Best time to visit Ocracoke, NC, USA

Our verdict

The best time to visit Ocracoke is March-April

If you’re looking to travel to Ocracoke for your next trip but aren’t sure when to go and when to avoid, this article is all you’ll need. The best time to visit Ocracoke is March-April due to the excellent all-round weather conditions, and it’s also not during the height of peak travel periods, so it’s not likely to be as busy.

In the summer months, temperatures tend to get to a maximum of around 28℃ (83℉). The average low temperatures in winter float around 8℃ (46℉), while the coldest it gets down to is about 5℃ (41℉).

The days are longest in Ocracoke in July, so if you want to see the sights during the day when the sun is up for the longest time, it’s best to visit around that time of year. April sees the most amount of rain in a month if you’re ok with chancing getting drenched, so if you’re looking to stay dry, visit in January instead.

Keep reading to find out when the best times to travel to Ocracoke are for whatever trip you’re planning. By the time you finish, you’ll have all the info you need, and you’ll be ready to start booking. Don’t know where to look or who to book with? Don’t stress! We’ve hand-picked our favourite online travel tools we use, know and love so you can rest assured you’re in safe hands. Happy reading!

Warmest month

July

Least rainfall

January

Most daylight

July

Planning a trip to
Ocracoke? →

*Support us by clicking the links above and making a booking with our partners. It's completely free for you, and it helps us make this site even more awesome! We'll <3 you for it.

Ocracoke seasons

Before you continue, it’s important to know when the seasons are in Ocracoke as they might be different to yours depending on where in the world you’re travelling from. Ocracoke is in the Northern Hemisphere, so the seasons fall during these months:

Season Months
Summer June to August
Autumn/fall September to November
Winter December to February
Spring March to May

Average temperatures in Ocracoke

If the temperature is a big factor for you to help you decide when to visit, the chart below shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures in Ocracoke for each month side-by-side so you can easily see the difference in weather throughout the year. To see the temperatures in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F), hover or tap the shaded boxes on the graph.

Ocracoke climate by month

If you already have a rough idea about which months you might want to travel, the section below shows a detailed breakdown of the climate in Ocracoke for each month so you can see if it all suits your wants and needs. Scroll down, or use the quick menu below to jump to your preferred month.

Jump to:

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC

Ocracoke in January

  • Average temperature: 10℃ (50℉)
  • Average high temperature: 13℃ (55℉)
  • Average low temperature: 8℃ (46℉)
  • Average humidity: 75%
  • Average sunny days: 23 days
  • Average rainfall: 8mm (0") over 6 days
23 days
of pure sunshine
6 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ocracoke in January, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Ocracoke in February

  • Average temperature: 11℃ (52℉)
  • Average high temperature: 13℃ (56℉)
  • Average low temperature: 9℃ (47℉)
  • Average humidity: 75%
  • Average sunny days: 21 days
  • Average rainfall: 16mm (1") over 6 days
21 days
of pure sunshine
6 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ocracoke in February, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Ocracoke in March

  • Average temperature: 13℃ (55℉)
  • Average high temperature: 15℃ (58℉)
  • Average low temperature: 11℃ (51℉)
  • Average humidity: 75%
  • Average sunny days: 21 days
  • Average rainfall: 13mm (0") over 8 days
21 days
of pure sunshine
8 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ocracoke in March, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Ocracoke in April

  • Average temperature: 17℃ (62℉)
  • Average high temperature: 18℃ (65℉)
  • Average low temperature: 15℃ (59℉)
  • Average humidity: 76%
  • Average sunny days: 21 days
  • Average rainfall: 23mm (1") over 7 days
21 days
of pure sunshine
7 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ocracoke in April, make sure you pack a light jumper or hoodie.


Ocracoke in May

  • Average temperature: 21℃ (70℉)
  • Average high temperature: 22℃ (71℉)
  • Average low temperature: 19℃ (67℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 17 days
  • Average rainfall: 21mm (1") over 9 days
17 days
of pure sunshine
9 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ocracoke in May, make sure you pack a light jumper or hoodie for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.


Ocracoke in June

  • Average temperature: 25℃ (77℉)
  • Average high temperature: 26℃ (78℉)
  • Average low temperature: 24℃ (75℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 14 days
  • Average rainfall: 13mm (1") over 9 days
14 days
of pure sunshine
9 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ocracoke in June, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Ocracoke in July

  • Average temperature: 27℃ (80℉)
  • Average high temperature: 27℃ (81℉)
  • Average low temperature: 26℃ (79℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 12 days
  • Average rainfall: 19mm (1") over 12 days
12 days
of pure sunshine
12 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ocracoke in July, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Ocracoke in August

  • Average temperature: 27℃ (80℉)
  • Average high temperature: 27℃ (81℉)
  • Average low temperature: 26℃ (78℉)
  • Average humidity: 78%
  • Average sunny days: 12 days
  • Average rainfall: 20mm (1") over 12 days
12 days
of pure sunshine
12 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ocracoke in August, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Ocracoke in September

  • Average temperature: 25℃ (77℉)
  • Average high temperature: 26℃ (78℉)
  • Average low temperature: 24℃ (75℉)
  • Average humidity: 77%
  • Average sunny days: 16 days
  • Average rainfall: 14mm (1") over 9 days
16 days
of pure sunshine
9 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ocracoke in September, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.

Ocracoke in October

  • Average temperature: 21℃ (70℉)
  • Average high temperature: 22℃ (72℉)
  • Average low temperature: 20℃ (67℉)
  • Average humidity: 73%
  • Average sunny days: 22 days
  • Average rainfall: 12mm (0") over 7 days
22 days
of pure sunshine
7 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ocracoke in October, make sure you pack a light jumper or hoodie for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.


Ocracoke in November

  • Average temperature: 16℃ (61℉)
  • Average high temperature: 18℃ (64℉)
  • Average low temperature: 14℃ (58℉)
  • Average humidity: 74%
  • Average sunny days: 22 days
  • Average rainfall: 18mm (1") over 6 days
22 days
of pure sunshine
6 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ocracoke in November, make sure you pack a light jumper or hoodie.


Ocracoke in December

  • Average temperature: 13℃ (56℉)
  • Average high temperature: 15℃ (59℉)
  • Average low temperature: 11℃ (52℉)
  • Average humidity: 76%
  • Average sunny days: 22 days
  • Average rainfall: 19mm (1") over 6 days
22 days
of pure sunshine
6 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Ocracoke in December, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Top FAQs

The hottest month of the year in Ocracoke is usually July, where temperatures tend to rise to around 27℃ (81℉) in the middle of the day or early afternoon.
The month with the least amount of rain in Ocracoke is generally around January. The dry season often coincides with cooler weather, so you should check the temperatures in January first to make sure it’s still a good time to go.
The rainiest time of year in Ocracoke is generally around April, although the wetter season can sometimes extend a few months either side of April too.
If you want to get the most out of your time visiting Ocracoke, or if you're just afraid of the dark, the days in July are usually the longest between sunrise and sunset.

Ocracoke map