Charleston climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Charleston?

Charleston has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 12.9 °C and it receives 1,252 mm of precipitation per year.

Q: What is the hottest day ever recorded in Charleston?

The hottest day measured in Charleston between 1940 and 2025 was 14 July 1954, reaching 39.0 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Charleston?

The coldest day measured in Charleston between 1940 and 2025 was 19 January 1994, at -27.7 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Charleston?

Yes. Charleston gets on average 53.2 cm of snow per year and has around 76 frost days.

Q: Has the climate of Charleston warmed?

Yes: Charleston warmed by +1.6 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Charleston?

The wettest day measured in Charleston between 1940 and 2025 was 23 June 2016, with 118 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Charleston?

The windiest day measured in Charleston between 1940 and 2025 was 2 April 1970, with winds reaching 39.7 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Charleston?

The warmest month in Charleston is July (23.6 °C on average); the coldest is January (1.1 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Charleston?

Charleston receives on average 1,252 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 148 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Charleston?

Charleston gets on average 8.6 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,139 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Charleston (United States) has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 12.9 °C and it receives 1,252 mm of precipitation per year.

These figures are normals computed over 86 complete calendar years, from 1940 to 2025, using ERA5 reanalysis data from the Copernicus programme.

The warmest month is July (23.6 °C on average) and the coldest is January (1.1 °C). Rainfall peaks in July.

Charleston averages 76 frost days, 30 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 148 rainy days per year.

Charleston has warmed by +1.6 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.18 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The number of frost days there went from about 85 to 67 per year over the period.

The hottest day of the period reached 39.0 °C (on 14 July 1954) and the coldest -27.7 °C (on 19 January 1994).

Data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus Climate Change Service), redistributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. Normals are recomputed whenever the archive is updated.

Climate normals · ERA5

CharlestonWest Virginia

coords: 38.35°, -81.63°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

CfaHumid subtropicalWarmest monthJulyColdest monthJanuaryWettest monthJulyDriest monthOctober

Mean daily temperature

12.9°C

Average daily high

18.1°C

Average daily low

8.4°C

Annual rainfall

1,252mm

Sunshine / day

8.6h

Mean relative humidity

71%

Average peak wind

14.7km/h

Seasonal range

22.5°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

76 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

30 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

148 d/yr

Annual snowfall

53.2 cm

Average feels-like high

17.3 °C

Average feels-like low

6.4 °C

Average peak gust

35.4 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

37 d/yr

Solar radiation

14.7 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+1.6 °C

since 1940

+0.2 °C per decade · r² = 0.35 · p = < 0.001

19402025

Trend fitted by linear regression (ordinary least squares) on annual means. A trend is shown only when it is statistically significant (p < 0.05).

A climograph overlays rainfall (bars) and temperature (line): the standard reading in climatology, where you can see at a glance whether the warm season is also the dry one.

Records for the period

Hottest day

39.0 °C

14 July 1954

Coldest day

-27.7 °C

19 January 1994

Wettest day

118 mm

23 June 2016

Windiest day

39.7 km/h

2 April 1970

Strongest gust

108.4 km/h

3 March 2023

Hottest feels-like

43.2 °C

14 July 1954

Coldest feels-like

-32.9 °C

21 January 1985

Snowiest day

40.7 cm

13 March 1993

Sunniest day

14.7 h

21 June 1940

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days	Frost days
2025	34.4 °C24 June 2025	-21.9 °C21 January 2025	13.8 °C	1,206 mm	53	75
2024	35.9 °C16 July 2024	-16.0 °C17 January 2024	14.8 °C	1,169 mm	59	53
2023	33.1 °C24 August 2023	-9.9 °C4 February 2023	14.4 °C	1,144 mm	28	51
2022	34.6 °C22 June 2022	-17.1 °C23 December 2022	13.5 °C	1,388 mm	33	73
2021	33.6 °C29 June 2021	-8.3 °C30 January 2021	14.0 °C	1,195 mm	42	76
2020	34.5 °C16 July 2020	-12.3 °C26 December 2020	14.1 °C	1,477 mm	37	45
2019	35.6 °C13 September 2019	-16.6 °C31 January 2019	14.4 °C	1,439 mm	55	61
2018	34.1 °C4 September 2018	-16.7 °C7 January 2018	13.9 °C	1,721 mm	51	72
2017	32.2 °C22 July 2017	-15.5 °C9 January 2017	14.2 °C	1,369 mm	26	58
2016	32.6 °C11 June 2016	-13.8 °C14 February 2016	14.1 °C	1,369 mm	43	66
2015	32.7 °C11 June 2015	-23.4 °C20 February 2015	13.8 °C	1,248 mm	39	68
2014	34.2 °C1 July 2014	-21.2 °C22 January 2014	12.6 °C	1,178 mm	31	89
2013	33.8 °C18 July 2013	-15.9 °C2 February 2013	13.1 °C	1,192 mm	25	74
2012	37.1 °C29 June 2012	-13.4 °C4 January 2012	14.2 °C	1,236 mm	32	64
2011	34.4 °C3 September 2011	-17.3 °C9 January 2011	13.6 °C	1,448 mm	36	64
2010	35.3 °C7 July 2010	-19.9 °C31 January 2010	13.1 °C	1,027 mm	64	86
2009	31.1 °C25 April 2009	-17.7 °C5 February 2009	12.7 °C	1,357 mm	7	73
2008	32.8 °C9 June 2008	-14.1 °C22 December 2008	12.8 °C	1,219 mm	24	77
2007	37.8 °C16 August 2007	-16.3 °C6 February 2007	14.2 °C	967 mm	72	75
2006	34.5 °C2 August 2006	-14.7 °C19 February 2006	13.5 °C	1,274 mm	35	59
2005	34.4 °C25 July 2005	-17.7 °C24 January 2005	13.5 °C	1,088 mm	53	73
2004	30.7 °C28 August 2004	-17.4 °C31 January 2004	13.2 °C	1,497 mm	4	76
2003	31.0 °C6 July 2003	-18.7 °C18 January 2003	12.6 °C	1,553 mm	6	80
2002	33.4 °C14 August 2002	-12.7 °C2 January 2002	13.5 °C	1,348 mm	37	71
2001	33.1 °C24 July 2001	-14.5 °C3 January 2001	13.4 °C	1,009 mm	14	67
2000	31.3 °C11 June 2000	-17.6 °C28 January 2000	12.7 °C	1,059 mm	13	83
1999	35.3 °C23 July 1999	-12.3 °C25 December 1999	13.6 °C	1,103 mm	45	71
1998	34.4 °C14 September 1998	-11.3 °C1 January 1998	14.0 °C	1,198 mm	20	47
1997	31.9 °C28 July 1997	-15.4 °C17 January 1997	12.2 °C	1,102 mm	10	66
1996	31.1 °C30 June 1996	-23.9 °C4 February 1996	12.1 °C	1,595 mm	10	95
1995	36.3 °C15 July 1995	-18.0 °C7 February 1995	12.8 °C	1,223 mm	41	83
1994	33.9 °C20 June 1994	-27.7 °C19 January 1994	12.9 °C	1,432 mm	20	68
1993	36.2 °C28 July 1993	-13.7 °C15 March 1993	12.9 °C	1,213 mm	50	72
1992	33.1 °C13 July 1992	-14.2 °C16 January 1992	12.6 °C	1,197 mm	13	68
1991	35.2 °C2 August 1991	-14.5 °C16 February 1991	14.2 °C	1,223 mm	49	69
1990	32.8 °C9 July 1990	-16.3 °C26 February 1990	14.2 °C	1,506 mm	19	58
1989	33.9 °C11 July 1989	-23.1 °C22 December 1989	12.4 °C	1,422 mm	18	85
1988	38.0 °C8 July 1988	-15.3 °C6 January 1988	12.9 °C	963 mm	60	87
1987	35.2 °C24 July 1987	-23.5 °C27 January 1987	13.4 °C	1,189 mm	49	74
1986	34.8 °C20 July 1986	-15.3 °C28 January 1986	13.5 °C	1,230 mm	42	70
1985	32.7 °C8 September 1985	-26.9 °C21 January 1985	12.9 °C	1,399 mm	16	80
1984	33.5 °C2 September 1984	-25.4 °C21 January 1984	13.2 °C	1,264 mm	40	66
1983	36.8 °C20 August 1983	-22.1 °C25 December 1983	12.7 °C	1,241 mm	48	73
1982	31.4 °C26 July 1982	-23.9 °C17 January 1982	13.0 °C	1,283 mm	17	73
1981	31.9 °C26 July 1981	-19.5 °C8 January 1981	12.1 °C	1,179 mm	13	87
1980	37.3 °C28 June 1980	-20.1 °C3 March 1980	12.3 °C	1,254 mm	36	86
1979	31.7 °C8 August 1979	-22.1 °C6 February 1979	12.0 °C	1,380 mm	5	86
1978	34.4 °C27 June 1978	-19.8 °C12 January 1978	12.0 °C	1,261 mm	36	84
1977	36.0 °C17 July 1977	-24.2 °C17 January 1977	12.9 °C	1,274 mm	45	77
1976	33.6 °C15 July 1976	-16.9 °C9 January 1976	12.1 °C	1,073 mm	25	96
1975	34.7 °C2 August 1975	-14.6 °C17 January 1975	13.2 °C	1,312 mm	33	72
1974	31.3 °C14 May 1974	-9.8 °C5 February 1974	12.9 °C	1,494 mm	5	65
1973	34.1 °C2 September 1973	-14.5 °C17 February 1973	13.4 °C	1,350 mm	25	68
1972	32.9 °C20 July 1972	-22.6 °C16 January 1972	12.3 °C	1,448 mm	12	76
1971	32.6 °C9 July 1971	-16.4 °C10 February 1971	13.0 °C	1,113 mm	23	78
1970	34.3 °C3 July 1970	-21.6 °C4 February 1970	12.9 °C	1,180 mm	44	79
1969	34.4 °C5 July 1969	-16.1 °C5 January 1969	12.1 °C	1,077 mm	22	97
1968	33.4 °C30 June 1968	-21.2 °C8 January 1968	12.1 °C	1,027 mm	30	88
1967	32.3 °C14 June 1967	-18.4 °C8 February 1967	12.3 °C	1,267 mm	11	82
1966	34.2 °C27 July 1966	-19.1 °C30 January 1966	12.0 °C	1,188 mm	36	81
1965	34.8 °C16 August 1965	-18.0 °C31 January 1965	12.8 °C	1,002 mm	32	81
1964	35.2 °C9 September 1964	-20.3 °C12 February 1964	13.1 °C	1,141 mm	59	84
1963	32.5 °C3 August 1963	-25.3 °C24 January 1963	11.7 °C	1,025 mm	12	86
1962	35.6 °C20 August 1962	-22.0 °C13 December 1962	12.4 °C	1,210 mm	25	85
1961	31.7 °C13 September 1961	-22.5 °C25 January 1961	12.3 °C	1,403 mm	15	70
1960	33.5 °C26 July 1960	-14.9 °C22 December 1960	12.2 °C	1,087 mm	37	100
1959	34.4 °C1 July 1959	-18.4 °C5 January 1959	13.3 °C	1,235 mm	47	82
1958	32.2 °C4 July 1958	-19.2 °C17 February 1958	11.6 °C	1,266 mm	15	83
1957	35.0 °C2 September 1957	-18.4 °C17 January 1957	13.4 °C	1,277 mm	43	63
1956	31.7 °C5 August 1956	-16.6 °C15 January 1956	12.8 °C	1,498 mm	13	75
1955	34.4 °C6 August 1955	-21.2 °C13 February 1955	13.1 °C	1,107 mm	47	89
1954	39.0 °C14 July 1954	-21.0 °C13 January 1954	13.2 °C	1,143 mm	46	77
1953	37.7 °C2 September 1953	-11.2 °C24 December 1953	13.9 °C	980 mm	61	62
1952	37.2 °C28 July 1952	-13.7 °C30 January 1952	13.3 °C	1,125 mm	51	67
1951	33.6 °C23 July 1951	-26.5 °C3 February 1951	12.6 °C	1,388 mm	31	84
1950	30.4 °C24 June 1950	-14.8 °C25 November 1950	12.4 °C	1,597 mm	5	87
1949	33.5 °C5 July 1949	-11.4 °C16 December 1949	13.8 °C	1,283 mm	36	61
1948	34.7 °C28 August 1948	-19.3 °C19 January 1948	12.9 °C	1,390 mm	23	71
1947	31.7 °C5 September 1947	-16.7 °C8 February 1947	11.8 °C	985 mm	20	98
1946	31.5 °C9 September 1946	-17.4 °C28 January 1946	13.2 °C	1,265 mm	6	64
1945	32.4 °C1 September 1945	-18.0 °C2 February 1945	12.4 °C	1,393 mm	12	82
1944	34.8 °C12 August 1944	-12.5 °C20 December 1944	12.5 °C	1,199 mm	28	83
1943	32.5 °C12 August 1943	-18.2 °C4 March 1943	11.9 °C	1,011 mm	26	94
1942	33.5 °C2 August 1942	-20.6 °C9 January 1942	12.0 °C	1,326 mm	10	90
1941	32.2 °C11 August 1941	-14.3 °C18 March 1941	12.2 °C	1,154 mm	16	94
1940	33.3 °C29 July 1940	-20.3 °C6 January 1940	10.9 °C	1,361 mm	11	93

Normals computed over complete calendar years 1940–2025.

A specific year

Pick a year and see how it compares to normal — warmer, drier or more extreme than usual?

Year

Across the whole year

Average daily high

19.2 °C

+1.1 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

53 d/yr

+23

Frost days (< 0 °C)

75 d/yr

-1

Annual rainfall

1206 mm

-46 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	2.3 °C	-3.3 °C	108 mm	+7 mm
Feb	9.3 °C	+1.6 °C	167 mm	+67 mm
Mar	17.6 °C	+4.7 °C	54 mm	-63 mm
Apr	20.9 °C	+2.1 °C	102 mm	-10 mm
May	22.0 °C	-0.9 °C	152 mm	+29 mm
Jun	29.2 °C	+2.2 °C	117 mm	+3 mm
Jul	30.6 °C	+2.1 °C	138 mm	+13 mm
Aug	29.1 °C	+1.1 °C	32 mm	-67 mm
Sep	27.4 °C	+2.3 °C	79 mm	-11 mm
Oct	20.3 °C	+0.8 °C	86 mm	+4 mm
Nov	13.4 °C	+0.3 °C	79 mm	-12 mm
Dec	7.9 °C	+0.2 °C	93 mm	-6 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

34.4 °C

24 Jun 2025

Coldest day

-21.9 °C

21 Jan 2025

Wettest day

41.4 mm

15 Feb 2025

Windiest day

33.1 km/h

15 Apr 2025

Strongest gust

94.3 km/h

16 Mar 2025

Hottest feels-like

40.4 °C

24 Jun 2025

Coldest feels-like

-26.4 °C

21 Jan 2025

Snowiest day

11.3 cm

11 Feb 2025

Sunniest day

14.7 h

21 Jun 2025

What was the weather like that day?

Your birthday, a wedding, a memorable trip: discover the actual weather for any date since 1940.

Date

Frequently asked questions

What is the climate of Charleston?

Charleston has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 12.9 °C and it receives 1,252 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Charleston?

The hottest day measured in Charleston between 1940 and 2025 was 14 July 1954, reaching 39.0 °C.

What is the coldest day in Charleston?

The coldest day measured in Charleston between 1940 and 2025 was 19 January 1994, at -27.7 °C.

Does it snow in Charleston?

Yes. Charleston gets on average 53.2 cm of snow per year and has around 76 frost days.

Has the climate of Charleston warmed?

Yes: Charleston warmed by +1.6 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Charleston?

The wettest day measured in Charleston between 1940 and 2025 was 23 June 2016, with 118 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Charleston?

The windiest day measured in Charleston between 1940 and 2025 was 2 April 1970, with winds reaching 39.7 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Charleston?

The warmest month in Charleston is July (23.6 °C on average); the coldest is January (1.1 °C).

How much does it rain in Charleston?

Charleston receives on average 1,252 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 148 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Charleston?

Charleston gets on average 8.6 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,139 hours per year over 1940-2025.

What is the biggest single-day snowfall in Charleston?

The heaviest 24-hour snowfall measured in Charleston between 1940 and 2025 was 13 March 1993, with 40.7 cm.

Are there tropical nights in Charleston?

Yes: Charleston has on average 37 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Charleston?

In Charleston, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 43.2 °C on 14 July 1954, and the lowest was -32.9 °C on 21 January 1985.

Compare Charleston with another city

Pick a second city: its normals will be set against these, indicator by indicator.

Nearby cities

The climate around Charleston

Other cities — United States

All cities in United States →