January in Charleston — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.8/10January averages 10°C (50°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 84 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 5 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.1 hours of daylight.
It scores 5.8/10 here, 7th of 12 months, against 8.8/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? October scores 3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
February in Charleston — reliably good (6th best month)
Good · 7/10February averages 13°C (55°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Rainfall runs 68 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 10 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.8 hours of daylight.
It scores 7/10 here, 6th of 12 months, against 8.8/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? October scores 1.8 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
March in Charleston: strong conditions, 3rd of 12
Good · 7.7/10Temperatures hover around 16°C (61°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
Budget for roughly 99 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 19 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.8 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 7.7/10 on the same scale — 3rd of 12 months, versus 8.8/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
April holds up well in Charleston — 2nd best month
Good · 8.3/10April averages 19°C (67°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
Rainfall runs 84 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 29 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.8 hours of daylight.
It scores 8.3/10 here, 2nd of 12 months, against 8.8/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on peak pricing, with crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a packable rain layer.
May holds up well in Charleston — 4th best month
Good · 7.6/10At 24°C (74°F) this is comfortable city weather in May, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
Budget for roughly 90 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 30 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 13.7 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 7.6/10 on the same scale — 4th of 12 months, versus 8.8/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a packable rain layer.
June in Charleston — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 5.8/10June averages 27°C (81°F) and humidity near 72%, so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.
Monthly rainfall reaches 110 mm — wet for this destination — but about 30 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still break through, so keep one indoor fallback in the plan.
It scores 5.8/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 8.8/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? October scores 3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
July in Charleston — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.1/10July averages 28°C (83°F) and humidity near 80%, so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.
Monthly rainfall reaches 193 mm — wet for this destination — but about 30 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still break through, so keep one indoor fallback in the plan.
It scores 4.1/10 here, 11th of 12 months, against 8.8/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? October scores 4.7 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
August in Charleston — off-season conditions
Hardest · 4/10Days in August average 28°C (82°F) and humidity near 81% — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
This is the year's wettest stretch at 243 mm, but with about 26 days with 6+ hours of sunshine it is not a total loss; an indoor fallback covers the risk.
That is 4/10 on the same scale — 12th of 12 months, versus 8.8/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, October is materially better in Charleston — 4.8 points higher on the same scale.
September in Charleston — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.6/10At 25°C (76°F) this is comfortable city weather in September, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
141 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only about 17 days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 5.6/10 on the same scale — 9th of 12 months, versus 8.8/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, October is materially better in Charleston — 3.2 points higher on the same scale.
October in Charleston — the year's strongest window
Best window · 8.8/10October averages 19°C (67°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
Expect 34 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 15 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.2 daylight hours.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Charleston at 8.8/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Figure on peak pricing, with crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection.
November in Charleston: strong conditions, 5th of 12
Good · 7.2/10November averages 16°C (60°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Rainfall runs 65 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 6 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.3 hours of daylight.
It scores 7.2/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 8.8/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? October scores 1.6 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
December in Charleston — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.4/10Expect 11°C (51°F) in December. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
105 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only about 3 days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 5.4/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 8.8/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, October is materially better in Charleston — 3.4 points higher on the same scale.
