Midwinter lows in Shell Point stay above those of 89% of U.S. towns
July afternoons average 91°. Summer afternoons here are warmer than in 80% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.0°, most of all in December. Garden chairs stay out from February to May and October to November, the months with highs of 63–83°.
A year in Shell Point at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Shell Point’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Shell Point’s place in South Carolina beside it.
What a year in Shell Point feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 282 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 3 and the first by December 9. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Beaufort Wwtp, SC, 4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Shell Point’s 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 49 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain falls on about 118 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Beaufort Mcas, SC, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Shell Point
38% 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 Beaufort Wwtp, SC.
Living with Shell Point’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
282 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Mar 3 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Dec 9.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: February, March, April, May, October and November.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Shell Point from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (79%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 3%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Shell Point and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Shell Point in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Shell Point’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell Point, SC | 40° | 91° | 49" | 0.0" |
| Tifton, GA | 38° | 91° | 49" | 0.0" |
| Macclenny, FL | 41° | 92° | 52" | 0.0" |
| Phenix City, AL | 36° | 92° | 51" | 0.0" |
| Rusk, TX | 38° | 93° | 49" | 0.1" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Shell Point averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.8°).
A smaller shift than in 78% 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 Shell Point compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Shell Point’s place among South Carolina’s.
Shell Point weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Shell Point’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Beaufort Mcas, SC. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 60° | 40° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 45° – 57° |
| February | 63° | 43° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 46° – 63° |
| March | 69° | 49° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 52° – 66° |
| April | 76° | 56° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| May | 83° | 65° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 69° – 79° |
| June | 88° | 72° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 75° – 84° |
| July | 91° | 74° | 5.9" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 80° – 86° |
| August | 89° | 74° | 6.4" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 79° – 84° |
| September | 85° | 70° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 75° – 82° |
| October | 78° | 60° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| November | 69° | 49° | 2.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| December | 62° | 43° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 44° – 64° |
| Year | 76° | 58° | 48.6" | 0.0" | 118 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 44° to 64°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Shell Point’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 Shell Point’s center.
- Snow: Beaufort Mcas, SC.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Beaufort Wwtp, SC, 4 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 Shell Point’s climate
What is the weather like in Shell Point?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 40°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 80% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Shell Point in winter?
January nights average 40°. About 13 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 45°.
How much snow does Shell Point get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Beaufort Mcas, SC, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Shell Point?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 74°. About 58 days a year reach 90° and 1 reach 100° (Beaufort Wwtp, SC).
When is the first and last frost in Shell Point?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 3 and the first fall frost by December 9, about 282 frost-free days, at Beaufort Wwtp, SC.
What growing zone is Shell Point 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 Shell Point?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), February, March, April, May, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Shell Point getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 78% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Shell Point.
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.