Charleston Downtown, SC: May

31 May 2026: May 2026 averaged 73.7°F in Charleston Downtown, SC, the warmest May since 2025, tied 49th warmest of 132 (with 1990, 1985 and 1943).

May 2026

Mean temperature: 73.7°F; Warmest since 2025; 49th warmest of 132
Precipitation: 2.22 in; Driest since 2022; 61st driest of 133

A normal May in Charleston Downtown, SC (1991 to 2020): a mean temperature of 74°F, between 70.9°F and 76°F in eight years of ten and 2.09 in of precipitation, between 0.64 in and 5.74 in in eight years of ten.

The mean temperature of every May in Charleston Downtown, SC since 1893: 73.7°F in 2026; the highest is 78.7°F, in 1953.

Normal range, 70.9 to 76°F

Every year, ranked, as a table

Every May in Charleston Downtown, SC from 1893 to 2026, ranked: the mean temperature, the mean high and the mean low from the warmest, the precipitation from the wettest; a year missing more than a tenth of its days is not ranked.

Year	Mean, °F	Rank	High, °F	Rank	Low, °F	Rank	Precipitation, in	Rank	Days missing
2026	73.7	49	78.4	99	69.1	18	2.22	73	0
2025	75.7	12	80.8	36	70.6	7	6.01	14	0
2024	75.5	13	80.5	42	70.5	8	3.73	46	0
2023	70.9	119	76.1	130	65.8	76	4.83	25	0
2022	75.2	18	79.8	63	70.5	8	1.84	83	0
2021	73.6	53	79.7	66	67.5	40	1.47	96	0
2020	72.7	71	78	106	67.4	42	5.71	18	0
2019	78	3	82.5	11	73.5	1	0.28	129	0
2018	75	21	79.3	75	70.8	6	4.12	34	0
2017	74.8	27	81	33	68.6	23	6.29	10	0
2016	73.5	55	79.4	73	67.6	39	4.92	23	0
2015	74	43	79.2	78	68.8	21	2.57	65	0
2014	75.1	20	81.2	28	69.1	18	2.05	77	0
2013	71.6	104	76.8	122	66.4	68	1.86	82	0
2012	74.8	27	79.6	71	70.1	13	3.55	49	0
2011	74.1	42	78.9	86	69.2	17	0.66	125	0
2010	75	21	79.7	66	70.4	12	1.04	114	0
2009	73.3	59	78.2	103	68.3	31	3.65	47	0
2008	72.7	71	78.9	86	66.6	61	2.69	62	0
2007	71	116	76.5	123	65.5	83	1.36	106	0
2006	72.3	84	78.5	96	66	73	1.48	95	0
2005	70.2	126	76.4	126	64	119	6.17	12	0
2004	75.8	10	80.2	51	71.3	4	2.61	63	0
2003	74.3	38	80	57	68.5	27	5.97	15	0
2002	71.8	100	77	120	66.5	64	1.65	87	0
2001	75	21	82.9	8	67.1	54	2.32	71	0
2000							0.02	133	8
1999	71.7	102	78	106	65.4	89	1.64	89	0
1998	78.5	2	85	3	71.9	3	3.22	53	0
1997	70.4	123	76.1	130	64.8	106	2.13	75	0
1996	74.4	34	80.4	46	68.3	31	0.42	128	0
1995	75.2	18	81	33	69.4	16	1.37	105	0
1994	71.2	111	77.5	115	65	101	0.76	122	0
1993	72.6	74	77.8	111	67.5	40	1.23	108	0
1992	70.5	121	76.5	123	64.5	112	1.46	97	0
1991	76.9	5	81.7	20	72.1	2	4.03	39	0
1990	73.7	49	79.1	81	68.3	31	1.38	103	0
1989	71.7	102	78.2	103	65.3	92	1.65	87	0
1988	71.3	108	77.6	113	65	101	2.18	74	0
1987	72.3	84	77.3	116	67.2	50	0.98	116	0
1986	73.4	57	78.7	91	68.1	36	1.41	102	0
1985	73.7	49	81.7	20	65.6	78	2.37	69	0
1984	72.5	79	80.3	47	64.7	109	4.06	38	0
1983	71.9	98	78.7	91	65.1	98	1.56	93	0
1982									5
1981	71.8	100	80.2	51	63.4	126	3.16	55	0
1980	74.2	40	81.5	24	67	55	4.20	31	0
1979	70.3	124	77.1	117	63.5	122	6.10	13	0
1978	73.2	64	79.7	66	66.7	60	4.07	37	0
1977	74.8	27	82.8	9	66.8	59	1.59	92	0
1976	72.3	84	79.7	66	64.8	106	11.93	1	0
1975	75.8	10	82.5	11	69.1	18	3.99	41	0
1974	74.2	40	81.1	31	67.4	42	2.90	58	0
1973	73.1	65	80.3	47	65.9	75	0.98	116	0
1972	70.2	126	76.3	127	64.1	115	7.25	5	0
1971	71.2	111	78.3	101	64.1	115	4.13	32	0
1970	73.8	47	80.7	39	66.9	57	3.88	44	0
1969	71.6	104	77.8	111	65.4	89	2.09	76	0
1968	72.5	79	79.3	75	65.7	77	5.56	21	0
1967	72.1	94	79.2	78	65.1	98	7.56	4	0
1966	71.1	114	77.1	117	65.2	93	6.67	8	0
1965	76	9	83.4	6	68.6	23	1.46	97	0
1964	73	66	80.1	55	66	73	4.11	35	0
1963	71.9	98	78.8	88	65.1	98	1.09	112	0
1962	76.4	7	84.3	4	68.5	27	2.61	63	0
1961	70.1	129	76.2	128	64	119	4.09	36	0
1960	72.6	74	80.8	36	64.4	114	1.45	100	0
1959	75.4	16	81.1	31	69.7	15	4.43	27	0
1958	72.7	71	78.8	88	66.6	61	1.33	107	0
1957	73.3	59	79.3	75	67.2	50	5.87	17	0
1956	74.4	34	81.8	17	67	55	1.61	90	0
1955	75	21	81.5	24	68.4	29	4.00	40	0
1954	69.9	131	77.1	117	62.7	129	4.13	32	0
1953	78.7	1	86.5	1	70.9	5	0.95	119	0
1952	74.6	31	81.9	16	67.4	42	2.54	66	0
1951	72.1	94	80.8	36	63.4	126	0.98	116	0
1950	73.8	47	80.3	47	67.3	46	3.20	54	0
1949	73.3	59	80.9	35	65.6	78	6.19	11	0
1948	73.9	45	80.5	42	67.3	46	7.05	7	0
1947	73.4	57	80.6	40	66.3	69	2.79	59	0
1946	73	66	78.7	91	67.2	50	4.52	26	0
1945	71.3	108	78.2	103	64.5	112	2.32	71	0
1944	74.4	34	81.8	17	66.9	57	0.95	119	0
1943	73.7	49	80	57	67.4	42	2.79	59	0
1942	73.3	59	80	57	66.5	64	2.70	61	0
1941	73	66	81.4	27	64.6	110	0.07	132	0
1940	70.2	126	77.9	109	62.5	130	2.01	78	0
1939	72.3	84	79.2	78	65.4	89	2.54	66	0
1938	76.1	8	83.9	5	68.3	31	3.94	42	0
1937	72.6	74	79.8	63	65.5	83	1.60	91	0
1936	73	66	80	57	66.1	71	1.79	84	0
1935	73.5	55	80.6	40	66.5	64	7.09	6	0
1934	71	116	77.9	109	64.1	115	5.41	22	0
1933	77.9	4	85.3	2	70.5	8	1.76	85	0
1932	72.5	79	79	84	66.1	71	5.64	19	0
1931	71.3	108	78.6	94	64.1	115	1.12	111	0
1930	75	21	82.1	14	67.8	38	0.76	122	0
1929	72	96	78.5	96	65.6	78	4.30	29	0
1928	71	116	78	106	64	119	1.05	113	0
1927	74.6	31	82.6	10	66.6	61	0.71	124	0
1926	72.6	74	81.7	20	63.5	122	2.33	70	0
1925	71.1	114	78.6	94	63.5	122	1.96	80	0
1924	72.4	83	80.2	51	64.6	110	2.38	68	0
1923	70.7	120	76.2	128	65.2	93	6.30	9	0
1922	73.6	53	80	57	67.2	50	9.56	2	0
1921	70.5	121	77.6	113	63.4	126	5.92	16	0
1920	68.7	132	75.2	132	62.3	131	1.96	80	0
1919	74.3	38	80.1	55	68.4	29	1.69	86	0
1918	73.3	59	80.2	51	66.3	69	3.65	47	0
1917	70.3	124	79.1	81	61.4	132	3.80	45	0
1916	74.4	34	81.5	24	67.3	46	1.22	109	0
1915	75.5	13	82.2	13	68.8	21	8.92	3	0
1914	72.5	79	79.8	63	65.2	93	0.82	121	0
1913	72.6	74	80.3	47	64.9	103	0.19	130	0
1912	74.6	31	80.5	42	68.6	23	3.93	43	0
1911	72.2	92	78.8	88	65.6	78	0.13	131	0
1910	72.3	84	79.1	81	65.5	83	1.01	115	0
1909	71.6	104	78.3	101	64.9	103	1.54	94	0
1908	74	43	81.6	23	66.5	64	2.01	78	0
1907	72	96	78.5	96	65.5	83	2.98	56	0
1906	71.6	104	78.4	99	64.8	106	2.91	57	0
1905	75.5	13	81.2	28	69.8	14	4.33	28	0
1904	72.3	84	79.4	73	65.2	93	1.46	97	0
1903	71.2	111	76.9	121	65.6	78	4.85	24	0
1902	74.7	30	81.2	28	68.2	35	1.43	101	0
1901	72.8	70	80	57	65.5	83	4.30	29	0
1900	73.9	45	80.5	42	67.3	46	1.38	103	0
1899	75.3	17	82	15	68.6	23	3.31	52	0
1898	74.9	26	81.8	17	67.9	37	0.64	126	0
1897	72.3	84	79	84	65.5	83	1.20	110	0
1896	76.9	5	83.2	7	70.5	8	0.52	127	0
1895	70	130	76.5	123	63.5	122	5.63	20	0
1894	72.2	92	79.5	72	65.2	93	3.47	50	1
1893	72.3	84	79.7	66	64.9	103	3.36	51	0

Warmest, coldest, wettest and driest

Warmest
Year	Mean, °F
1953	78.7
1998	78.5
2019	78
1933	77.9
1991	76.9
1896	76.9
1962	76.4
1938	76.1
1965	76
2004	75.8
More years share the last value

Coldest
Year	Mean, °F
1920	68.7
1954	69.9
1895	70
1961	70.1
2005	70.2
1972	70.2
1940	70.2
1979	70.3
1917	70.3
1997	70.4

Wettest
Year	Precipitation, in
1976	11.93
1922	9.56
1915	8.92
1967	7.56
1972	7.25
1935	7.09
1948	7.05
1966	6.67
1923	6.30
2017	6.29

Driest
Year	Precipitation, in
2000	0.02
1941	0.07
1911	0.13
1913	0.19
2019	0.28
1996	0.42
1896	0.52
1898	0.64
2011	0.66
1927	0.71

The hottest, coldest and wettest days

Hottest day: 89°F; 28 May 2026
Coldest night: 53°F; 3 May 2026
Wettest day: 0.89 in; 2 May 2026

Every month, season and year

Months

Seasons

Years

Charleston Downtown, SC the day's answers

All-time records

Every answer in words

May 2026 brought 2.22 in of precipitation in Charleston Downtown, SC, the driest May since 2022, 61st driest of 133.
The hottest day of May 2026 in Charleston Downtown, SC: 89°F on Thursday 28 May 2026.
The coldest night of May 2026 in Charleston Downtown, SC: a low of 53°F on Sunday 3 May 2026.
The wettest day of May 2026 in Charleston Downtown, SC: 0.89 in on Saturday 2 May 2026.