Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0January in Isle of Palms stays gentler than in 89% of U.S. towns
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 90°. Its yearly precipitation tops that of 85% of U.S. towns. The latest 30-year average runs 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000’s, with December up the most. For walks and days out, the stretch from March to May and October to November brings highs of 67–81°.
A year in Isle of Palms at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Isle of Palms’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Isle of Palms’ place in South Carolina beside it.
What a year in Isle of Palms feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 262 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 13 and the first by November 30. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Sullivans Is, SC, 7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Isle of Palms’ center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 24°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 51 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain falls on about 114 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.3" in a normal year at Charleston International Airport, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Isle of Palms
47% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from December through February.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Sullivans Is, SC.
Living with Isle of Palms’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
262 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Mar 13 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 30.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, October and November. 8.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Isle of Palms from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (70%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Isle of Palms and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Isle of Palms yet.
Climates most like Isle of Palms’, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isle of Palms, SC | 41° | 90° | 51" | 0.3" |
| Moultrie, GA | 39° | 91° | 51" | 0.0" |
| Fernandina Beach, FL | 45° | 90° | 51" | 0.0" |
| La Marque, TX | 46° | 90° | 53" | 0.2" |
| Headland, AL | 39° | 91° | 56" | 0.1" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Isle of Palms averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°).
A smaller shift than in 52% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Isle of Palms compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Isle of Palms’ place among South Carolina’s.
Isle of Palms weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Isle of Palms’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Charleston International Airport. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 59° | 41° | 3.3" | 0.2" | 9 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| February | 61° | 43° | 3.1" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 45° – 60° |
| March | 67° | 49° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 52° – 65° |
| April | 74° | 56° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| May | 81° | 65° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| June | 87° | 72° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 75° – 83° |
| July | 90° | 75° | 6.0" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 81° – 85° |
| August | 88° | 75° | 6.5" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 79° – 84° |
| September | 84° | 70° | 5.5" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 75° – 82° |
| October | 77° | 60° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| November | 68° | 50° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 54° – 65° |
| December | 62° | 44° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 43° – 63° |
| Year | 75° | 58° | 50.5" | 0.3" | 114 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 43° to 63°. July is the most reliable, staying within 4°.
Where Isle of Palms’ numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Isle of Palms’ center.
- Snow: Charleston International Airport.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Sullivans Is, SC, 7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Isle of Palms’ climate
What is the weather like in Isle of Palms?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 41°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 76% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Isle of Palms in winter?
January nights average 41°. About 18 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 45°.
How much snow does Isle of Palms get?
About 0.3 inches in a normal winter at Charleston International Airport, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Isle of Palms?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 75°. About 55 days a year reach 90° (Sullivans Is, SC).
When is the first and last frost in Isle of Palms?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 13 and the first fall frost by November 30, about 262 frost-free days, at Sullivans Is, SC.
What growing zone is Isle of Palms in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 24°.
What is the best time of year to visit Isle of Palms?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Isle of Palms getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 52% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Isle of Palms.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.