South Carolina Weather

South Carolina climate

South Carolina has a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and mild winters across most of the state. The low country and coastal areas experience maritime influences that moderate temperatures, while the upstate Piedmont and Blue Ridge foothills are slightly cooler and drier. Columbia, located in the central Midlands, is known as one of the hottest cities in the Southeast, with summer highs frequently exceeding 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

The state's Atlantic coastline makes it vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms, with the Charleston area being particularly exposed to storm surge. Hurricane Hugo in 1989 made landfall near Charleston as a Category 4 storm, causing massive destruction. In October 2015, a historic rainfall event dropped over 20 inches of rain on parts of the state in just a few days, causing catastrophic flooding across the Midlands.

Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes occur primarily during spring, though South Carolina can experience severe weather year-round. The coast is prone to waterspouts and sea breeze-generated thunderstorms during summer. Winter weather is generally mild, but occasional ice storms and rare snowfall events can disrupt the state, particularly when Arctic air masses push unusually far south. The mountains in the northwestern corner receive the most winter precipitation.