US Charleston · Spring

Charleston in May
what's the weather like?

Good window in May — April is a notch above.

Open-Meteo · 10 years · 12 months compared · 32.78°N 79.93°W
81°FMax temperature
38%Rainy days
13.0hSunshine / day

Charleston weather in May

✅ Good
🌡️ Temperature min / max
68°F – 81°F
🌧 Rainy days
38% of days
☀️ Sunshine
13.0h per day on average
🌊 🌊 Season
Spring
⭐ ⭐ Weather score
8.3/10
📅 📅 Best month
April (8.3/10)

Should you visit Charleston in May?

✅ Good

✅ Yes if: you want good weather with lower prices than peak season.

❌ No if: you need guaranteed perfect weather — some mixed days are possible.

🌧 Rain : ████░░░░░░ 38%
🌡 Temperature : ███████░░░ 81°F
☀️ Sunshine : █████████░ 13.0h/d

Our take: Charleston in May: 81°F and 13.0h of sunshine. Decent, but not the peak.

Charleston in May by trip type

What to expect in May

Spring marks the start of the good season in Charleston. Temperatures rise (27°F) and tourists have not yet arrived en masse. Expect rain on 38% of days — a light raincoat in the bag is recommended. A good balance between weather and crowds, even if April (8.3/10) remains theoretically better.

All months for Charleston

Month-by-month comparison

MonthMin °FMax °FRain %Precip inSun h/dScore
⛅ January43°F57°F32%0.1in9.2h6.2/10
🌤️ February48°F64°F29%0.1in10.0h7.2/10
🌤️ March54°F68°F28%0.1in10.9h7.5/10
🌤️ April61°F75°F24%0.1in12.4h8.3/10
🌤️ May68°F81°F38%0.1in13.0h8.3/10
🌤️ June73°F84°F54%0.2in12.9h7.7/10
🌤️ July77°F88°F57%0.2in12.9h7.4/10
⛅ August75°F86°F64%0.2in12.1h7.3/10
🌤️ September72°F82°F45%0.2in11.7h7.9/10
☀️ October63°F77°F24%0.1in10.4h8.1/10
🌤️ November52°F68°F25%0.1in9.9h7.4/10
⛅ December46°F63°F30%0.1in9.0h7.0/10
Ideal Fair Challenging climate ◀ Current month · Source Open-Meteo · 10 years
📊 Data source Data based on 10 years of ERA5 records via Open-Meteo, with ECMWF seasonal adjustment. In May, Charleston averages 81°F, 38% rainy days and 13.0h of sunshine per day. Overall weather score: 8.3/10. See methodology →

May vs April (best month)

The best month is April (score 8.3/10). Difference:

FAQ — Charleston in May

Is May a good time to visit Charleston?
May is an excellent time to visit Charleston (score 8.3/10). With 81°F, 13.0h of sunshine and 38% rain, conditions are very favourable.
What to do in Charleston in May?
With 81°F and 13.0h of sunshine, all outdoor activities are possible: hiking, sightseeing and terraces.

Find a place to stay in Charleston

Find places to stay in Charleston in May Search on Hotels.com

Activities and tours in Charleston

Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and local experiences. Browse activities on GetYourGuide

Find a flight to Charleston

Compare flights from all airlines. Search flights

Similar destinations in May

Other top destinations in May

Compare destinations by weather

Explore or compare

📅 Live forecast — next 12 months

Real-time data with ECMWF seasonal corrections · updated daily

Try the weather app