AM72°72°67°86%0%NE1 mph2 mph25%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 10 AM77°77°68°75%0%ENE2 mph2 mph22%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 11 AM82°85°69°66%0%ENE2 mph3 mph14%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 12 PM84°87°68°60%0%E3 mph5 mph11%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 1 PM85°88°68°56%0%E5 mph5 mph13%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 2 PM86°89°67°53%0%ESE5 mph6 mph19%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 3 PM86°89°68°55%0%ESE6 mph8 mph12%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 4 PM85°88°68°58%0%SE6 mph9 mph12%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 5 PM84°87°69°61%0%SE7 mph9 mph8%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 6 PM82°85°70°67%0%SE6 mph9 mph9%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 7 PM79°79°70°75%0%SE5 mph7 mph4%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 8 PM76°76°71°84%0%SE2 mph5 mph5%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 9 PM74°74°71°88%0%SE2 mph3 mph4%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 10 PM73°73°71°92%0%SSE2 mph3 mph7%0.01 inHg7 mi
Thu 11 PM72°72°71°95%0%SSE1 mph2 mph6%0.01 inHg7 mi
Fri 12 AM72°72°70°97%0%SSE1 mph2 mph11%0.01 inHg7 mi
Fri 1 AM71°71°70°98%0%S1 mph1 mph10%0.01 inHg7 mi
Fri 2 AM70°70°70°99%0%S1 mph1 mph12%0.01 inHg7 mi
Fri 3 AM70°70°70°100%0%S0 mph1 mph21%0.01 inHg7 mi
Fri 4 AM69°69°69°100%0%SW0 mph0 mph23%0.01 inHg7 mi
Fri 5 AM69°69°69°100%0%SW0 mph0 mph20%0.01 inHg7 mi
Fri 6 AM69°69°69°100%0%SW0 mph0 mph24%0.01 inHg7 mi
Fri 7 AM69°69°69°100%0%S0 mph0 mph29%0.01 inHg7 mi
Fri 8 AM69°69°69°100%0%S0 mph1 mph34%0.01 inHg7 mi
Fri 9 AM73°73°70°89%0%SSW1 mph1 mph25%0.01 inHg—
Fri 10 AM78°78°71°80%0%SW1 mph2 mph16%0.01 inHg—
Fri 11 AM82°87°72°72%0%WSW2 mph3 mph8%0.01 inHg—
Fri 12 PM84°89°71°66%0%SW2 mph3 mph7%0.01 inHg—
Fri 1 PM86°91°70°60%0%SSW3 mph5 mph6%0.01 inHg—
Fri 2 PM88°92°70°56%2%SSW3 mph6 mph5%0.01 inHg—
Fri 3 PM87°92°70°57%2%SSW5 mph7 mph5%0.01 inHg—
Fri 4 PM86°91°70°58%2%SSW6 mph9 mph4%0.01 inHg—
Fri 5 PM85°90°70°60%2%S7 mph9 mph3%0.01 inHg—
Fri 6 PM83°87°71°67%2%S6 mph9 mph5%0.01 inHg—
Fri 7 PM80°83°71°75%2%S5 mph9 mph6%0.01 inHg—
Fri 8 PM77°77°72°84%0%S5 mph8 mph7%0.01 inHg—
Fri 9 PM76°76°72°87%0%S5 mph7 mph10%0.01 inHg—
Fri 10 PM75°75°72°90%0%SSW5 mph7 mph14%0.01 inHg—
Fri 11 PM74°74°72°93%0%SSW3 mph6 mph17%——
Sat 12 AM74°74°72°94%0%SSW3 mph6 mph21%——

The next 16 days

NWS grid published Sep 30, 7:26 PM EDT to day 7, the National Blend of Models to day 10, the mean of GFS, ECMWF, ECMWF AI to day 16
  1. TodayOct 188°67°Areas Of Fog then Sunny0%wind 7 mph
  2. FriOct 290°71°Sunny2%wind 7 mph
  3. SatOct 386°67°Showers And Thunderstorms Likely60%0.41 inwind 5 mph
  4. SunOct 479°68°Showers And Thunderstorms Likely62%wind 7 mph
  5. MonOct 575°57°Showers And Thunderstorms Likely65%wind 8 mph
  6. TueOct 672°52°Mostly Sunny12%wind 15 mph · gusts 23 mph
  7. WedOct 774°52°Mostly Sunny15%wind 13 mph · gusts 18 mph
  8. ThuOct 877°57°National Blend19%0.35 inwind 9 mph
  9. FriOct 976°57°National Blend15%0.05 inwind 9 mph
  10. SatOct 1076°57°National Blend19%0.33 inwind 12 mph
  11. SunOct 11~79°63°Model mean0.02 in
  12. MonOct 12~75°68°Model mean0.37 in
  13. TueOct 13~77°65°Model mean0.48 in
  14. WedOct 14~70°55°Model mean0.02 in
  15. ThuOct 15~77°60°Model mean
  16. FriOct 16~79°61°Model mean

Right now

NWS grid for this hour · UV from the EPA · air quality from AirNow
  • Feels like69°
  • WindCalm
  • Radar over this pointno reading
  • Humidity96%
  • Dew point68°
  • Pressure0.01 inHg
  • UV index—
  • Air quality—
  • Visibility5 mi
  • Sunrise and sunsetSunrise · Sunset · not yet up
  • Moonrise10:19 PMMoonset 12:39 PM
  • Moon phaseWaning gibbous74% lit

The National Blend of Models

NOAA NBM v5.0 · run of Sep 30, 8:00 PM EDT

NOAA’s weighted blend of every model it runs, to eleven days, with the chances the grid above does not carry. Where the local office’s grid reaches, its figure sits beneath the blend’s; where it does not, the blend stands alone.

  1. TodayOct 188°67°NWS grid 88° / 67°rain 3%wind 7 mph
  2. FriOct 290°71°NWS grid 90° / 71°rain 3%wind 7 mph
  3. SatOct 387°68°NWS grid 86° / 67°rain 66%thunder 25%0.36 inwind 7 mph
  4. SunOct 480°67°NWS grid 79° / 68°rain 65%thunder 40%0.59 inwind 7 mph
  5. MonOct 575°57°NWS grid 75° / 57°rain 66%thunder 14%0.90 inwind 8 mph
  6. TueOct 672°54°NWS grid 72° / 52°rain 7%wind 15 mph · gusts 24 mph
  7. WedOct 773°57°NWS grid 74° / 52°rain 18%0.10 inwind 13 mph · gusts 18 mph
  8. ThuOct 877°57°Beyond the NWS gridrain 19%0.35 inwind 9 mph
  9. FriOct 976°57°Beyond the NWS gridrain 15%0.05 inwind 9 mph
  10. SatOct 1076°57°Beyond the NWS gridrain 19%0.33 inwind 12 mph
  11. SunOct 1175°—Beyond the NWS gridrain 26%wind 9 mph
50°73°95°FriSatSunMonTueWedThu

BlendNWS gridChance of rain, hourly

The models, side by side

HRRR Sep 30, 8:00 PM EDT · GFS Sep 30, 2:00 PM EDT · GEFS Sep 30, 2:00 PM EDT · ECMWF Sep 30, 8:00 AM EDT · ECMWF AI Sep 30, 8:00 AM EDT

Each line is one model’s own forecast at its own grid cell: three kilometers for HRRR, a quarter of a degree for the global models, which can sit a few hundred meters above or below the town. Where they agree the forecast is settled; where they part is where it is not.

41°68°95°FriSatSunMonTueWedThu

DayNWS gridHRRRGFSGEFSECMWFECMWF AI
Today Oct 188° 67°86° 64°91° 68°88° 68°86° 64°0.01 in~85° 64°
Fri Oct 290° 71°91° 68°91° 70°91° 69°87° 67°~87° 65°
Sat Oct 386° 67°0.41 in—91° 71°0.04 in83° 70°0.22 in88° 71°0.41 in~78° 72°0.79 in
Sun Oct 479° 68°—74° 69°0.07 in77° 66°0.29 in~75° 71°1.23 in~75° 69°0.61 in
Mon Oct 575° 57°—74° 66°0.25 in72° 66°0.48 in77° 64°0.04 in~72° 66°0.22 in
Tue Oct 672° 52°—71° 53°67° 57°0.22 in~73° 60°~75° 59°
Wed Oct 774° 52°—71° 49°68° 55°0.13 in~76° 67°~67° 56°
Thu Oct 8——80° 60°73° 60°0.22 in~76° 60°~81° 60°
Fri Oct 9——74° 61°78° 61°0.08 in~79° 60°~82° 58°
Sat Oct 10——79° 57°~77° 62°0.03 in~71° 66°~80° 60°0.01 in
Sun Oct 11——~77° 61°0.02 in—~80° 62°~79° 66°0.03 in
Mon Oct 12——~72° 68°0.65 in—~77° 67°0.18 in~75° 68°0.28 in
Tue Oct 13——~78° 71°0.51 in—~83° 70°~76° 60°0.44 in
Wed Oct 14——~79° 62°0.03 in—~78° 64°~61° 49°
Thu Oct 15——~77° 60°—~59° 57°~44° 43°
Fri Oct 16——~79° 61°———

A ~ marks a high or low read from six-hourly steps, which miss the true extreme by a degree or two.

ECMWF ensemble meteogram

ECMWF ensemble meteogram for this place: box plots of cloud cover, precipitation, wind speed and temperature from the 51 ensemble members for ten days.
Rendered by ECMWF from its 51-member ensemble, in metric units: each box spans the middle half of the members, the whiskers the rest, the line the control run. A forecast, not an observation. © ECMWF, CC BY 4.0.

The next 90 days

NOAA GHCN normals and records at Southport/Brunswick (SUT) · Climate Prediction Center outlooks

No forecast has skill day by day past about two weeks, and this page does not print one. Where the models stop, the calendar takes over: the 1991 to 2020 normal for each date, the record high and low ever set on it, and where the Climate Prediction Center leans warm, cool, wet or dry over the coming weeks, the month and the season. A site that shows a high for a date three months out is showing you this normal with a wobble.

The forecast reaches Fri Oct 16, from the NWS grid, then the National Blend, then the mean of the global models. Beyond it the lines are the calendar.

Climate Prediction Center (CPC) temperature leanequal chances33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec0°20°40°60°80°TodayNov 1Dec 1

Forecast high and lowNormal high and lowRecord high and lowCPC leans warmer than normalCPC near normal or equal chances

Week ofNormalWarmest on recordColdest on recordTemperature leanPrecipitation lean
Oct 181° / 58°94° (1986)33° (1981)equal chances · Oct 202633% chance above normal · Oct 2026
Oct 878° / 56°93° (1989)29° (1988)near normal most likely · days 8 to 1450% chance above normal · days 8 to 14
Oct 1574° / 51°89° (2008)25° (1981)equal chances · Oct 202633% chance above normal · Oct 2026
Oct 2274° / 51°89° (1935)23° (1962)equal chances · Oct 202633% chance above normal · Oct 2026
Oct 2975° / 49°90° (1971)24° (1976)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec40% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Nov 570° / 44°88° (1986)22° (1976)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec40% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Nov 1268° / 43°84° (1935)22° (1983)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec40% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Nov 1967° / 46°81° (1931)16° (1981)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec40% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Nov 2666° / 41°85° (1973)17° (1903)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec40% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Dec 363° / 36°80° (1982)-0° (1992)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec40% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Dec 1061° / 39°81° (2007)10° (1962)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec40% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Dec 1759° / 34°80° (1984)5° (1981)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec40% chance above normal · Oct to Dec
Dec 2459° / 35°81° (2015)-3° (1989)33% chance above normal · Oct to Dec40% chance above normal · Oct to Dec

Health and activities

Rules of thumb over the next 24 hours of forecast, the warnings in force, the station’s report, air quality and pollen

None of these is a measurement. Each is a rating of the forecast ahead, and of what is happening at the point right now, against what the activity or the ailment is known to mind, and each names the figure that decided it. An ailment or a pest is rated as a risk, low to extreme; an activity, a chore or a journey as a condition, poor to ideal.

Each rating says which span it is for: the rest of today’s daylight, tonight, or the next 24 hours.

Health

  • Arthritisnext 24 hModeratehumid
  • Sinus pressurenext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Common coldtodayLowmild
  • FlutodayLowmild
  • Migrainenext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Asthmanext 24 hLowclean air
  • Heat stresstodayModerateheat
  • SunburntodayLowweak sun
  • Frostbitenext 24 hLowmild
  • SleepingtonightVery goodhumid

Outdoors

  • RunningtodayGoodhot
  • HikingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • BikingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • GolftodayIdealfine conditions
  • FishingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Boating and paddlingtodayGoodfog
  • Beach and pooltodayIdealfine conditions
  • CampingtonightIdealfine conditions
  • StargazingtonightGoodbright moon

Travel

  • Air travelnext 24 hGoodfog
  • Drivingnext 24 hGoodfog

Home and garden

  • Lawn mowingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • GardeningtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Outdoor entertainingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Drying laundry outsidetodayVery goodhumid
  • Painting and outdoor projectstodayIdealfine conditions
  • FrosttonightLowmild

Pests

  • MosquitoestodayVery highwarm
  • TickstodayHighwarm
  • Indoor pestsnext 24 hLowmild
  • Outdoor peststodayHighwarm

Stargazing

Worked out from the NWS hourly forecast and the sun and moon

Tonight: 2 dark, clear hours without a bright moon, from 8:00 PM. Rated fair.

Night ofRatingDarkClear hoursClear and moonlessMoon litTransparency (est.)DewStrongest wind
ThursdayFair8:20 PM to 5:45 AM8 of 102 h from 8:00 PM71%Poor9 h2 mph
FridayGood8:19 PM to 5:46 AM4 of 103 h from 8:00 PM60%Poor8 h5 mph
SaturdayPoor8:17 PM to 5:46 AM0 of 10None50%9 h7 mph
SundayPoor8:16 PM to 5:47 AM0 of 10None39%9 h5 mph
MondayPoor8:14 PM to 5:48 AM0 of 10None29%9 h14 mph
TuesdayPoor8:13 PM to 5:49 AM0 of 10None20%12 mph

Dark is the sun 18 degrees below the horizon; where it never gets that low, 12 degrees, marked nautical. Clear is sky cover of 20% or less. A bright moon is one above the horizon with a quarter or more of its disc lit. Transparency in the table is estimated from surface humidity (70% and 85% mark fair and poor) and visibility, since the forecast carries no haze or high cloud moisture. Seeing and transparency by hour, where shown, are Environment and Climate Change Canada’s astronomy forecast (regional model; seeing from cloud, wind shear, turbulence near the ground and the surface temperature trend; transparency from the moisture through the whole air column), under the Open Government Licence - Canada. Dew is the air within 2 °C of its dew point. Excellent is four or more clear moonless hours with good transparency; good is three; fair is one, or two clear hours.

Golden hour and blue hour

Computed from the sun and moon positions
DayBlue hour, morningGolden hour, morningGolden hour, eveningBlue hour, evening
Thu6:42 AM to 6:52 AM6:52 AM to 7:41 AM6:24 PM to 7:12 PM7:12 PM to 7:22 PM
Fri6:43 AM to 6:53 AM6:53 AM to 7:41 AM6:22 PM to 7:11 PM7:11 PM to 7:20 PM
Sat6:44 AM to 6:53 AM6:53 AM to 7:42 AM6:21 PM to 7:09 PM7:09 PM to 7:19 PM
Sun6:45 AM to 6:54 AM6:54 AM to 7:43 AM6:19 PM to 7:08 PM7:08 PM to 7:18 PM
Mon6:45 AM to 6:55 AM6:55 AM to 7:44 AM6:18 PM to 7:07 PM7:07 PM to 7:16 PM
Tue6:46 AM to 6:56 AM6:56 AM to 7:44 AM6:17 PM to 7:05 PM7:05 PM to 7:15 PM
Wed6:47 AM to 6:56 AM6:56 AM to 7:45 AM6:15 PM to 7:04 PM7:04 PM to 7:14 PM
NESWSRSSMRMS
  • SR Sunrise 7:07 AM, 93° E
  • SS Sunset 6:57 PM, 266° W
  • MR Moonrise 10:19 PM, 56° NE
  • MS Moonset 12:39 PM, 304° WNW
  • Waning gibbous, 74% lit

Golden hour is the sun between 6 degrees above the horizon and 4 degrees below it; blue hour is the sun between 4 and 6 degrees below. These are the definitions timeanddate.com and PhotoPills use. Directions are degrees clockwise from true north, where the sun’s upper edge and the moon’s center cross a flat horizon; hills and buildings change both. None means the sun does not reach that height on the day; all day means it stays inside the band.

Drone flying

NWS hourly forecast, SWPC Kp, FAA TFRs and 14 CFR Part 107

This hour: fly with caution (night: lighting and night training required (107.29)). Next good stretch: Thu 8 AM to 6 PM, 10 hours.

Today: civil twilight for Part 107 6:37 AM to sunrise 7:07 AM, and sunset 6:57 PM to 7:27 PM. Anti-collision lighting is required in those minutes and at night.

Thu6 AM12 PM6 PM
Fri12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Sat12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

Good Caution No-fly

HourVerdictWind (mph)400 ft est. (mph)Gust (mph)RainVisibilityCloud allowsTempKpWhy
Thu 1 AMCaution1550%5 mi69°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 2 AMCaution1550%5 mi68°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 3 AMCaution0000%5 mi67°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 4 AMNo-fly0000%1.0 mi66°visibility under 3 miles (107.51), night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 5 AMNo-fly0000%1.0 mi66°visibility under 3 miles (107.51), night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 6 AMCaution0010%5 mi65°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 7 AMCaution0010%5 mi65°civil twilight: lighting required (107.29)
Thu 8 AMGood1110%5 mi66°nothing against it
Thu 9 AMGood1130%7 mi72°nothing against it
Thu 10 AMGood2330%7 mi77°nothing against it
Thu 11 AMGood2340%7 mi82°nothing against it
Thu 12 PMGood3450%7 mi84°nothing against it
Thu 1 PMGood5550%7 mi85°nothing against it
Thu 2 PMGood5570%7 mi86°nothing against it
Thu 3 PMGood6790%7 mi86°nothing against it
Thu 4 PMGood67110%7 mi85°nothing against it
Thu 5 PMGood79110%7 mi84°nothing against it
Thu 6 PMCaution67110%7 mi82°civil twilight: lighting required (107.29)
Thu 7 PMCaution518210%7 mi79°wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, gusts near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 8 PMCaution29110%7 mi76°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 9 PMCaution29100%7 mi74°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 10 PMCaution29100%7 mi73°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 11 PMCaution1560%7 mi72°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Fri 12 AMCaution1560%7 mi72°night: lighting and night training required (107.29)

Flight restrictions nearby

Reading the FAA’s temporary flight restrictions.

Flight restrictions on the map. TFRs are not the whole picture: controlled airspace around airports needs LAANC authorization. Check the FAA’s B4UFLY.

Wind at 400 ft is estimated from the 10 m forecast by the power law, with exponents for each Pasquill stability class (Irwin 1979, rural, as in EPA dispersion models; the class from wind, sun height and cloud, after Turner 1970); gusts keep the ground gust’s margin. Caution from three quarters of your limit; the default 24 mph is the wind resistance printed for common sub-250 g drones. 14 CFR 107.51: “The minimum flight visibility, as observed from the location of the control station must be no less than 3 statute miles” and at least “500 feet below the cloud”. 14 CFR 107.29: “No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during periods of civil twilight unless the small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles”; civil twilight is the 30 minutes before sunrise and after sunset, in Alaska the Air Almanac’s. Kp: SWPC’s scales say satellite navigation problems may occur at G3 (Kp 7) and navigation is “degraded for hours” at G4 (Kp 8); Kp 5 is the typical app warning. Typical limits, not rules: rain chance 30% caution and 60% no-fly, thunder 10% and 20%, below 0 °C caution and −10 °C no-fly, over 40 °C caution. Your drone’s manual and the airspace come first.

Spraying and field work

Worked out from the NWS hourly forecast

Hours fit for spraying, and the days dry enough for fieldwork and hay, read from this forecast’s wind, gusts, humidity, temperature and rain.

Spraying windows

  • Thu 12 PM to 8 PM 8 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Fri 1 PM to 9 PM 8 hours, every hour within the rules
Thu6 AM12 PM6 PM
Fri12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Sat12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Sun12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

Good Marginal No

Field days

DayDaytimeChance of rainRainLowest humidityStrongest windDry days in a rowHay drying
ThursdayDry0%0.00 in53%7 mph2 d
FridayDry2%0.00 in56%7 mph1 d
SaturdayWet60%0.41 in62%3 mph
SundayShowers possible62%0.00 in79%7 mph
MondayShowers possible62%0.00 in80%8 mph
TuesdayDry4%0.00 in50%15 mph2 dGood
WednesdayDry9%0.00 in55%13 mph1 d

Spraying: sustained wind 3 to 10 mph, the range US extension services and most labels give; gusts no more than 15 mph (this page’s limit); delta T (air minus wet-bulb temperature) 2 to 8 °C preferred and 8 to 10 °C marginal, from GRDC guidance, with the wet bulb by Stull’s formula; no hour at a 30% chance of rain or 0.25 mm forecast during the rain-free time. Follow the product label, which overrides all of this. Field days: dry is no daytime hour at a 30% chance and under 1 mm all day, wet is 6 mm (0.25 in) or more; soil moisture is not in the forecast, so ground still wet from earlier rain is not accounted for. Hay drying marks a dry day with humidity down to 50% and a breeze of 5 mph or more.

Solunar times

Computed from the moon’s position

The best-rated day this week is Thursday, rated fair.

DayRatingMajor periodsMinor periodsMoonSunrise, sunset
Thu Fair3:59 AM to 5:59 AM4:30 PM to 6:30 PM12:09 PM to 1:09 PM9:49 PM to 10:49 PM 74%7:07 AM, 6:57 PM
Fri Fair5:01 AM to 7:01 AM5:33 PM to 7:33 PM1:14 PM to 2:14 PM10:52 PM to 11:52 PM 64%7:08 AM, 6:55 PM
Sat Fair6:04 AM to 8:04 AM6:34 PM to 8:34 PM2:11 PM to 3:11 PM 54%7:09 AM, 6:54 PM
Sun Fair7:04 AM to 9:04 AM7:32 PM to 9:32 PM12:02 AM to 1:02 AM2:58 PM to 3:58 PM 43%7:10 AM, 6:53 PM
Mon Fair8:00 AM to 10:00 AM8:26 PM to 10:26 PM1:13 AM to 2:13 AM3:37 PM to 4:37 PM 33%7:10 AM, 6:51 PM
Tue Poor8:52 AM to 10:52 AM9:16 PM to 11:16 PM2:23 AM to 3:23 AM4:11 PM to 5:11 PM 23%7:11 AM, 6:50 PM
Wed Fair9:40 AM to 11:40 AM10:03 PM to 12:03 AM3:30 AM to 4:30 AM4:40 PM to 5:40 PM 15%7:12 AM, 6:49 PM

Periods in bold fall within an hour of sunrise or sunset. The weather’s side is the fishing index

Major periods are two hours centered on the moon’s passage overhead and underfoot; minor periods are one hour centered on moonrise and moonset: the conventional durations of John Alden Knight’s solunar tables (1936). The rating is this site’s: one point to start, two more within a day and a half of a new or full moon (one more within three and a half days), and one more when a period falls within an hour of sunrise or sunset. The theory has mixed support in fisheries research; the times are exact astronomy.

In words

NWS forecast periods, as issued
  1. Overnight62° · E 1 mph

    Areas of fog. Mostly clear, with a low around 62. East wind around 1 mph.

  2. Thursday88° · E 0–7 mph

    Areas of fog before 9am. Sunny, with a high near 88. East wind 0 to 7 mph.

  3. Thursday Night67° · S 0–6 mph

    Mostly clear, with a low around 67. South wind 0 to 6 mph.

  4. Friday90° · 2% · SW 0–7 mph

    Sunny, with a high near 90. Southwest wind 0 to 7 mph.

  5. Friday Night71° · 2% · SW 2–6 mph

    Mostly clear, with a low around 71. Southwest wind 2 to 6 mph.

  6. Saturday86° · 60% · S 3 mph

    A chance of rain showers between 8am and 2pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

  7. Saturday Night67° · 60% · E 3–7 mph

    Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

  8. Sunday79° · 62% · E 7 mph

    Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

  9. Sunday Night68° · 65% · NE 5 mph

    Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

  10. Monday75° · 65% · N 8 mph

    Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

  11. Monday Night57° · 49% · NE 7–14 mph

    A chance of rain showers before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

  12. Tuesday72° · 6% · NE 12–15 mph

    Mostly sunny, with a high near 72.

  13. Tuesday Night52° · 4% · NE 12 mph

    Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.

  14. Wednesday74° · 9% · NE 13 mph

    Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.

The forecaster’s discussion

NWS NWS Wilmington, NC · issued Sep 30, 7:32 PM EDT

Written by the forecaster on duty for their own colleagues and for anyone who wants to know why the forecast says what it says. It is not edited for the public, so it uses the office’s shorthand; it is also the most honest thing any weather service publishes.

What Has Changed

Expanded the areas of fog given favorable conditions overnight. Otherwise, not many adjustments made with the latest issuance. The aviation discussion was updated for the 00Z TAFs.

KEY Messages

1) Minor coastal flooding is likely done as astronomical tides continue to improve.

2) Warming trend continues through Saturday, allowing temperatures to soar above seasonal norms. Next earnest rain chances return over the weekend.

Discussion

KEY MESSAGE 1...Minor coastal flooding is likely done as astronomical tides continue to improve.

Minor coastal flooding is ongoing along the lower Cape Fear River, including downtown Wilmington, as of this typing at 2 PM EDT. This should be the last of the coastal flooding for this multi-day event, as astronomical tides continue to come down. Really confident on this idea at the coast especially.

KEY MESSAGE 2...Warming trend continues through Saturday, allowing temperatures to soar above seasonal norms. Next rain chances return over the weekend.

Ridging will continue to build through Saturday, keeping the warming trend around. Temperatures warm up a degree or two every day through Friday. Highs around 90F appear possible along and west of I-95 as early as Wednesday, with those chances solidifying more by Thursday and Friday (could potentially be 90-92F in some spots). Moisture parameters pick up as well, with dewpoints soaring into the 60s, and even into the lower 70s for the coastal areas Thursday through Saturday. Friday in particular could be the most hot and humid day of the week, with the heat index climbing up into the lower 90s in most areas (in October, mind you).

Pattern starts to flip by Saturday. The heat ridge starts to push offshore, while a very broad trough pattern that stretches from near the upper Midwest all the way to New England helps to suppress the ridge southward. Weak shortwave energy breaks off the broad trough and will help produce scattered showers and perhaps a few rumbles of thunder Saturday, but nothing appears to be a washout at this time. These rain chances increase Sunday and into early next week, as part of the broad trough in the Ohio Valley amplifies and sweeps through the Southeast as a more organized frontal system. Still not expecting severe weather with this event.

What is becoming more apparent is a significant cooldown coming early next week, where highs may only get into the 70s. Bring back a more legitimate fall!

Aviation · 00Z Thursday Through Monday

VFR conditions expected initially through the even then VSBY restrictions are expected at most terminals generally between 06-13Z. Conditions may become IFR at times, thus included TEMPO groups for some variability in observations. Any FG/ST should begin to dissipate by around 14Z with VFR conditions prevailing again through 00Z Fri.

Extended Forecast...Moderate to high risk for late night/early morning fog and low clouds due to increasing low-level moisture through the end of the week. Moderate risk for showers/storms starting Sat afternoon at all terminals with the potential for convection persisting at times through Monday.

Marine

Through Monday...Rather benign marine conditions expected through the first half of the weekend, with a gentle breeze that fluctuates a bit out of the E to S during the daytime, becoming a more variable light breeze at night. Winds strengthen very slightly up to a moderate breeze out of the E by Sunday ahead of a frontal system. Seas remain at 1-2 ft through Wednesday, with perhaps some 3 ft waves trying to sneak into the waters out 60 nm by Wednesday night. In between light wind chop, look for a persistent long period southeasterly swell at 10-14 seconds, and a secondary easterly swell at 8-10 seconds.

Significant change starts building in on Monday, with a series of cold fronts picking up strengthen and sweeping through the waters. Winds back to the NE and rapidly increase up to a fresh breeze, with wind gusts perhaps flirting with Small Craft Advisory thresholds by late Monday. Seas start coming up towards 2-3 ft out 20 nm, up to 4 ft out 60 nm.

ILM Watches / Warnings / Advisories

NC...None. SC...None. MARINE...None.

The outlooks beyond

SPC, WPC, CPC and the Drought Monitor, read at this point

The national centers each publish a judgment the local grid does not carry. Read here at this exact coordinate.

Severe weather

  1. Day 1 · Thu Oct 1No risk area
  2. Day 2 · Fri Oct 2No risk area
  3. Day 3 · Sat Oct 3No risk area
  4. Day 4 · Sun Oct 4No risk area
  5. Day 5 · Mon Oct 5No risk area
  6. Day 6 · Tue Oct 6No risk area
  7. Day 7 · Wed Oct 7No risk area
  8. Day 8 · Thu Oct 8No risk area

Rainfall

  1. Day 1 · Thu Oct 10.01 in
  2. Day 2 · Fri Oct 2Under 0.01 in
  3. Day 3 · Sat Oct 30.25 in
  4. Day 4-5 · Oct 4–Oct 51.50 in
  5. Day 6-7 · Oct 6–Oct 70.10 in

The rainfall forecast on the map, days 1 to 7

Six to fourteen days

  1. Days 6–10 · TemperatureNear normal most likelyOct 6–Oct 10
  2. Days 6–10 · Precipitation40% chance above normalOct 6–Oct 10
  3. Days 8–14 · TemperatureNear normal most likelyOct 8–Oct 14
  4. Days 8–14 · Precipitation50% chance above normalOct 8–Oct 14

Hazards, 3 to 14 days

  1. Oct 3–Oct 4Heavy Rain

Drought

  1. Drought Monitor, map of Sep 22D1 Moderate drought
  2. Outlook for Oct 2026Drought removal likely

Drought in this county: the map, the record since 2000 and the outlook

Frost and climate

NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Southport 5 N

The last spring freeze (32°F) usually comes around March 24 and the first fall freeze around November 17: a growing season of about 239 days.

One fall in ten brings a freeze by October 31; one spring in ten still has one after April 10.

Climate of 34.13, -78.19: normals, records and every month

Everything else on the grid

NWS forecast grid · 33 elements

The forecast office edits about sixty fields for every cell of its grid. The common ones are above; these are the rest, as the daily extreme, for anyone who needs the mixing height, the fire danger or the swell.

ElementThuFriSatSunMonTueWed
HeatRisk max1 · Minor2 · Moderate2 · Moderate1 · Minor1 · Minor0 · Little0 · Little
Wet bulb globe temperature max82°83°83°77°73°67°69°
Heat index max89°92°92°78°74°72°74°
Chance of thunder max0%0%25%36%25%5%7%
Visibility min1.0 mi7 mi
Pressure min0.01 inHg0.01 inHg
Mixing height max5,000 ft4,900 ft
Transport wind max10 mph12 mph
Twenty-foot wind max6 mph6 mph3 mph6 mph7 mph13 mph10 mph
Davis stability index max332
Atmospheric dispersion index max4446
Low visibility risk max1010
Stability max77

Against the record

NOAA GHCN · Southport/Brunswick (SUT) · 15 mi away

Each forecast day against the same calendar date at the nearest long-record station: the 1991 to 2020 normal, and the record high and low with the year they were set.

DayForecastNormalRecord highRecord low
Thu Oct 188° / 67°—91° (1933)45° (1912)
Fri Oct 290° / 71° would tie the record80° / 58°90° (1986)41° (1982)
Sat Oct 386° / 67°80° / 57°91° (1986)38° (1974)
Sun Oct 479° / 68°81° / 58°92° (1986)33° (1981)
Mon Oct 575° / 57°—90° (1903)37° (1974)
Tue Oct 672° / 52°80° / 59°94° (1986)38° (1981)
Wed Oct 774° / 52°—89° (2002)40° (1935)

Sun and moon

DayCivil twilightSunriseSunsetCivil twilightDaylightMoon
Thu6:42 AM7:07 AM6:57 PM7:22 PM11 h 50 min Waning gibbous · 74% lit
Fri6:43 AM7:08 AM6:55 PM7:20 PM11 h 47 min Waning gibbous · 64% lit
Sat6:44 AM7:09 AM6:54 PM7:19 PM11 h 45 min Last quarter · 54% lit
Sun6:45 AM7:10 AM6:53 PM7:18 PM11 h 43 min Last quarter · 43% lit
Mon6:45 AM7:10 AM6:51 PM7:16 PM11 h 41 min Waning crescent · 33% lit
Tue6:46 AM7:11 AM6:50 PM7:15 PM11 h 39 min Waning crescent · 23% lit
Wed6:47 AM7:12 AM6:49 PM7:14 PM11 h 37 min Waning crescent · 15% lit

Forecast from the National Weather Service forecast grid at api.weather.gov, updated by the local office through the day; the written periods and hourly digest are the NWS’s own. Outlooks from the Storm Prediction Center, the Weather Prediction Center and the Climate Prediction Center via NOAA’s map services. Records and normals from NOAA’s Global Historical Climatology Network. Sun and moon computed here. Place names from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).

What is here

Seven days
The high, the low, the chance and amount of rain and snow, the wind and the forecaster’s words for each day and night, from the National Weather Service grid for the exact cell your town sits in.
Hour by hour
Temperature, what it feels like, dew point, humidity, chance and amount of precipitation, wind and gusts, sky cover, the chance of thunder, pressure, visibility and ceiling, as a chart and as a table, with nights shaded.
Everything else on the grid
The office edits about sixty fields for every cell. The ones the mainstream forecast pages leave out are here as a daily table: HeatRisk, wet bulb globe temperature, lightning activity, mixing height, transport wind, the fire weather indices, and at the coast the waves and swell.
The discussion
The Area Forecast Discussion the forecaster wrote to explain the forecast, in their own words, with the specialist annexes folded away. Also the office’s hazardous weather outlook.
Beyond the week
The Storm Prediction Center’s severe weather category for each of the next eight days, the Weather Prediction Center’s rainfall forecast to day seven and its winter storm severity, and the Climate Prediction Center’s odds for days six to fourteen, all read at your coordinate.
Against the record
Each forecast day beside the same date at the nearest long-record station: the thirty-year normal and the record high and low with their years, so a forecast high that would break a record says so.
The next 90 days
The forecast as far as the grid, the National Blend and the global models reach, and the calendar after that: the normal and the record for every date, with the Climate Prediction Center’s lean for the weeks, the month and the season drawn over them. No made-up highs for a date three months out.

Common questions

Where does this forecast come from?

From the National Weather Service forecast grid published at api.weather.gov, the same grid the local forecast office edits through the day and the source of every forecast on weather.gov. The written periods, the hourly digest and the forecaster’s discussion are the NWS’s own products, shown as issued. Nothing here is a blend a website made.

How far ahead does it go?

The grid runs seven days ahead, hour by hour for the first days and in three to six hour steps after that. The National Blend of Models carries the days to eleven and the global models to sixteen. Beyond that the page carries the national centers’ outlooks, severe weather to day eight, rainfall to day seven, and the Climate Prediction Center’s odds for the coming weeks, month and season, over a ninety-day calendar of the normal and the record for each date. No forecast has skill day by day past about two weeks, and this page does not print one.

Why is this different from the app on my phone?

Most forecast apps show a blend of models chosen by the company that makes the app. This page shows the forecast the local National Weather Service office issues, edited by the forecasters who will also issue the warnings, and it shows all of it rather than the six numbers that fit on a phone. The discussion explains the reasoning, which no app carries.

What is a place’s address here?

Every town has its own page, such as /forecast/us/oklahoma/oklahoma-city/, and every day at a town has one too. A ZIP code typed into the search goes to the town it belongs to. Any coordinate at all can be looked up, and the page names the nearest town.

What the weather actually was · Open the live radar · Where the data comes from