South Carolina Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Charleston, Columbia, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and Rock Hill
This month in numbers
South Carolina experienced a significantly drier June, ranking as the 9th driest June on record with precipitation at 68.83 mm, a notable 54 mm below the 1961–1990 baseline. The average temperature for June 2026 was 25.44°C, which is 0.8°C above the baseline, ranking as the 29th warmest June in 77 years. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June on record for land temperatures, with an anomaly of +1°C.
What changed
Looking at the April–June 2026 period, South Carolina recorded an average temperature of 21.89°C, an increase of 1.2°C above the baseline, making it the 15th warmest such period on record. Maximum temperatures for this three-month span were the 12th highest on record, at 28.56°C, an anomaly of +1.1°C. Precipitation for the same period was significantly below average at 76.88 mm, ranking as the 17th driest April–June on record. This trend of warmer and drier conditions contrasts with the global picture, which saw the April–June 2026 period rank as the 2nd warmest on record for global land temperatures. South Carolina's 1-month anomaly of +0.84°C places it 170th out of 234 regions globally, while its 3-month anomaly of +1.18°C ranks it 145th.
What’s driving change?
The current climate patterns in South Carolina are being influenced by a weak El Niño, which NOAA officially declared had formed on June 11. This El Niño is expected to strengthen into the fall and winter, with a 63% chance of becoming "very strong" between November 2026 and January 2027. Historically, El Niño events tend to bring cooler and wetter winters to the Southeast USA, but summer impacts can vary. The drier conditions observed in South Carolina in June, despite the presence of El Niño, suggest other factors are at play. The region has also experienced an unusual concentration of wildfire activity, with four wildfire events occurring between June 27 and July 12, representing 100% of the annual total for the past 12 months. This is an unusual concentration for the region and season, and while recent rainfall has helped, pockets of dryness remain. There was also one flood event between May 19 and July 12, which also represents 100% of the annual total. You can track these and other events at Extreme Weather tracker.
Looking ahead
Forecasters anticipate that the strengthening El Niño will likely lead to above-average temperatures for South Carolina through the end of the year, with precipitation expected to remain near seasonal averages this summer.
Sources:
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – USA
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance — US states & climate regions (tavg, pcp). Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) or 1991–2020 (rainfall). See methodology.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – South Carolina
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
South Carolina – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – South Carolina
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Cfa · TemperateHow spring and autumn have shifted in South Carolina. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (16.7°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 19.7°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.3°C).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
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Data Sources
Data Sources for South Carolina
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in South Carolina changing?
South Carolina is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for South Carolina come from?
Climate data for South Carolina comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the South Carolina climate data cover?
The South Carolina climate profile covers Charleston, Columbia, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant and surrounding areas. South Carolina climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the South Carolina climate update refreshed?
The South Carolina climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.