Sunset Beach, NC climate
Sunset Beach has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 37°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Sunset Beach feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Sunset 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 | 56° | 37° | 3.4" | 0.2" | 11 | 0 | 41° – 53° |
| February | 59° | 39° | 3.3" | 0.3" | 10 | 0 | 41° – 57° |
| March | 65° | 44° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 48° – 62° |
| April | 72° | 53° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| May | 79° | 62° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 75° |
| June | 85° | 70° | 4.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 74° – 82° |
| July | 88° | 73° | 6.2" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 78° – 84° |
| August | 87° | 72° | 6.8" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 77° – 83° |
| September | 83° | 68° | 6.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 72° – 80° |
| October | 75° | 56° | 4.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| November | 66° | 46° | 3.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| December | 59° | 39° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 39° – 60° |
| Year | 73° | 55° | 53.4" | 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 Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach gets 53 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August 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 Sunset Beach
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Sunset 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 Sunset 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 Sunset 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 Sunset 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 39° to 60°. July is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Common questions about Sunset Beach’s climate
What is the coldest month in Sunset Beach?
January, with a typical high of 56° and a low of 37°.
What is the hottest month in Sunset Beach?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 73°. About 24 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Sunset Beach get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.5 inches.
When is the first frost in Sunset 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 Sunset Beach?
August, with 6.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 53 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Sunset Beach itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Longwood, NC (9 mi, snow) and Shallotte Ag, NC (7 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.