Charleston weather in April

In April, Charleston sees average daytime highs of 64°F and overnight lows near 45°F, with 4.8 in of precipitation across 11.8 wet days and about 13 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 60°F in the first days to 68°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in April, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of April to 13 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, April is Charleston's 7th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Charleston's year-round climate.

Daytime high
64°
7th warmest
Overnight low
45°
6th coldest
Precipitation
4.8 in
11.8 wet days
Daylight
13 hours
5:22 AM – 6:24 PM
Cloud cover
63%
7th clearest
Wind
10 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
5.12 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.4
out of 10

Charleston is city in and the county seat of Coles County, Illinois, United States.

Density
876/km²
people per km²
Founded
1831

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in April

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 60°F in the first days to 68°F by the end.

A typical April day in Charleston reaches about 64°F in the afternoon and slips back to 45°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 51°F and 77°F. Set against its neighbours, April runs about 12°F warmer than March and about 10°F cooler than May.

20°40°60°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15940
25940
36040
46041
56041
66142
76142
86242
96243
106343
116343
126344
136444
146444
156445
166545
176545
186546
196546
206546
216647
226647
236647
246747
256748
266748
276749
286849
296849
306850

How April really feels in Charleston

Once humidity and wind are folded in, April averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

April sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Charleston weather by month

How April compares with the rest of the year at a glance. April is the 7th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan37° / 22°3.08.93.89.50.0
Feb41° / 25°2.57.83.410.40.3
Mar52° / 34°3.410.51.611.72.7
Apr64° / 45°4.811.80.3135.4
May74° / 56°4.712.7014.16.3
Jun82° / 65°4.211.2014.75.9
Jul85° / 68°3.710.7014.55.4
Aug83° / 65°3.08.5013.66.0
Sep78° / 58°2.97.2012.37.3
Oct65° / 46°3.38.20.1116.2
Nov52° / 36°3.58.30.79.82.8
Dec41° / 27°2.78.92.99.30.2

Cloud cover in April

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in April.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of April, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 59%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14060
24060
34060
44060
54060
64060
74159
84159
94159
104060
114159
124159
134159
144258
154159
164159
174159
184159
194159
204159
214060
224060
234060
244060
254060
264159
274159
284159
294159
304159

Chance of precipitation in April

Any precipitationSnow

Charleston gets around 4.8 in of rain and snow over 11.8 wet days in April, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 40% and peaks near 44% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202530
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1372
2372
3372
4372
5372
6372
7371
8371
9371
10381
11381
12381
13381
14391
15391
16391
17391
18401
19401
20400
21410
22410
23420
24430
25430
26430
27440
28440
29440
30440

Humidity in April

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of April feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, April lands in the dry band about 89% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
192620
292620
392620
492620
591630
691630
791630
891630
990640
1090640
1190640
1290640
1390640
1490640
1590640
1690640
1790640
1890640
1989740
2089740
2189740
2288840
2387940
2487940
25861040
26851050
27841150
28821251
29801361
30791371

Wind in April

Winds average 10 mph in April, the windiest month of the year.

Across April, daily wind ranges from about 9 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
249light breeze
259light breeze
269light breeze
279light breeze
289light breeze
299light breeze
309light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in April

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min at the start of April to 13 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 72 minutes over April. Sunrise moves from 5:46 AM to 5:02 AM, and sunset from 6:09 PM to 6:38 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.45:466:09
212.45:446:10
312.55:426:11
412.55:416:12
512.65:396:13
612.65:386:14
712.75:366:15
812.75:346:16
912.75:336:17
1012.85:316:18
1112.85:306:19
1212.95:286:20
1312.95:266:21
1413.05:256:22
1513.05:236:23
1613.05:226:24
1713.15:206:25
1813.15:196:26
1913.25:176:27
2013.25:166:28
2113.25:146:29
2213.35:136:30
2313.35:126:31
2413.45:106:32
2513.45:096:33
2613.45:076:34
2713.55:066:35
2813.55:056:36
2913.65:036:37
3013.65:026:38

Solar energy in April

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in April, about 5.12 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.79 kWh/m² to a high of 6.44 kWh/m² in June across the year — April's 5.12 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.7Bright
24.7Bright
34.8Bright
44.8Bright
54.8Bright
64.9Bright
74.9Bright
84.9Bright
95.0Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.0Bright
135.1Bright
145.1Bright
155.1Bright
165.1Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.2Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.3Bright
305.3Bright
Planning a trip in April

Is April a good time to visit Charleston?

Our two travel scores rate April for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

5.4
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
1.7
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

April is a reasonable time to visit Charleston for sightseeing.

What to pack for Charleston in April

From April's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In April, Charleston sees daytime highs around 64°F and nights near 45°F. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protection

UV index in Charleston in April

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in April peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Charleston peaks around July 10 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJul 10UV 9Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Charleston in April

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where April falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Charleston is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (October, 8 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodJul 1616 µg/m³Oct 218 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar13Moderate
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Charleston?

Charleston sits at 39.5°N, 88.2°W, 669 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Mattoon, 11 mi away.

Topography around Charleston

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Charleston.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Charleston has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 187 ft around an average of 676 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 282 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 456 ft.

The land around Charleston is covered by cropland (38%) and trees (32%) within 2 miles, cropland (68%) and trees (23%) within 10 miles, and cropland (74%) and trees (21%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
187 ft
10 miles
282 ft
50 miles
456 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
April weather nearby: Mattoon 11 mi · Terre Haute 41 mi · Urbana 42 mi · Champaign 43 mi · Decatur 48 mi · Danville 52 mi · Vincennes 66 mi · Crawfordsville 79 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Charleston (39.4962°, -88.1762°, elevation 669 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).