2024 Compare Climate & Weather:
Columbia, SC vs Charleston, SC
Change Cities
Highlights
On average, there are 209 sunny days per year in Charleston. Columbia averages 217 sunny days per year. The US average is 205 sunny days.
Charleston, South Carolina gets 48.3 inches of rain, on average, per year. Columbia, South Carolina gets 45.5 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38.1 inches of rain per year.
Charleston averages 0.4 inches of snow per year. Columbia averages 0.9 inches of snow per year. The US average is 27.8 inches of snow per year.
Weather Highlights
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
Columbia, South Carolina
Summer High: the July high is around 93.6 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 35
Rain: averages 45.5 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 0.9 inches of snow a year
BESTPLACES COMFORT INDEX
CharlestonThe annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Charleston is 7.2 (10=best), which means it is less comfortable than most places in South Carolina.
7.2 / 10
October, April and May are the most pleasant months in Charleston, while July and August are the least comfortable months.
ColumbiaThe annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Columbia is 7.2 (10=best), which means it is less comfortable than most places in South Carolina.
7.2 / 10
October, April and May are the most pleasant months in Columbia, while July and August are the least comfortable months.
Today's Weather - Columbia, SC
9 AM PST
Sunny
83°F
| DAY | DESCRIPTION | HIGH / LOW | WIND |
|---|
| This Afternoon | Sunny | 90° / 64° | SE 6 mph |
| Friday | Mostly Sunny | 88° / 64° | S 2 to 6 mph |
| Saturday | Showers And Thunderstorms Likely | 82° / 64° | S 3 to 8 mph |
| Sunday | Showers And Thunderstorms Likely | 85° / 64° | S 10 mph |
| Monday | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 86° / 65° | SW 10 mph |
| Tuesday | Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 88° / 67° | SW 8 to 13 mph |
| Wednesday | Sunny | 93° / 71° | SW 12 to 15 mph |
Today's Weather - Charleston, SC
9 AM PST
Mostly Sunny
81°F
| DAY | DESCRIPTION | HIGH / LOW | WIND |
|---|
| This Afternoon | Mostly Sunny | 82° / 68° | SE 8 to 13 mph |
| Friday | Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny | 83° / 67° | SE 0 to 10 mph |
| Saturday | Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 82° / 68° | SE 5 to 9 mph |
| Sunday | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 82° / 68° | S 6 to 10 mph |
| Monday | Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 84° / 69° | S 7 to 12 mph |
| Tuesday | Mostly Sunny | 86° / 70° | SW 10 mph |
| Wednesday | Sunny | 91° / 72° | SW 9 to 13 mph |
Average Monthly High / Low (°F)
| Month | Columbia, SC | Charleston, SC |
|---|
| January | 57° / 35° | 58° / 39° |
| February | 61° / 38° | 61° / 42° |
| March | 69° / 44° | 67° / 48° |
| April | 77° / 52° | 74° / 56° |
| May | 85° / 60° | 81° / 64° |
| June | 91° / 69° | 87° / 72° |
| July | 94° / 72° | 90° / 75° |
| August | 92° / 71° | 89° / 74° |
| September | 86° / 65° | 84° / 69° |
| October | 77° / 53° | 77° / 59° |
| November | 68° / 44° | 69° / 50° |
| December | 59° / 37° | 61° / 42° |
Hot, Freezing, Rainy, Snowy Days: Columbia / Charleston
| Month | Hot Days | Freezing Days | Rainy Days | Snowy Days |
|---|
| January | 0 / 0 | 13 / 7 | 10 / 10 | 0 / 0 |
| February | 0 / 0 | 8 / 4 | 9 / 8 | 0 / 0 |
| March | 0 / 0 | 4 / 1 | 9 / 8 | 0 / 0 |
| April | 2 / 0 | 1 / 0 | 8 / 7 | 0 / 0 |
| May | 7 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 8 / 7 | 0 / 0 |
| June | 17 / 9 | 0 / 0 | 10 / 10 | 0 / 0 |
| July | 25 / 15 | 0 / 0 | 11 / 12 | 0 / 0 |
| August | 20 / 12 | 0 / 0 | 11 / 12 | 0 / 0 |
| September | 9 / 4 | 0 / 0 | 7 / 9 | 0 / 0 |
| October | 1 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 7 / 7 | 0 / 0 |
| November | 0 / 0 | 4 / 1 | 8 / 7 | 0 / 0 |
| December | 0 / 0 | 11 / 5 | 9 / 9 | 0 / 0 |
July is the hottest month for Columbia with an average high temperature of 93.6°, which ranks it as one of the hottest places in South Carolina. In Columbia, there are 3 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Columbia are April, October and May.
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.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Columbia with an average of 35.0°. This is warmer than most places in South Carolina.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Charleston with an average of 39.3°. This is one of the warmest places in South Carolina.
In Columbia, there are 79.0 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is one of the hottest places in South Carolina.
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 Columbia, there are 39.5 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is warmer than most places in South Carolina.
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 Columbia, 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 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.
July is the wettest month in Columbia with 5.3 inches of rain, and the driest month is April with 2.7 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 34% of yearly precipitation and 21% occurs in Summer, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 45.5 inches in Columbia means that it is drier than most places in South Carolina.
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 rainiest month in Columbia with 11.2 days of rain, and September is the driest month with only 7.3 rainy days. There are 108.1 rainy days annually in Columbia, which is rainier than most places in South Carolina. The rainiest season is Autumn when it rains 30% of the time and the driest is Winter with only a 21% chance of a rainy day.
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.
An annual snowfall of 0.9 inches in Columbia means that it is about average compared to other places in South Carolina.
An annual snowfall of 0.4 inches in Charleston means that it is less snowy than most places in South Carolina.
January is the snowiest month in Columbia with 0.6 inches of snow, and 1 month of the year have significant snowfall.
December is the snowiest month in Charleston with 0.2 inches of snow, and no months of the year have significant snowfall.
DID YOU KNOW?
Many people confuse Weather and Climate, but they are different. Weather refers to the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, while Climate refers to the conditions of the atmosphere over a long period of time.
Weather, more specifically, refers to how the atmosphere behaves and its effects on life and human activities. Most people think of Weather in terms of what can be observed: temperature, humidity, precipitation, and cloudy/sunny conditions. Weather conditions constantly change on a minute-to-minute basis.
Climate is a record of the average weather conditions for a given place over a long period of time, often referred to as Climate Normals. A 30-year period of record is a common requirement to be considered a Climate Normal.
Reviews for Columbia 
2 Reviews
Hi. I'd like to know if you still feel the same way about living in Broomfield. I went there this past July to check it out (along with Lafayette, Boulder (can't More
Apex is perfect for what you are looking for. It's close enough to Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill to find a job and Cary the next town over, is a little more expensive but More
Start Your Review of Columbia
Reviews for Charleston 2 Reviews
Hi. I'd like to know if you still feel the same way about living in Broomfield. I went there this past July to check it out (along with Lafayette, Boulder (can't More
Apex is perfect for what you are looking for. It's close enough to Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill to find a job and Cary the next town over, is a little more expensive but More
Start Your Review of Charleston
Most Recent Searches On Compare Climate & Weather
| Compare City | Compared To This City | |
| Snoqualmie, Washington | Portland, Oregon | Compare |
| Davis, California | Napa, California | Compare |
| June Lake, California | Jenner, California | Compare |
| Fair Oaks, Virginia | Southlake, Texas | Compare |
| Landrum, South Carolina | Flagstaff, Arizona | Compare |
| Bluffton, South Carolina | Prescott Valley, Arizona | Compare |
| Richmond, Virginia | Hardeeville, South Carolina | Compare |
| Blowing Rock, North Carolina | Everglades, Florida | Compare |
| Charlotte, North Carolina | Springboro, Ohio | Compare |
| Worland, Wyoming | Black Earth, Wisconsin | Compare |
| Manitou Springs, Colorado | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Compare |
| Portland, Oregon | Wabash, Indiana | Compare |
| Payson, Arizona | Cottonwood, Arizona | Compare |
| Sheridan, Wyoming | Monroe, Washington | Compare |
| Rotonda, Florida | Sebastian, Florida | Compare |
| Rochester, New York | Albany, New York | Compare |
| Vernal, Utah | Pinedale, Wyoming | Compare |
| Yuba City, California | Jonesville, Virginia | Compare |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Raleigh, North Carolina | Compare |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Raleigh, North Carolina | Compare |