Hickory weather in April

In April, Hickory sees average daytime highs of 70°F and overnight lows near 49°F, with 3.9 in of rain across 9.1 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 66°F in the first days to 72°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in April, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 18 min at the start of April to 13 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, April is Hickory's 5th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Hickory's year-round climate.

Daytime high
70°
7th warmest
Overnight low
49°
6th coldest
Rainfall
3.9 in
9.1 wet days
Daylight
12 h 54 min
5:58 AM – 6:53 PM
Cloud cover
55%
5th clearest
Wind
6 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
5.54 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.6
out of 10

Hickory is city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States.

Density
523/km²
people per km²
Founded
1870

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in April

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 66°F in the first days to 72°F by the end.

A typical April day in Hickory reaches about 70°F in the afternoon and slips back to 49°F overnight — a 21°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 58°F and 81°F. Set against its neighbours, April runs about 9°F warmer than March and about 8°F cooler than May.

40°60°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16645
26645
36645
46746
56746
66746
76846
86847
96847
106947
116948
126948
136948
147048
157049
167049
177049
187149
197150
207150
217150
227150
237151
247251
257251
267251
277252
287252
297352
307353

How April really feels in Hickory

Once humidity and wind are folded in, April averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

April sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Hickory weather by month

How April compares with the rest of the year at a glance. April is the 7th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan49° / 31°3.79.61.59.92.0
Feb53° / 34°3.491.510.63.0
Mar60° / 40°4.410.40.811.75.0
Apr70° / 49°3.99.1012.96.6
May77° / 57°3.410.8013.96.7
Jun84° / 65°3.613014.45.1
Jul88° / 69°3.514014.24.1
Aug86° / 68°3.712.5013.44.8
Sep80° / 62°3.89.6012.26.6
Oct70° / 50°3.57.2011.17.1
Nov59° / 39°3.47.6010.15.1
Dec51° / 34°3.88.80.79.62.7

Cloud cover in April

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time in April.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of April, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15149
25149
35248
45248
55347
65347
75446
85446
95446
105545
115446
125446
135446
145446
155347
165347
175347
185347
195347
205248
215248
225149
235149
245149
255149
265050
275050
285050
295149
305248

Chance of precipitation in April

Any precipitation

Hickory gets around 3.9 in of rain over 9.1 wet days in April. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 31% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
130
230
330
429
529
629
729
829
929
1029
1129
1230
1330
1430
1531
1631
1731
1832
1932
2032
2133
2233
2333
2433
2534
2634
2734
2834
2934
3034

Humidity in April

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of April feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, April lands in the dry band about 81% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
191810
290820
389920
489920
5881020
6881020
7861130
8861130
9851230
10841330
11841330
12831430
13821440
14811540
15811540
16801640
17801640
18791641
19791641
20791641
21781651
22781651
23761761
24761761
25751771
26741781
27731881
28711892
297018102
306819112

Wind in April

Winds average 6 mph in April, the windiest month of the year.

Across April, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 6 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm

Sunrise & sunset in April

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min at the start of April to 13 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 66 minutes over April. Sunrise moves from 6:20 AM to 5:41 AM, and sunset from 6:40 PM to 7:05 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.36:206:40
212.46:186:41
312.46:176:42
412.56:156:43
512.56:146:43
612.56:136:44
712.66:116:45
812.66:106:46
912.66:086:47
1012.76:076:48
1112.76:056:49
1212.86:046:49
1312.86:036:50
1412.86:016:51
1512.96:006:52
1612.95:586:53
1712.95:576:54
1813.05:566:54
1913.05:546:55
2013.05:536:56
2113.15:526:57
2213.15:516:58
2313.25:496:59
2413.25:486:59
2513.25:477:00
2613.35:467:01
2713.35:447:02
2813.35:437:03
2913.45:427:04
3013.45:417:05

Solar energy in April

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in April, about 5.54 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.27 kWh/m² to a high of 6.16 kWh/m² in June across the year — April's 5.54 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.1Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.3Bright
85.4Bright
95.4Bright
105.4Bright
115.4Bright
125.5Bright
135.5Bright
145.5Bright
155.5Bright
165.5Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.7Bright
275.7Bright
285.7Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
Planning a trip in April

Is April a good time to visit Hickory?

Our two travel scores rate April for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.6
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
4.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

April is a reasonable time to visit Hickory for sightseeing.

What to pack for Hickory in April

From April's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In April, Hickory sees daytime highs around 70°F and nights near 49°F. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 9 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

UV index in Hickory in April

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in April peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Hickory peaks around July 13 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 13UV 9Dec 20UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7High
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Hickory in April

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where April falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Hickory is worst in July — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodJul 1619 µg/m³Dec 158 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr12Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul19Moderate
Aug17Moderate
Sep13Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Hickory?

Hickory sits at 35.7°N, 81.3°W, 1,148 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Lenoir, 17 mi away.

Topography around Hickory

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Hickory.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Hickory has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 312 ft around an average of 1,106 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,368 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 5,899 ft.

The land around Hickory is covered by trees (57%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 2 miles, trees (65%) and grassland (25%) within 10 miles, and trees (79%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
312 ft
10 miles
1,368 ft
50 miles
5,899 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
April weather nearby: Lenoir 17 mi · Morganton 19 mi · Statesville 25 mi · Mooresville 32 mi · Cornelius 32 mi · Shelby 32 mi · Gastonia 34 mi · Huntersville 36 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Hickory (35.7332°, -81.3412°, elevation 1,148 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).