Charleston, SC weather in October
October in Charleston: mild, with some rain. Highs 76°F, lows 63°F, rain on about 7 days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 76°F
- Normal low
- 63°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 4.1 in total
- Muggy days
- 9
- dew point 65°F+
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 80°F | 71°F |
| Normal low | 69°F | 58°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 25% | 21% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:13 am / 7:04 pm | 7:36 am / 6:29 pm |
| Daylight | 11.8 h | 10.9 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 October day
- 6 am60°Fdew point 57°F
- 9 am68°Fdew point 59°F
- Noon75°Fdew point 58°F
- 3 pm76°Fdew point 58°F
- 6 pm70°Fdew point 59°F
- 9 pm65°Fdew point 60°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Charleston Intl Airport (11 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 47% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 36%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F13 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph7 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more9 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow7 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in October
Normal precipitation is 4.1 in; a dry October brings about 1.4 in and a wet one about 5.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202018: average high 80°F
- Coolest October1994: average high 73°F
- Wettest October2015: 17.5 in
- Driest October2000: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading92°F (October 5, 2018)
- Lowest reading39°F (October 30, 2017)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
October compared with September and November
| September | October | November | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 83°F | 76°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 73°F | 63°F | 53°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 7 | 6 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 13 | 14 |
| Daylight | 12.4 h | 11.4 h | 10.5 h |
Highs change by -7°F from September and -9°F into November.
Nearby alternatives in October
- Warmer: Jacksonville, FL197 mi · high 81°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Asheville, NC246 mi · high 69°F · 7 wet days
How Charleston ranks in October
- Normal high146th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 5 in South Carolina
- Wet days134th driest of 378
- Comfortable days135th most of 340
Heating and cooling
October has 33 heating degree days and 169 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 5% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Charleston in October?
The normal high is 76°F and the normal low is 63°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest October reading was 92°F (October 5, 2018).
Does it rain a lot in Charleston in October?
About 7 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.1 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2015 (17.5 in); the driest was in 2000, with no measurable precipitation.
Is October a good time to visit Charleston?
October ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Charleston (64 out of 100). It has about 13 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.