Providence Methodist Church · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0Summer afternoons in Santee are warmer than in 89% of U.S. towns
Midwinter brings lows of about 36°. By January nights alone, it runs milder than 82% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 0.9° above 1901–2000. Comfortable outdoor weather, highs of 68–77°, belongs to March, April, October and November.
A year in Santee at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Santee’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Santee’s place in South Carolina beside it.
What a year in Santee feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 237 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 22 and the first by November 12. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Holly Hill 1 Sw, SC, 12 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Santee’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 18°. 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 48 inches of rain a year
July is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain falls on about 109 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.5" in a normal year at Manning, SC, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Santee
54% of the work is heating. 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 Holly Hill 1 Sw, SC.
Living with Santee’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
237 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Mar 22 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 12.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, October and November. 1.5 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Santee from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (37%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 5%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Santee and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Santee yet.
Climates most like Santee’s, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santee, SC | 36° | 92° | 48" | 0.5" |
| Cusseta, GA | 36° | 92° | 50" | 0.5" |
| Henderson, TX | 37° | 93° | 49" | 0.6" |
| Eufaula, AL | 37° | 92° | 52" | 0.5" |
| Texarkana, AR | 34° | 93° | 52" | 2.1" |
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 Santee averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.9°).
A smaller shift than in 83% 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 Santee compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Santee’s place among South Carolina’s.
Santee weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Santee’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Manning, SC. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 59° | 36° | 3.6" | 0.4" | 10 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| February | 62° | 38° | 3.5" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 43° – 60° |
| March | 69° | 44° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 50° – 64° |
| April | 77° | 51° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| May | 84° | 60° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| June | 89° | 68° | 5.2" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 75° – 83° |
| July | 92° | 71° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 79° – 85° |
| August | 91° | 70° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 78° – 85° |
| September | 86° | 65° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 73° – 80° |
| October | 77° | 54° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| November | 68° | 43° | 2.8" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| December | 61° | 38° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 40° – 61° |
| Year | 76° | 53° | 48.3" | 0.5" | 109 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 40° to 61°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Santee’s 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 Santee’s center.
- Snow: Manning, SC.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Holly Hill 1 Sw, SC, 12 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 Santee’s climate
What is the weather like in Santee?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 36°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 82% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 89% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Santee in winter?
January nights average 36°. About 47 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 42°.
How much snow does Santee get?
About 0.5 inches in a normal winter at Manning, SC, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Santee?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 71°. About 78 days a year reach 90° and 2 reach 100° (Holly Hill 1 Sw, SC).
When is the first and last frost in Santee?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 22 and the first fall frost by November 12, about 237 frost-free days, at Holly Hill 1 Sw, SC.
What growing zone is Santee in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 18°.
What is the best time of year to visit Santee?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Santee getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 83% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Santee.
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.