Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Charleston, South Carolina Weather

Sun climbs to its northern throne. Day 88 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

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

Charleston, SC
Monday, June 15 at 3:49 PM
93
°
Mostly Clear
Feels like
97°
Humidity
44%
Wind
10 mph
Sunrise
2:11 AM
Sunset
4:29 PM
Charleston, SC
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastCharleston, SC: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 73 to 94 degrees Fahrenheit with a 33% chance of precipitation at 1 PM.
L 73°H 94°
Charleston, SC
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jun 15
    Overcast
    10%
    —
    94°75°—
  2. Tuesday
    Jun 16
    Rain
    44%
    0.55″
    81°73°-13°
  3. Wednesday
    Jun 17
    Overcast
    54%
    —
    87°73°+6°
  4. Thursday
    Jun 18
    Thunderstorm
    30%
    0.07″
    97°76°+10°
  5. Friday
    Jun 19
    Showers
    47%
    0.54″
    84°75°-13°
  6. Saturday
    Jun 20
    Light Drizzle
    33%
    —
    81°73°-3°
  7. Sunday
    Jun 21
    Overcast
    10%
    —
    87°72°+6°
Charleston, SC
Next 24 hours · Hot now
HOT 90°68°83°98°12p6p12a6anow 93°high 94°low 73°PRECIP %
Charleston, SC
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
W
271° · veering 86°
Direction
W
271°
Sustained
10
mph
Gust
15
mph
Peak 24h
29
avg 8
Beaufort · 3 · GENTLE 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 8 · pk 29 @ 2:00a
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 165SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze veering 86° from the w.
Charleston, SC
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1010.1
-0.9 mb in 3h · falling · 29.83 inHg
Now
1010.1
mb
3h
-0.9
mb
12h
-0.2
mb
24h
-0.6
mb
Regime · CHANGE
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1010–1014
9951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1013.51010.71011.5
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Pressure slipping through the change line — wetter air on the way.
Charleston, SC
Air quality
40
AQI
Good
→-2 in 6h▲Peak ~55 @ 11 PM

AQI 40 (Good), driven by Ozone. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). Ozone at AQI 65 — peak already passed at 1 PM under partly cloudy skies. Levels should ease through evening.

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

PM 2.5Good
6.3μg/m³
PM 10Good
7μg/m³
NO₂Good
1μg/m³
OzoneDRIVERUnhealthy SG
116μg/m³
UV IndexVery high
8.0

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 65 — peak already passed at 1 PM under partly cloudy skies. Levels should ease through evening.

Present
AQI 65
UV peak
7.6 at earlier today
Sky at peak
partly cloudy
Projected peak
AQI 65

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 6.3 µg/m³, PM10 at 6.9 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.91
Wind
breezy
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 TREND50100MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUNMON7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³320
Charleston, SC
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
21%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
93.2mi
UNLIMITED
97 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
19:49 UTC · Charleston, SC · 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
19:49 UTC · Charleston, SC · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Charleston, SC
Satellite · infrared · animated
Charleston, SC
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Charleston, SC
Almanac · Monday, June 15
A summer fog for fair, a winter fog for rain.
Civil dawn
5:44 AM
Sunrise
2:11 AM
Daylight
14h 18m
Sunset
4:29 PM
Civil dusk
8:59 PM
Planting note
Stake and prune tomato suckers. Watch for squash vine borers.
Charleston, SC
The moon
New Moon
1% illuminated
Moonrise
6:18 AM
Moonset
8:37 PM
In sign
♋︎ Cancer
Charleston, SC
Microseason
Jun 11–15

Sun climbs to its northern throne

insect
Jan 145% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Charleston at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 11°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 4 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jun 11–15
  • Planting window: Stake and prune tomato suckers. Watch for squash vine borers.

16-Day Forecast — Charleston

  1. Mon94°75°10%
  2. Tue81°73°44%
  3. Wed87°73°54%
  4. Thu97°76°30%
  5. Fri84°75°47%
  6. Sat81°73°33%
  7. Sun87°72°10%
  8. Mon96°74°11%
  9. Tue95°72°26%
  10. Wed90°72°38%
  11. Thu94°72°36%
  12. Fri89°75°32%
  13. Sat90°77°38%
  14. Sun90°77°60%
  15. Mon90°77°58%
  16. Tue93°77°35%

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

Live wind & temperature near Charleston

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of June 15, 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 — Charleston

SPC has placed Charleston in the General Thunderstorms category for severe thunderstorms tomorrow.

  • TODAYNONENo severe risk
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.

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 · June 11–15

Sun climbs to its northern throne

Days lengthen toward solstice; longest light lingers until after 8 PM, heat building steadily.

Day 166 of 365 · Wedge 33 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——
Marchlettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash—
Maytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
July—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
September—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
Novemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots—
December——

A year in weather

July is Charleston's warmest stretch (~81°F) and January its coldest (~51°F); precipitation crests in August at 6.8 inches and ebbs in April to 2.5 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January51°4.0″17
February53°3.4″14
March58°4.0″15
April65°2.5″14
May73°2.7″17
June79°4.4″22
July81°6.3″26
August81°6.8″28
September77°5.0″22
October70°2.7″15
November60°2.5″13
December54°3.3″16

Regional context

Charleston's climate, from NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 station normals, pairs 51°F Januarys with 81°F Julys — a 30°F swing. About 47.6 inches of precipitation falls over roughly 218 days a year.

Summer convection drives Charleston's precipitation: August logs 6.8 inches on 27.6 rainy days, against April's 2.5 inches on 14.3 — warm-season storms carry Charleston's moisture. That summer-storm rhythm groups Charleston with places like James Island, SC, Hanahan, SC and Sullivan's Island, SC.

Charleston rarely sees a hard freeze — its coldest month sits near 51°F — so planting spans most of the calendar. Heat peaks in July around 81°F, which confines cool-season crops to the shoulders of summer. Within Charleston, low or inland lots lose 3-5°F overnight versus Charleston's coastal ground.

Similar climates: James Island, SC, Hanahan, SC, Sullivan's Island, SC, North Charleston, SC, Mount Pleasant, SC.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the arrival of ruby-throated hummingbirds returning from their winter grounds, their metallic calls echoing through Charleston's gardens.

Southern magnolia trees begin their spectacular bloom cycle in late May, releasing their lemony fragrance across the city's neighborhoods.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Charleston?
Frost typically leaves Charleston by mid-March and returns to Charleston near mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Charleston?
Charleston sees its heaviest rain in August (around 6.8 inches), part of roughly 48 inches a year.
What is the warmest month in Charleston?
Charleston peaks in July, when the mean runs near 81°F.
What is the coldest month in Charleston?
January is Charleston's coldest month, averaging about 51°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Charleston?
Around mid-March, start frost-hardy crops in Charleston; tomatoes and basil belong a fortnight later.
How many rainy days does Charleston get?
Charleston records around 218 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is Charleston?
Because Charleston bottoms near 51°F in January, that winter low sets Charleston's USDA zone — verify by ZIP.
What is the 10-day forecast for Charleston?
Charleston'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 Charleston?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Charleston in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Charleston?
Current conditions for Charleston and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Charleston forecast updated?
The Charleston forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Charleston?
Day length in Charleston peaks around the June solstice — earliest sunrise and latest sunset — and is shortest near the December solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Charleston?
The next few days in Charleston's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Set in a humid subtropical zone, Charleston, South Carolina swings from 51°F in the heart of winter to 81°F at midsummer — a 30°F arc.

In a typical year Charleston records about 48 inches of precipitation on around 218 days.

Charleston's 30°F range, set by its 32.8°N position, drives frost timing and what thrives in Charleston.

All cities in South Carolina →

ZIP codes in Charleston

  • 29414
  • 29424
  • 29425
  • 29455
  • 29405
  • 29407
  • 29401
  • 29403
  • 29409
  • 29492
  • 29412
  • 29402
  • 29413
  • 29417
  • 29422
  • 29457

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.