Charleston, SC weather in December
In December, Charleston sees highs around 61°F and lows around 47°F: cool, with some rain. Expect about 9 wet days.
- Normal high
- 61°F
- Normal low
- 47°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 2.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 1
- dew point 65°F+
How December changes from start to finish
| December 1 | December 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 63°F | 59°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 45°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 25% | 27% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:04 am / 5:13 pm | 7:21 am / 5:23 pm |
| Daylight | 10.2 h | 10.0 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical December day
- 6 am46°Fdew point 41°F
- 9 am50°Fdew point 43°F
- Noon59°Fdew point 43°F
- 3 pm61°Fdew point 43°F
- 6 pm54°Fdew point 44°F
- 9 pm50°Fdew point 44°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Charleston Intl Airport (11 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 46% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 42%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F9 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more1 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 of 31
Average days per December, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in December
Normal precipitation is 2.9 in; a dry December brings about 1.8 in and a wet one about 2.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How December varies from year to year
- Warmest December, 1991-20202015: average high 70°F
- Coolest December2010: average high 53°F
- Wettest December2009: 10.1 in
- Driest December2008: 0.3 in
- Highest reading81°F (December 7, 1998)
- Lowest reading24°F (December 31, 2000)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
December compared with November and January
| November | December | January | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 67°F | 61°F | 58°F |
| Normal low | 53°F | 47°F | 44°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 9 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 14 | 9 | 7 |
| Daylight | 10.5 h | 10.0 h | 10.3 h |
Highs change by -6°F from November and -3°F into January.
Nearby alternatives in December
- Warmer: Jacksonville, FL197 mi · high 68°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Charlotte, NC177 mi · high 55°F · 10 wet days
How Charleston ranks in December
- Normal high104th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 5 in South Carolina
- Wet days155th driest of 378
- Comfortable days88th most of 340
What to pack for Charleston in December
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 9 days
Frost in December
The first fall frost typically comes around Dec 30; in 1 year in 10 it comes before Dec 2. All frost dates for Charleston.
Heating and cooling
December has 353 heating degree days and 7 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 9% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Charleston in December?
The normal high is 61°F and the normal low is 47°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest December reading was 24°F (December 31, 2000).
Does it rain a lot in Charleston in December?
About 9 days in December have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.9 in. The wettest December in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (10.1 in); the driest was in 2008 (0.3 in).
Is December a good time to visit Charleston?
December ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Charleston (55 out of 100). It has about 9 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Charleston City (USW00013782), 0.2 mi NNW of the city center, 10 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Charleston Intl Airport (USW00013880), 11 mi NW of the city center, 40 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Charleston AFB/International Airport (722080-13880), 11 mi NW of the city center, 39 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.