Wilmington - Extreme Daily Precipitation for Each Year

This page lists the biggest rainstorms or snowstorms of the year in Wilmington, North Carolina along with the date they occurred. The information answers questions like: When was the last time more than ten inches of precipitation landed on Wilmington in a single day? What was the rainiest day of 2019?

The list gives the highest daily precipitation for each year in Wilmington and the date that it happened. A date with a plus sign beside it means the same amount of moisture also fell on at least one other day earlier that year.

These records go back to 1871. During that time the heaviest downpour measured for a single day was 13.38 inches (339.9 millimetres) on September 15, 1999.

Since 1948 the precipitation extremes were observed at Wilmington International Airport. Before then, the weather station was in downtown Wilmington.

Most precipitation in one day for recent years in Wilmington
Inches Date Milli­metres
4.15 May 19, 2023   105.4
3.08 August 19, 2022   78.2
4.31 September 22, 2021   109.5
4.16 September 17, 2020   105.7
8.58 September 05, 2019 217.9
9.58 September 14, 2018 243.3
6.62 June 30, 2017 168.1
7.78 September 02, 2016 197.6
5.19 October 04, 2015 131.8
3.75 July 03, 2014 95.3
2.21 June 27, 2013 56.1
3.69 May 30, 2012 93.7
4.09 August 26, 2011 103.9
10.33 September 27, 2010 262.4
Highest daily precipitation recorded at Wilmington each year
Inches Date Milli­metres
6.51 July 06, 2009 165.4
4.16 September 25, 2008 105.7
2.14 July 28, 2007 54.4
9.56 August 31, 2006 242.8
6.34 October 07, 2005 161.0
2.03 July 29, 2004 51.6
3.35 October 08, 2003 85.1
3.83 August 28, 2002 97.3
3.99 March 20, 2001 101.3
3.82 June 29, 2000 97.0
13.38 September 15, 1999 339.9
6.77 August 26, 1998 172.0
2.67 September 28, 1997 67.8
5.37 July 12, 1996 136.4
4.96 September 07, 1995 126.0
5.50 October 13, 1994 139.7
3.65 October 26, 1993 92.7
3.62 June 09, 1992 91.9
2.96 October 05, 1991 75.2
4.23 October 23, 1990 107.4
3.10 September 25, 1989 78.7
6.49 July 22, 1988 164.8
2.82 September 04, 1987 71.6
4.32 August 19, 1986 109.7
1.92 July 22, 1985 48.8
6.92 September 11, 1984 175.8
4.20 August 07, 1983 106.7
2.72 June 18, 1982 69.1
4.81 August 19, 1981 122.2
3.49 December 28, 1980 88.6
3.99 September 05, 1979 101.3
3.85 December 24, 1978 97.8
3.00 November 06, 1977 76.2
4.76 June 27, 1976 120.9
3.30 August 18, 1975 83.8
3.27 June 27, 1974 83.1
4.78 July 17, 1973 121.4
4.83 July 11, 1972 122.7
2.69 August 17, 1971 68.3
2.43 August 24, 1970 61.7
3.93 June 16, 1969 99.8
2.69 July 11, 1968 68.3
2.73 July 15, 1967 69.3
5.45 July 09, 1966 138.4
3.49 August 17, 1965 88.6
3.23 October 04, 1964 82.0
4.34 May 21, 1963 110.2
4.15 June 14, 1962 105.4
3.50 April 09, 1961 88.9
6.08 September 11, 1960 154.4
2.72 August 14, 1959 69.1
7.49 September 27, 1958 190.2
6.11 September 29, 1957 155.2
2.50 October 17, 1956 63.5
6.57 September 19, 1955 166.9
2.53 October 15, 1954 64.3
5.12 September 27, 1953 130.0
3.97 September 22, 1952 100.8
4.88 July 25, 1951 124.0
5.59 July 07, 1950 142.0
2.45 August 20, 1949 62.2
2.24 August 31, 1948 56.9
3.43 September 24, 1947 87.1
6.06 September 19, 1946 153.9
7.69 June 25, 1945 195.3
4.18 August 01, 1944 106.2
2.32 August 06, 1943 58.9
2.97 October 13, 1942 75.4
3.99 December 23, 1941 101.3
3.02 February 10, 1940 76.7
3.84 July 21, 1939 97.5
9.52 September 29, 1938 241.8
3.36 November 12, 1937 85.3
5.12 March 10, 1936 130.0
3.82 August 30, 1935 97.0
3.84 November 29, 1934 97.5
4.35 September 06, 1933 110.5
2.72 May 21, 1932 69.1
2.96 August 14, 1931 75.2
3.24 July 14, 1930 82.3
4.10 October 21, 1929 104.1
4.72 September 18, 1928 119.9
1.67 December 03, 1927 42.4
3.20 August 08, 1926 81.3
1.95 December 02, 1925 49.5
4.42 September 16, 1924 112.3
3.05 September 23, 1923 77.5
2.51 May 17, 1922 63.8
2.72 April 15, 1921 69.1
3.48 September 30, 1920 88.4
1.93 June 27, 1919 49.0
4.97 August 24, 1918 126.2
4.36 September 14, 1917 110.7
4.07 July 23, 1916 103.4
3.84 January 18, 1915 97.5
2.32 October 23, 1914 58.9
2.47 October 08, 1913 62.7
3.15 June 07, 1912 80.0
4.83 August 04, 1911 122.7
2.90 August 30, 1910 73.7
2.25 August 16, 1909 57.2
3.55 July 09, 1908 90.2
3.19 June 29, 1907 81.0
3.32 June 14, 1906 84.3
1.93 May 03, 1905 49.0
2.22 August 05, 1904 56.4
3.93 June 07, 1903 99.8
1.70 December 04, 1902 43.2
3.09 June 17, 1901 78.5
2.85 January 19, 1900 72.4
2.22 July 24, 1899 56.4
2.56 October 11, 1898 65.0
2.60 July 25, 1897 66.0
2.68 October 03, 1896 68.1
2.28 August 04, 1895 57.9
2.43 August 05, 1894 61.7
2.19 May 03, 1893 55.6
4.20 September 20, 1892 106.7
3.16 January 11, 1891 80.3
3.53 September 25, 1890 89.7
3.32 July 01, 1889 84.3
3.23 February 21, 1888 82.0
3.74 August 04, 1887 95.0
7.33 July 15, 1886 186.2
4.74 September 21, 1885 120.4
6.64 September 12, 1884 168.7
5.22 June 02, 1883 132.6
4.75 March 27, 1882 120.7
4.48 July 01, 1881 113.8
2.76 October 29, 1880 70.1
8.04 August 18, 1879 204.2
3.99 September 12, 1878 101.3
3.98 September 27, 1877 101.1
7.03 June 30, 1876 178.6
4.01 June 21, 1875 101.9
3.53 January 05, 1874 89.7
2.56 September 23, 1873 65.0
5.39 August 06, 1872 136.9
2.87 March 30, 1871 72.9
Reference

Jay Lawrimore. 2016. Global Summary of the Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 

Wilmington - Extremes
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