Climate Comfort Score
95/100
Excellent
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 67°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Charleston City, SC Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 67°F
- Avg annual temp
- 95/100
- Comfort score
- 44.3"
- Annual precip
- 329d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Charleston City
Charleston City, South Carolina averages 67°F a year and scores 95/100 on the comfort index - excellent, milder than 98% of U.S. cities.
- 67°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 95/100
- comfort score, milder than 98% of U.S. cities
- 44.3"
- annual precipitation
- 329 days
- frost-free growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
67°F (20°C)
Avg High
73°F
Avg Low
61°F
Annual Precip
44.3"
Comfort Score
95/100
Excellent
Avg Annual Temperature
67°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
44.3"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Charleston City) 95.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Excellent for the Charleston City area.
How Charleston City compares to every U.S. city
Charleston City's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
95 Top 2% higher than 98% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Charleston City
MethodologySince 1900, U.S. land temperatures have tracked (and diverged from) the global mean - the chart below shows how. Charleston City's current NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits within that longer spread, and the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 58°F (14°C) | 44°F (6°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 2.6" | 3.5 | 0.0 |
| February | 60°F (16°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 2.6" | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| March | 66°F (19°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 3.0" | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| April | 72°F (22°C) | 60°F (15°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 3.0" | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| May | 79°F (26°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 2.6" | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| June | 84°F (29°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 79°F (26°C) | 4.8" | 0.0 | 4.9 |
| July | 88°F (31°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 82°F (28°C) | 5.1" | 0.0 | 9.3 |
| August | 86°F (30°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 81°F (27°C) | 6.1" | 0.0 | 6.7 |
| September | 83°F (28°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 78°F (25°C) | 5.3" | 0.0 | 1.7 |
| October | 76°F (24°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 4.1" | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| November | 67°F (19°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 2.3" | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 61°F (16°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 2.9" | 1.2 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 2.6"
8.4 days with precipitation
February 2.6"
8.0 days with precipitation
March 3.0"
7.9 days with precipitation
April 3.0"
7.0 days with precipitation
May 2.6"
6.8 days with precipitation
June 4.8"
10.5 days with precipitation
July 5.1"
11.6 days with precipitation
August 6.1"
11.7 days with precipitation
September 5.3"
8.6 days with precipitation
October 4.1"
6.8 days with precipitation
November 2.3"
6.1 days with precipitation
December 2.9"
8.5 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
December 30
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
February 4
50% probability date
Growing Season
329 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
1,623
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
2,448
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Charleston City's climate means for you
Charleston City runs 67°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 329 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near February 4 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 1,623 heating and 2,448 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Charleston City, SC
Based on station USW00013782 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Charleston City, South Carolina averages 67°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 73°F to a mean daily low of 61°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Charleston City receives roughly 44.3 inches of precipitation each year, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 329 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near February 4 and the first fall freeze near December 30. For energy use, 1,623 heating degree days and 2,448 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Charleston City scores 95/100 (Excellent), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Use the monthly tables above to plan around specific windows, shoulder seasons for mild highs and lows, peak summer for July-driven heat, or deep winter for January-driven cold. All figures here are thirty-year averages: any single year may run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal, so treat them as planning guidance rather than forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Charleston City, SC? ▼
The average annual temperature in Charleston City, South Carolina is 67°F. The warmest month averages 88°F (31°C) and the coldest averages 44°F (6°C).
How much rain does Charleston City get? ▼
Charleston City receives 44.3 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Charleston City? ▼
Charleston City has a climate comfort score of 95/100 (Excellent), milder than 98% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Charleston City? ▼
Charleston City has approximately 329 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around February 4 and the first fall freeze around December 30.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Charleston City? ▼
Charleston City has 1,623 heating degree days and 2,448 cooling degree days annually, a fairly balanced heating/cooling split. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Charleston City climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00013782 near Charleston City.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00013782. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.