Ocean Isle Beach, NC climate
Ocean Isle Beach has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 36°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Ocean Isle Beach feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Ocean Isle Beach weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 57° | 36° | 3.5" | 0.2" | 11 | 0 | 40° – 53° |
| February | 59° | 39° | 3.3" | 0.3" | 10 | 0 | 41° – 57° |
| March | 66° | 44° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 48° – 62° |
| April | 73° | 52° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| May | 80° | 61° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 75° |
| June | 86° | 69° | 4.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 73° – 82° |
| July | 89° | 73° | 6.3" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 78° – 83° |
| August | 87° | 71° | 6.8" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 77° – 82° |
| September | 83° | 67° | 6.9" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 72° – 80° |
| October | 75° | 55° | 4.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| November | 66° | 45° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| December | 59° | 39° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 38° – 60° |
| Year | 73° | 54° | 53.9" | 0.5" | 127 | 0 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Ocean Isle Beach
Ocean Isle Beach gets 54 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and April the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 127 days a year.
About 243 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 20 and the first one by November 17. That leaves about 243 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 89% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Ocean Isle Beach
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Ocean Isle Beach, 57% of that work is heating and 43% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Ocean Isle Beach compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Ocean Isle Beach averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.8°). The shift is smaller than in 75% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Ocean Isle Beach’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 38° to 60°. July is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Common questions about Ocean Isle Beach’s climate
What is the coldest month in Ocean Isle Beach?
January, with a typical high of 57° and a low of 36°.
What is the hottest month in Ocean Isle Beach?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 73°. About 24 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Ocean Isle Beach get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.5 inches.
When is the first frost in Ocean Isle Beach?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 17, and the last spring frost by March 20.
What is the rainiest month in Ocean Isle Beach?
September, with 6.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 54 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Ocean Isle Beach itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Longwood, NC (10 mi, snow) and Shallotte Ag, NC (3 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.