May Weather in Charleston, South Carolina - 2024

Charleston is located on an inlet to the Atlantic Ocean called Charleston Harbor. In 1670, the first expedition of English settlers sailed up the picturesque tidal channel and stepped ashore at what is now known as Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site, which includes 664-acres filled with majestic oak trees. Charleston has a very rich history that can clearly be seen in the older buildings and the city museum.

May weather in Charleston South Carolina

To get a good overview of the type of weather you can expect in May in Charleston, we will look at the day and night temperature, minimum and maximum water temperature, and if May is comfortable or humid

Generally, May in Charleston will be really nice. Historical data shows that you can expect an average temperature of around 82°F / 28°C. But due to the moderate humidity it can feel slightly uncomfortable for some. During the night, it will cool down to around 66°F / 19°C. Many will prefer a location with air conditioning due to the high humidity level.

Charleston has its share of rainy days in May. You can expect around 12 rainy days, with on average 2.3 inches / 58 mm of rain during the whole month.

May weather in Charleston South Carolina in more detail

To get a better feeling for the type of weather, you can expect in May in Charleston, we will look at the temperature, rain, wind, humidity, water temperature, and sun and clouds

- What will the temperature be in Charleston in May

Generally, you can expect in May an average temperature of 82°F / 28°C during the day and an average of 66°F / 19°C during the night. In May, during the warmest part of the afternoon, the temperature can often get as high as 93°F / 34°C, and at the end of the night, it can get as low as 50°F / 10°C.

When looking at the whole year, January is the coldest month, with an average temperature of around 60°F / 16°C. July is the hottest month, with an average temperature of around 89°F / 32°C. When comparing May with the temperature in the month before and after, this is slightly higher than April, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 75°F / 24°C. And slightly less than June, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 87°F / 31°C.

But average temperatures only tell half of the story. It is also good to check the maximum and minimum temperatures. When looking at the whole year, July is the hottest month, with a temperature of around 98°F / 37°C. January is the coldest month, with a temperature of around 75°F / 24°C. When comparing May with the temperature in the month before and after, this is slightly higher than April, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 86°F / 30°C. And almost equal to June, which sees an average maximum temperature of around 96°F / 36°C.

In the following graph, you can see how many cold and hot days you can expect in Charleston each month:

- Can you expect rain in May in Charleston?

Generally, you can expect about 12 rain days in May, with on average 2.3 inches / 58 mm of rain.

When looking at the whole year, November is the dryest month, with an average rainfall of around 1.9 inches / 47 mmmm. August is the wettest month, with an average rainfall of around 3.9 inches / 99 mmmm. When comparing May with the month before and after, this is almost equal to April, which sees around 2.3 inches / 59 mm of rain. And a lot less than June, which sees around 3.3 inches / 84 mm of rain

If we look at the number of days with rain, November is the month with the least amount of rain days with an average of between 7 and 8 days. July is the month with the most rain days with an average of between 18 and 19 days. When comparing May with the month before and after, this is slightly more than April, which sees around 9 days of rain. And slightly less than June, which sees an average of between 16 and 17 days of rain

- What will the water temperature be in Charleston for May

You can expect in May, the water temperature for Charleston to be between 78°F / 26°C and 68°F / 20°C.

To compare the water temperature we will use the maximum water temperature. You can expect this temperature on a more sunny day, close to the shore, when the wind does not mix the relatively warmer and colder water.

August has the highest water temperature, with around 86°F / 30°C. February and March And have the lowest water temperature, with an average of between 64°F / 18°C and 66°F / 19°C. When comparing the water temperature from May with the month before and after, May has a water temperature slightly higher than April, with a water temperature of an average of between 71°F / 22°C and 73°F / 23°C. And slightly less than the water temperature from June, that is an average of between 82°F / 28°C and 84°F / 29°C.

- Can you expect in May a lot of sunny days in Charleston

Generally, you can expect around 9 sunny days in May and around 18 partly sunny days. The remaining days will be cloudy.

When looking at the whole year, October is the month with the highest number of sunny days, with around 14 sunny days. July is the month with the lowest number of sunny days, with an average of between 6 and 7 sunny days. When comparing May with the number of sunny days in the month before and after, it is almost equal to April, with an average of between 10 and 11 sunny days. And almost equal to June, with around 8 sunny days

We have looked at the sunny days in Charleston. Let's also look at the cloudy or overcast days. January is the month with the highest number of cloudy days, with an average of between 9 and 10 cloudy days. May is the month with the lowest number of cloudy days, with around 4 cloudy days. When comparing May with the number of cloudy days in the month before and after, it is almost equal to April, with an average of between 4 and 5 cloudy days. And almost equal to June, with an average of between 4 and 5 cloudy days

- Will it be comfortable in May in Charleston?

Generally, May in Charleston will be moderately humid, and can feel slightly uncomfortable for some.

We use the humidity and temperature in Charleston to calculate the Wintersun Expert Comfort level for each month. The lower the Wintersun Expert Comfort level, the more comfortable it will be. Only for certain people, extremely dry air can feel slightly uncomfortable.

When looking at the whole year, January has the lowest humidity, with a Wintersun Expert comfort level of "comfortable" (very dry air). July has the highest humidity, with a Wintersun Expert comfort level of "very uncomfortable" (very high humidity). When comparing May with the month before and after, this is slightly more than April, which has a Wintersun Comfort level of "comfortable" (not very humid). And almost equal to June, which has a Wintersun Comfort level of "very uncomfortable" (very high humidity)

What to do in Charleston South Carolina in May

Charleston is an important tourist location and has many places worth a visit:

• Cypress Gardens: It is a very beautiful and incredible place to visit because of its naturally beautiful and serene environment.  If you visit this garden, you will recognize it from the scenes of the film: "the notebook" and "the patriot". It was reopened to the public on April 13, 2019.
• McLeod Plantation: due to Charleston's rich history of slaves, McLeod Plantation is a must-visit. It is a 36-acres area that boasts of a riverside pavilion with an avenue of oak trees. You can visit the factory and also see the antique houses.
• Helena Fox Fine Art: Located South of Broad in Historic Charleston, SC, Helena Fox Fine Art specializes in fine American representational art. The varied collection of work mingles with nationally and internationally renowned contemporary American artists.
• The Charleston Museum: Founded in 1773, The Charleston Museum, America's First Museum, has been discovering, preserving, interpreting, celebrating, and sharing ever since. The collections, exhibitions, educational programs, and events are designed to inspire curiosity and conversation.
• City Market: It is often referred to as the "Slave Market" because it was here that slaves purchased food for the plantation. Today, the market is filled with residents and visitors, perusing stalls loaded with toys, clothes, leather goods, and regional souvenirs.

Is it humid in Charleston South Carolina in May?

A lot of people ask interested in the humidity or relative humidity for Charleston South Carolina in May. But the real question they want to ask is not about humidity but the amount of moisture in the air. Or better, about comfort. Will it be comfortable in May in Charleston, or will high humidity make it uncomfortable.

To answer this question, we have to look at the dew point. Relative humidity can change a lot in Charleston during the day and night, as it changes when the amount of moisture changes and, but also when the temperature changes. It is a lot less reliable for comfort. Where the dew point only varies with the amount of moisture in the air.

Looking at the dew point, we can see that for the month of May, you can expect that Charleston will be moderately humid, and can feel slightly uncomfortable for some.

January is the month with the most comfort. It will have very dry air, and can feel somewhat uncomfortable for some people. But will be fine for most.. July is the most uncomfortable month. It will have a very high humidity, and can feel very uncomfortable. In the graph, you can see that there is a significant difference between the most comfortable and most uncomfortable months

Is May a good time to go to Charleston South Carolina?

Trying to answer the question of whether May is a good time to go to Charleston is not as easy as it first seems. Some people like colder weather, and others prefer a warmer climate. Some are fine with some humidity, and others are not. If your location has air conditioning, the night temperature is less important.

These are some examples. I will try to answer the question with a more generic person in mind. The more detailed information in this article should be enough to check further if this applies to you as well.

If we look at the average temperature for Charleston in May, we can see that it will be fine for most people. In May, you can expect it to be really nice, with an average temperature of around 82°F / 28°C. But due to the moderate humidity it can feel slightly uncomfortable for some. During the night, it will be around 66°F / 19°C.

As the number of overcast days is not high, you can enjoy the sun with around 9 sunny days and 18 partly sunny days.

The last aspect we will look at is rain. You can expect around 12 rainy days, with on average 2.3 inches / 58 mm of rain during May. More then 5 days rain per month makes the chance higher you will see some rain during a shorter stay. But a day with rain does not mean a day you can not enjoy.

We have looked at the average day temperature, the night temperature, humidity, the number of overcast days, and the rain. We think that May in Charleston South Carolina is not the most optimal destination. But that doesn't mean it is not a good time for you to go. As said before, each visitor has their own preferences when it comes to the weather.

Does it rain all day in Charleston South Carolina in May?

In Charleston, it does not rain all day in May. You can expect around 12 rainy days, with on average 2.3 inches / 58 mm of rain during the month.

Another way of looking at the rain is the number of sunny days. For Charleston South Carolina, there are, on average 9 sunny days and 18 partly sunny days in May. That clearly shows that it is not raining all the time.

Is May the rainiest month in Charleston South Carolina?

May is not the month with the most rainy days, and not the month with the most rain.

To answer what the rainiest month is in Charleston, we will both look at the month with the most rain, and the month with the highest number of rainy days.

July is the month with the the highest number of rainiest days. On average, you can expect 18 days with rain. November is the month with the lowest number of rainy days, with aproximately 8 days.

July is the month with the most rain. This is not equal as the one with the most rainy days. On average, you can expect 3.9 inches / 99 mm of rain. November is the month with the least amount of rain. This is not the same month as the one with the lowest number of rainy days. You can expect approximately 1.9 inches / 47 mm of rain.

Is May the most sunniest month in Charleston South Carolina?

May is not the month with the most sunny days, not the month with the most partly sunny days, and it is the month with the lowest number of overcast days.

To answer what the sunniest month is in Charleston, we will of course look at the month with the most sunniest days, but also look at the month with the biggest number of days that are sunny or partly sunny.

October is the month with the highest number of sunny days. On average, you can expect 9 sunny days, and 18 partly suny days. July is the month with the lowest number of sunny days.

May is the month with the highest number of sunny days and partly sunny days combined. While February is the month with the lowest number of sunny days and partly sunny days combined.

The last thing we will look at is the number of overcast days. May is the month with the lowest number of overcast days. While January is the month with the highest number of overcast days.

More information about Charleston South Carolina

Weather in Charleston South Carolina in other months

• Weather in Charleston South Carolina for January
• Weather in Charleston South Carolina for February
• Weather in Charleston South Carolina for March
• Weather in Charleston South Carolina for April
• Weather in Charleston South Carolina for June
• Weather in Charleston South Carolina for July
• Weather in Charleston South Carolina for August
• Weather in Charleston South Carolina for September
• Weather in Charleston South Carolina for October
• Weather in Charleston South Carolina for November
• Weather in Charleston South Carolina for December

What to do in Charleston South Carolina for each month

• What to do in January in Charleston South Carolina
• What to do in February in Charleston South Carolina
• What to do in March in Charleston South Carolina
• What to do in April in Charleston South Carolina
• What to do in May in Charleston South Carolina
• What to do in June in Charleston South Carolina
• What to do in July in Charleston South Carolina
• What to do in August in Charleston South Carolina
• What to do in September in Charleston South Carolina
• What to do in October in Charleston South Carolina
• What to do in November in Charleston South Carolina
• What to do in December in Charleston South Carolina