Sunshine hours in Wilmington: 2,815 hours a year, month by month

Wilmington gets 2,815 hours of sunshine a year on average (7.7 a day). Sunniest month: May with 285 hours. Every month, measured 1961–1990.

• Wilmington gets 2,815 hours of sunshine a year on average, 7.7 a day – 63% of the astronomically possible. The sunniest month is May with 285 hours (9.2 a day), the dullest December with 181 (5.8 a day).
• Number 158 of 311 large cities in the United States.
• Weather station: Wilmington WSO AP, NC – 1961–1990 average, NOAA.

Sunshine hours month by month

• January: 182 h · 5.9 h a day · 58 %
• February: 182 h · 6.5 h a day · 59 %
• March: 238 h · 7.7 h a day · 64 %
• April: 276 h · 9.2 h a day · 71 %
• May: 285 h · 9.2 h a day · 66 %
• June: 280 h · 9.3 h a day · 65 %
• July: 281 h · 9.1 h a day · 64 %
• August: 254 h · 8.2 h a day · 61 %
• September: 230 h · 7.7 h a day · 62 %
• October: 229 h · 7.4 h a day · 65 %
• November: 197 h · 6.6 h a day · 63 %
• December: 181 h · 5.8 h a day · 59 %

Questions about sunshine hours

• How many hours of sunshine does Wilmington get a year? On average over 1961–1990 the sun shines in Wilmington for 2,815 hours a year – 7.7 hours a day and 63% of the time the sun is above the horizon.
• What is the sunniest month in Wilmington? May, with 285 hours of sunshine, 9.2 a day on average. The least sun comes in December: 181 hours, 5.8 a day.
• Is Wilmington a sunny city? Among the 311 large cities in the United States with measurements, Wilmington ranks number 158.
• Where do the figures come from? From the WMO climate normals 1961–1990 as archived by NOAA. There are no newer figures: the US stopped measuring sunshine duration in the 1990s. Wilmington uses the station Wilmington WSO AP, NC, measured 1961–1990.
• What counts as an hour of sunshine? By the World Meteorological Organization's definition the sun is shining once its direct radiation exceeds 120 watts per square metre. Just after sunrise and before sunset it is often too weak – which is why even deserts never reach 100%.

The sunniest large cities: United States

• 1. Phoenix: 3,873 h a year
• 2. Las Vegas: 3,826 h a year
• 3. Tucson: 3,806 h a year
• 4. Reno: 3,647 h a year
• 5. Sacramento: 3,609 h a year
• 6. Fresno: 3,565 h a year
• 7. Chico: 3,542 h a year
• 8. Colorado Springs: 3,463 h a year
• 9. Albuquerque: 3,414 h a year
• 10. Amarillo: 3,298 h a year

The cloudiest large cities: United States

• 1. Pittsburgh: 1,972 h a year
• 2. Anchorage: 2,063 h a year
• 3. Syracuse: 2,120 h a year
• 4. Seattle: 2,170 h a year
• 5. Columbus: 2,182 h a year
• 6. Grand Rapids: 2,188 h a year
• 7. Buffalo: 2,206 h a year
• 8. Meads: 2,259 h a year
• 9. Cleveland: 2,281 h a year
• 10. Rochester: 2,299 h a year

The sunniest large cities in the world

• 1. Mexicali: 4,017 h a year
• 2. Phoenix: 3,873 h a year
• 3. Las Vegas: 3,826 h a year
• 4. Tucson: 3,806 h a year
• 5. Ciudad Juárez: 3,763 h a year
• 6. Reno: 3,647 h a year
• 7. Dubai: 3,610 h a year
• 8. Sacramento: 3,609 h a year
• 9. Victoria de Durango: 3,573 h a year
• 10. Fresno: 3,565 h a year

The cloudiest large cities in the world

• 1. Chengdu: 962 h a year
• 2. Chongqing: 985 h a year
• 3. Sukabumi: 1,082 h a year
• 4. Glasgow: 1,153 h a year
• 5. Tanjung Pinang: 1,172 h a year
• 6. Medan: 1,201 h a year
• 7. Samarinda: 1,275 h a year
• 8. Sungai Penuh: 1,311 h a year
• 9. Limerick: 1,339 h a year
• 10. Huaihua: 1,352 h a year

• Data: NOAA, WMO climate normals of sunshine duration, 1961–1990 average, public domain. Possible hours: time between sunrise and sunset.