August is one of the warmer months of the year in Durham, with average highs near 18°C and lows around 10.7°C (mean 14.4°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 81 mm of rainfall and 85% relative humidity across the period.
August is one of the warmer months of the year in Durham. Across 45 years of records, the warmest August in Durham was 1997 — when the month averaged 16.2°C — while the coldest was 1986 at 11.6°C. Typical August days reach 18°C with nights near 10.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
August is a relatively wet time of year in Durham, averaging 81 mm of rainfall. The wettest August on record was 2004 with 170 mm, while the driest was 1995 at 16 mm.
Relative humidity in Durham during August averages 85%. The most humid August was 2008 at 88%, and the least humid were 1995 and 2022 at 82%.
August receives about 3.8 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Durham. The sunniest August was 1995 at 4.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1986 at 2.9.
Average wind speed in Durham during August is 3.3 m/s. The windiest August was 1985 at 4.6 m/s, while the calmest was 1983 at 2.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 13.7°C | 14.4°C | 14.7°C | 14.1°C | 15.1°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg High | 17.3°C | 18.1°C | 18.3°C | 17.7°C | 18.7°C | +1.4°C |
| Avg Low | 10.1°C | 10.6°C | 11.1°C | 10.6°C | 11.4°C | +1.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 77 mm | 64 mm | 96 mm | 97 mm | 66 mm | -10 mm |
August temperatures in Durham have risen by about 0.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
August has ranged from a record low of 4.7°C (1982) to a record high of 26.4°C (1990).
Rainfall in August is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 81 mm, with a wettest year of 170 mm.
One of the best times to visit Durham
August is one of the best times to visit Durham. Expect days averaging 18°C and nights around 10.7°C (mean 14.4°C) — warmer than Durham's yearly average — with higher rainfall (81 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19.4°C | 15.6°C | 11.7°C | 25.9°C | 9.0°C | 36 mm | 83% | 3.3 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2024 | 18.3°C | 14.7°C | 11.1°C | 23.3°C | 7.4°C | 67 mm | 84% | 4.1 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2023 | 18.1°C | 14.7°C | 11.2°C | 23.6°C | 8.7°C | 83 mm | 85% | 3.2 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2022 | 19.9°C | 16.0°C | 12.0°C | 26.2°C | 8.0°C | 39 mm | 82% | 2.6 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2021 | 18.2°C | 14.6°C | 11.0°C | 20.3°C | 8.3°C | 59 mm | 85% | 2.8 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2020 | 18.4°C | 15.0°C | 11.6°C | 23.9°C | 7.0°C | 116 mm | 86% | 3.3 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2019 | 19.0°C | 15.5°C | 12.0°C | 24.6°C | 9.1°C | 126 mm | 86% | 3.7 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2018 | 18.1°C | 14.6°C | 11.1°C | 22.6°C | 6.7°C | 92 mm | 85% | 3.1 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2017 | 17.1°C | 13.7°C | 10.3°C | 19.7°C | 7.2°C | 70 mm | 85% | 3.5 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2016 | 18.1°C | 14.5°C | 10.8°C | 21.0°C | 7.0°C | 100 mm | 85% | 3.6 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2015 | 17.8°C | 14.1°C | 10.4°C | 21.0°C | 7.4°C | 87 mm | 84% | 3.4 m/s | 4 |
| 2014 | 16.4°C | 13.0°C | 9.7°C | 19.6°C | 6.1°C | 108 mm | 84% | 3.9 m/s | 4 |
| 2013 | 18.6°C | 14.8°C | 11.1°C | 22.2°C | 7.4°C | 84 mm | 85% | 3.2 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2012 | 17.7°C | 14.3°C | 10.9°C | 20.5°C | 4.8°C | 105 mm | 87% | 3 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2011 | 16.8°C | 13.4°C | 10.0°C | 21.0°C | 7.4°C | 119 mm | 86% | 3.1 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2010 | 17.1°C | 13.4°C | 9.8°C | 21.8°C | 5.9°C | 80 mm | 85% | 3.3 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2009 | 18.3°C | 14.8°C | 11.4°C | 21.4°C | 9.2°C | 94 mm | 85% | 3.9 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2008 | 18.0°C | 14.8°C | 11.6°C | 21.9°C | 7.9°C | 159 mm | 88% | 3.3 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2007 | 17.4°C | 13.7°C | 10.0°C | 21.9°C | 7.9°C | 61 mm | 85% | 3.6 m/s | 4 |
| 2006 | 17.8°C | 14.4°C | 11.0°C | 23.0°C | 8.4°C | 111 mm | 86% | 3.3 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2005 | 18.0°C | 14.1°C | 10.2°C | 21.6°C | 7.8°C | 65 mm | 84% | 3.3 m/s | 4 |
| 2004 🌧️ | 18.8°C | 15.4°C | 11.9°C | 22.8°C | 7.6°C | 170 mm | 87% | 3.1 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2003 | 19.1°C | 15.4°C | 11.6°C | 26.0°C | 7.3°C | 49 mm | 84% | 2.8 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2002 | 18.9°C | 15.3°C | 11.6°C | 23.6°C | 8.2°C | 87 mm | 87% | 2.7 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2001 | 18.5°C | 14.7°C | 11.0°C | 22.2°C | 8.4°C | 92 mm | 85% | 2.9 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2000 | 18.0°C | 14.4°C | 10.8°C | 22.0°C | 7.9°C | 73 mm | 86% | 2.8 m/s | 4 |
| 1999 | 17.1°C | 13.7°C | 10.3°C | 24.0°C | 6.1°C | 85 mm | 85% | 3.3 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1998 | 17.2°C | 13.6°C | 10.1°C | 21.7°C | 5.6°C | 51 mm | 86% | 3.8 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1997 🔥 | 20.3°C | 16.2°C | 12.2°C | 25.8°C | 8.0°C | 66 mm | 86% | 2.6 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1996 | 18.2°C | 14.5°C | 10.7°C | 23.6°C | 8.3°C | 60 mm | 84% | 2.9 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1995 | 20.2°C | 15.9°C | 11.6°C | 25.7°C | 8.9°C | 16 mm | 82% | 2.6 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1994 | 16.7°C | 13.3°C | 9.8°C | 22.5°C | 6.5°C | 87 mm | 85% | 3.3 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1993 | 16.1°C | 12.4°C | 8.7°C | 20.3°C | 5.9°C | 59 mm | 84% | 3.2 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1992 | 16.7°C | 13.2°C | 9.7°C | 19.2°C | 5.7°C | 114 mm | 83% | 4.2 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1991 | 19.1°C | 15.2°C | 11.3°C | 22.2°C | 8.8°C | 47 mm | 84% | 3.2 m/s | 4 |
| 1990 | 19.6°C | 15.7°C | 11.8°C | 26.4°C | 7.0°C | 56 mm | 82% | 3.7 m/s | 4 |
| 1989 | 17.7°C | 14.1°C | 10.4°C | 21.1°C | 6.6°C | 83 mm | 82% | 4.1 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1988 | 17.0°C | 13.4°C | 9.9°C | 22.7°C | 7.4°C | 68 mm | 84% | 3.9 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1987 | 16.6°C | 13.4°C | 10.3°C | 21.8°C | 6.5°C | 110 mm | 86% | 3.4 m/s | 3.2 |
| 1986 ❄️ | 14.9°C | 11.6°C | 8.3°C | 17.6°C | 4.9°C | 132 mm | 84% | 3.5 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1985 | 15.8°C | 12.7°C | 9.6°C | 19.1°C | 7.4°C | 106 mm | 86% | 4.6 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1984 | 19.2°C | 15.2°C | 11.1°C | 23.6°C | 7.6°C | 51 mm | 84% | 2.7 m/s | 4 |
| 1983 | 19.0°C | 15.0°C | 10.9°C | 22.7°C | 7.2°C | 34 mm | 83% | 2.4 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 17.3°C | 13.8°C | 10.3°C | 22.7°C | 4.7°C | 71 mm | 84% | 4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 18.1°C | 14.2°C | 10.3°C | 21.8°C | 6.8°C | 36 mm | 85% | 2.7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded August data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in August is around 18°C with lows near 10.7°C (mean 14.4°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
August averages 81 mm of rainfall in Durham, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 170 mm in 2004.
The hottest August reached 26.4°C in 1990. The coldest dipped to 4.7°C in 1982.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average August temperatures have risen by about 0.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 17.9°C to 18.8°C and overnight lows from 10.4°C to 11.4°C over the same span.
August is one of the warmer months of the year in Durham and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 18°C daytime highs and 10.7°C at night.
Not quite — August is the 11th coolest month in Durham, averaging 14.4°C.
For August in Durham, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 18°C and lows of 10.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in August averages 85% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in August is 3.3 m/s. The windiest August on record averaged 4.6 m/s (1985).
The wettest August on record was 2004 with 170 mm. On average, August sees 81 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Durham behaves each August, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for August specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
