2025 Compare Climate & Weather:
Charleston, SC vs Gulf Shores, AL

Highlights

On average, there are 223 sunny days per year in Gulf Shores. Charleston averages 209 sunny days per year. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Gulf Shores, Alabama gets 63.5 inches of rain, on average, per year. Charleston, South Carolina gets 48.3 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38.1 inches of rain per year.

Gulf Shores averages 0 inches of snow per year. Charleston averages 0.4 inches of snow per year. The US average is 27.8 inches of snow per year.

Weather Highlights

Gulf Shores, Alabama
Summer High: the July high is around 90 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 40.8
Rain: averages 63.5 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 0 inches of snow a year

Charleston, South Carolina
Summer High: the July high is around 89.9 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 39.3
Rain: averages 48.3 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 0.4 inches of snow a year

BestPlaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Gulf Shores is 7.1 (10=best), which means it is one of the least comfortable places in Alabama.

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Charleston is 7.2 (10=best), which means it is less comfortable than most places in South Carolina.

Today's Weather - Charleston, SC

69°F

Today's Weather - Gulf Shores, AL

72°F

Average Monthly High / Low (°F)

Hot, Freezing, Rainy, Snowy Days: Charleston / Gulf Shores

July is the hottest month for Charleston with an average high temperature of 89.9°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in South Carolina. In Charleston, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Charleston are October, May and April.

July is the hottest month for Gulf Shores with an average high temperature of 90.0°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in Alabama. In Gulf Shores, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Gulf Shores are October, April and May.

January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Charleston with an average of 39.3°. This is one of the warmest places in South Carolina.

January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Gulf Shores with an average of 40.8°. This is one of the warmest places in Alabama.

In Charleston, there are 41.1 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most places in South Carolina.

In Gulf Shores, there are 47.0 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most places in Alabama.

In Charleston, there are 17.5 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is one of the warmest places in South Carolina.

In Gulf Shores, there are 17.8 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is one of the warmest places in Alabama.

In Charleston, there are 0.0 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is about average compared to other places in South Carolina.

In Gulf Shores, there are 0.0 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is about average compared to other places in Alabama.

August is the wettest month in Charleston with 6.7 inches of rain, and the driest month is May with 2.5 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 36% of yearly precipitation and 19% occurs in Summer, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 48.3 inches in Charleston means that it is wetter than most places in South Carolina.


July is the wettest month in Gulf Shores with 7.2 inches of rain, and the driest month is April with 4.3 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 31% of yearly precipitation and 23% occurs in Summer, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 63.5 inches in Gulf Shores means that it is one of the wettest places in Alabama.

August is the rainiest month in Charleston with 11.7 days of rain, and May is the driest month with only 6.8 rainy days. There are 105.9 rainy days annually in Charleston, which is rainier than most places in South Carolina. The rainiest season is Autumn when it rains 32% of the time and the driest is Summer with only a 21% chance of a rainy day.

August is the rainiest month in Gulf Shores with 13.1 days of rain, and April is the driest month with only 6.5 rainy days. There are 112.1 rainy days annually in Gulf Shores, which is rainier than most places in Alabama. The rainiest season is Autumn when it rains 32% of the time and the driest is Summer with only a 20% chance of a rainy day.

An annual snowfall of 0.4 inches in Charleston means that it is less snowy than most places in South Carolina.

There is rarely any recorded snowfall in Gulf Shores, ranking it as one of the least snowy places in Alabama.

December is the snowiest month in Charleston with 0.2 inches of snow, and no months of the year have significant snowfall.

Any measurable snowfall is a rare occurance in Gulf Shores.