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Hillsborough, North Carolina Weather

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon. Day 15 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Hillsborough weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Hillsborough, NC
Saturday, July 4 at 9:09 PM
87
°
Overcast
Feels like
88°
Humidity
45%
Wind
7 mph
Sunrise
2:04 AM
Sunset
4:37 PM
Hillsborough, NC
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastHillsborough, NC: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 75 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit with a 21% chance of precipitation at 8 PM.
L 75°H 101°
Hillsborough, NC
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Light Drizzle
    —
    —
    99°75°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Drizzle
    21%
    0.03″
    101°75°+2°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Showers
    81%
    —
    96°71°-5°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Showers
    71%
    0.14″
    96°70°0°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Light Drizzle
    46%
    —
    92°71°-4°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Overcast
    22%
    —
    96°71°+4°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Light Drizzle
    24%
    —
    100°73°+4°
Hillsborough, NC
Next 24 hours · Warm now
HOT 90°70°90°110°6p12a6a12pnow 87°high 101°low 75°PRECIP %
Hillsborough, NC
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NW
311° · backing 166°
Direction
NW
311°
Sustained
7
mph
Gust
14
mph
Peak 24h
14
avg 4
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 4 · pk 14 @ 9:00p
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 198SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze backing 166° from the nw.
Hillsborough, NC
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
992.8
-0.1 mb in 3h · steady · 29.32 inHg
Now
992.8
mb
3h
-0.1
mb
12h
-3.4
mb
24h
-3.5
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 992–996
9859909951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW996.3992.1992.8
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Hillsborough, NC
Air quality
64
AQI
Moderate
↑+8 in 6h

AQI 64 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI up 8 over the last 6 hours (gradual rise). PM2.5 at 8.8 µg/m³, PM10 at 10.3 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
8.8μg/m³
PM 10Good
10μg/m³
NO₂Good
3μg/m³
OzoneModerate
93μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.0

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 44 now. With UV 0.0 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 11 around 1 PM.

Present
AQI 44
UV peak
0.0 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
clear
Projected peak
AQI 11

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 8.8 µg/m³, PM10 at 10.3 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.85
Wind
light
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
background

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Hillsborough, NC
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
100%
OVERCAST
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
87.5mi
UNLIMITED
128 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
01:09 UTC · Hillsborough, NC · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
01:09 UTC · Hillsborough, NC · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Hillsborough, NC
Satellite · infrared · animated
Hillsborough, NC
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Hillsborough, NC
Almanac · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
5:35 AM
Sunrise
2:04 AM
Daylight
14h 33m
Sunset
4:37 PM
Civil dusk
9:08 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Hillsborough, NC
The moon
Waning Gibbous
77% illuminated
Moonrise
11:31 PM
Moonset
11:27 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Hillsborough, NC
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

plant
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Hillsborough at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 11°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 23 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP code: 27278

16-Day Forecast — Hillsborough

  1. Sat99°75°5%
  2. Sun101°75°21%
  3. Mon96°71°81%
  4. Tue96°70°71%
  5. Wed92°71°46%
  6. Thu96°71°22%
  7. Fri100°73°24%
  8. Sat90°70°39%
  9. Sun84°70°36%
  10. Mon84°66°26%
  11. Tue94°62°19%
  12. Wed97°67°36%
  13. Thu96°69°39%
  14. Fri94°67°56%
  15. Sat95°68°61%
  16. Sun101°70°53%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 5, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — Hillsborough

SPC has placed Hillsborough in the Marginal Risk category for severe thunderstorms today.

  • TODAYMRGLMarginal Risk
  • TOMORROWMRGLMarginal Risk
  • DAY 3MRGLMarginal Risk

Isolated severe storms possible. Limited threat for hail or damaging wind.

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.

January 1–5: Frost quiets the live oaks.January 6–10: Still water thickens with ice.January 11–15: Springs begin to move beneath ice.January 16–20: Cardinal dawn calls grow bolder.January 21–25: Late January thaw pulses.January 26–31: Last freeze locks the land.February 1–5: February's lengthening light.February 6–10: Warming winds thaw the margin.February 11–15: Magnolia blooms break the gray.February 16–20: Mockingbirds resume the dawn chorus.February 21–25: Rain replaces the last snow.February 26–28: Mist clings to greening valleys.March 1–5: The green pulse awakens.March 6–10: Hibernators emerge to call.March 11–15: Dogwood and redbud ignite.March 16–20: Swallowtails emerge from winter silk.March 21–25: Light crowns the dogwood canopy.March 26–31: Redbud cascades over the thaw.April 1–5: Thunder announces the wet season.April 6–10: Barn swallows carve the warming sky.April 11–15: Magnolia blooms and falls in a breath.April 16–20: First rainbows arch over thunderheads.April 21–25: Reeds push through marsh water.April 26–30: Frost retreats; seedlings rise free.May 1–5: Warblers flood the canopy in waves.May 6–10: Tulip poplar lights the forest crown.May 11–15: Shad pulse upstream through rapids.May 16–20: Roses open on the Piedmont edge.May 21–25: Fireflies scout the humid dusk.May 26–31: Frog choruses rise from every wetland.June 1–5: Fireflies pulse through the magnolias.June 6–10: Kudzu climbs deeper into green.June 11–15: Sun climbs to its northern throne.June 16–20: Heat settles and the rain begins.June 21–25: The longest day turns toward shadow.June 26–30: Fireflies drift through Spanish moss.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon.July 6–10: Thunderheads boil and break at dusk.July 11–15: Thunder builds each drowsy afternoon.July 16–20: Cicadas claim the long noon.July 21–25: Dog days drape the earth in haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their rasping chorus.August 1–5: Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night.August 6–10: Meteorological summer's turning page.August 11–15: Cool winds gather at the margins.August 16–20: Dog-day cicadas rise.August 21–25: Heat breaks in creek beds.August 26–31: Monarchs gather strength.September 1–5: Harvests begin in earnest.September 6–10: Dew beads on resurrection fern.September 11–15: Raptors trail the thermals.September 16–20: Day and dark find balance.September 21–25: Thunder quiets the land.September 26–30: Insects retreat below.October 1–5: Swamp waters recede.October 6–10: Maples ignite the ridge.October 11–15: Asters crown the meadows.October 16–20: Crickets sing at dusk.October 21–25: Frost paints the garden.October 26–31: Light rains whisper down.November 1–5: Sweetgum Turns Crimson.November 6–10: Camellia Blooms Break Through.November 11–15: Earth Stiffens Underfoot.November 16–20: Bare Limbs Hold the Light.November 21–25: First Frost Grips the High Ground.November 26–30: North Wind Strips the Last Leaves.December 1–5: Darkness Falls Before Dinner.December 6–10: Winter Locks the Land.December 11–15: Wildlife Retreats to Shelter.December 16–20: Ice Edges Deepen Inward.December 21–25: The Sun Begins its Return.December 26–31: The Year Turns in Silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · July 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

Dog-day cicadas emerge in waves, their rasp dominating every sunny hour; heat peaks above 90 degrees daily.

Day 186 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
March——
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

Hillsborough's warmest month is July (~78°F mean) and its coldest is January (~38°F). Rainfall peaks in June (5.2 inches) and bottoms out in February (2.9 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January38°4.0″6
February41°2.9″6
March49°4.5″8
April58°3.7″7
May66°3.8″7
June74°5.2″7
July78°4.2″7
August76°5.2″7
September70°4.7″5
October59°3.4″5
November49°3.6″5
December42°3.3″6

Regional context

Hillsborough swings from 38°F in January to 78°F in July (40°F) per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals; precipitation in Hillsborough runs about 48.6 inches on roughly 77 measurable days.

Hillsborough's precipitation spreads evenly: June peaks at 5.2 inches on 7.4 wet days, while February holds 2.9 inches over 6.2 — no month dominates Hillsborough's rain calendar. It is a balanced pattern Hillsborough shares with places like Efland, NC, Mebane, NC and Carrboro, NC.

Once Hillsborough passes mid-April, overnight freezes fade and peas, lettuce, spinach, and radishes can be sown. Tomatoes and peppers do best set out two weeks later in Hillsborough, once nights clear the mid-40s°F. By mid-November, frost is back in Hillsborough — protect or harvest anything tender. A creek-bottom lot in Hillsborough can lag Hillsborough's last frost 7-10 days behind a south slope.

Similar climates: Efland, NC, Mebane, NC, Carrboro, NC, Chapel Hill, NC, Woodlawn, NC.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Hillsborough?
In Hillsborough, expect the last spring frost near mid-April; Hillsborough's first autumn frost comes around mid-November.
What is the rainy season in Hillsborough?
Hillsborough sees its heaviest rain in June (around 5.2 inches), part of roughly 49 inches a year.
What is the warmest month in Hillsborough?
On average July tops the year in Hillsborough at about 78°F.
What is the coldest month in Hillsborough?
The coldest stretch in Hillsborough falls in January, around 38°F on average.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Hillsborough?
In Hillsborough, sow peas and hardy greens around mid-April; Hillsborough's tomatoes and peppers wait two weeks more.
How many rainy days does Hillsborough get?
Hillsborough averages about 77 days with measurable rain or snow each year.
What hardiness zone is Hillsborough?
Since January in Hillsborough averages 38°F, Hillsborough's USDA zone follows that floor — confirm it by ZIP.
What is the 10-day forecast for Hillsborough?
Hillsborough's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Hillsborough?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Hillsborough in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Hillsborough?
Current conditions for Hillsborough and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Hillsborough forecast updated?
The Hillsborough forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Hillsborough?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Hillsborough are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Hillsborough?
The next few days in Hillsborough's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Set in a humid subtropical zone, Hillsborough, North Carolina swings from 38°F in the heart of winter to 78°F at midsummer — a 40°F arc.

Rain and snow bring Hillsborough roughly 49 inches a year across approximately 77 measurable-precipitation days.

Hillsborough sits at 36.1°N; that 40°F seasonal swing frames planting windows and frost dates across Hillsborough.

All cities in North Carolina →

Chapel Hill, NC weather →

ZIP codes in Hillsborough

  • 27278

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.