Columbia, SC Climate


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United States / South Carolina / Columbia Metro Area / Richland County / Columbia / Zip Codes
Columbia, SC has a humid subtropical climate, which means it experiences hot, humid summers and milder winters with occasional snowfall. Summer temperatures generally range from the mid 70s to upper 90s Fahrenheit, while winter temperatures are usually between 30 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The area experiences plenty of precipitation year-round, with an average annual rainfall total of 46 inches and 3 inches of snowfall annually.

Columbia, South Carolina gets 46 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Columbia averages 1 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 217 sunny days per year in Columbia. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Columbia gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 108 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.

Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 94 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 35
Rain: averages 46 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 1 inches of snow a year

Bestplaces Comfort Index

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

4.3 Summer - 7.4 Winter
October, April and May are the most pleasant months in Columbia, while July and August are the least comfortable months.

  ClimateColumbia, South CarolinaUnited States
  45.5 in.38.1 in.
  0.9 in.27.8 in.
  108.1 days106.2 days
  217 days205 days
  93.6°85.8°
  35.0°21.7°
  7.27
  4.94.3
  302 ft.2443 ft.
Climate
YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

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.
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.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Columbia with an average of 35.0°. This is warmer 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 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.
Humidity in Columbia can be uncomfortable during the summer, but comfortable for most of the year. The most uncomfortably humid months are July, August and June. The humid season runs from June-September and the most comfortable months are October-May.
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.
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.
An annual snowfall of 0.9 inches in Columbia means that it is about average compared to other 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.
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Jordan · Columbia, SC
Love Living in Columbia!
Over 1 years ago

I love living in Columbia! I recently graduated from USC and plan to stay. I read the reviews posted here and it shows that like many cities, your experience will depend  More

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Jordan · Columbia, SC
Almost ideal. Could see myself moving back
Over 1 years ago

Loved living in Columbia, SC prior to my job transfer. It's the perfect size - plenty to do, but still a laid back place. People are extremely friendly, there are  More

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Isabella · Wise, VA
Small town advertised as a "big" city
Over 3 years ago

I moved to Columbia for graduate school and although it is a giant step up from my small, out-of-state hometown, I became bored and restless here in less than a year.  More

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