Charleston weather in August

In August, Charleston sees average daytime highs of 82°F and overnight lows near 66°F, with 3.9 in of rain across 11.5 wet days and about 13.5 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 82°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in August, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 14 hours at the start of August to 12 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Charleston's 3rd-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Charleston's year-round climate.

Daytime high
82°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
66°
11th coldest
Rainfall
3.9 in
11.5 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
5:46 AM – 7:16 PM
Cloud cover
55%
3rd clearest
Wind
5 mph
12th windiest
Solar energy
5.4 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.0
out of 10

Charleston is capital city of the U.S. state of West Virginia and seat of Kanawha County.

Density
554/km²
people per km²
Founded
1786

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

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 82°F through the month.

A typical August day in Charleston reaches about 82°F in the afternoon and slips back to 66°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 75°F and 89°F. Set against its neighbours, August runs on par with July and about 5°F warmer than September.

50°60°70°80°90°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18367
28367
38367
48367
58367
68366
78366
88366
98366
108366
118366
128266
138266
148266
158266
168266
178266
188266
198265
208265
218265
228265
238265
248265
258265
268265
278265
288265
298264
308264
318264

How August really feels in Charleston

Once humidity and wind are folded in, August 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

August 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 August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 2nd-warmest and 8th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan43° / 28°4.012.14.89.60.5
Feb46° / 30°3.811.94.310.51.2
Mar55° / 37°4.713.52.811.73.3
Apr67° / 47°4.313.10.5135.5
May73° / 56°5.014.6014.16.0
Jun81° / 64°4.914.2014.65.8
Jul83° / 67°5.014.2014.45.2
Aug82° / 66°3.911.5013.56.0
Sep77° / 59°3.89.4012.36.9
Oct67° / 48°3.49.50.1116.3
Nov56° / 38°3.49.919.93.7
Dec47° / 32°4.11239.41.3

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 43%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15644
25644
35644
45644
55743
65743
75743
85644
95545
105545
115545
125545
135446
145446
155446
165545
175545
185644
195644
205644
215743
225842
235842
245941
255941
265941
276040
286040
296139
306238
316238

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Charleston gets around 3.9 in of rain over 11.5 wet days in August. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 38% and peaks near 42% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
142
242
341
441
541
640
740
840
940
1040
1140
1240
1340
1440
1540
1639
1738
1838
1937
2036
2136
2236
2335
2435
2534
2634
2734
2833
2933
3033
3132

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, August lands in the muggy band about 40% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 56% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1210234323
2211234322
3211234321
4211234321
5212234320
6212244220
7312244120
8312254120
9312254020
10313253920
11313263920
12313263919
13313263819
14314263918
15314263918
16314273917
17314273916
18315273916
19315283915
20315284015
21315284014
22315284014
23316284014
24316284013
25317283913
26417283913
27418283812
28518283712
29619283611
30719293511
31720293310

Wind in August

Winds average 5 mph in August, the calmest month.

Across August, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 hours at the start of August to 12 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 66 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 5:32 AM to 5:59 AM, and sunset from 7:33 PM to 6:54 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.05:327:33
214.05:337:32
314.05:347:31
413.95:357:30
513.95:367:29
613.95:377:28
713.85:377:27
813.85:387:26
913.85:397:24
1013.75:407:23
1113.75:417:22
1213.65:427:21
1313.65:437:20
1413.65:447:18
1513.55:457:17
1613.55:467:16
1713.55:477:14
1813.45:477:13
1913.45:487:12
2013.35:497:10
2113.35:507:09
2213.35:517:07
2313.25:527:06
2413.25:537:05
2513.25:547:03
2613.15:557:02
2713.15:567:00
2813.05:566:59
2913.05:576:57
3013.05:586:56
3112.95:596:54

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 5.4 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.76 kWh/m² to a high of 6.09 kWh/m² in June across the year — August's 5.4 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.4Bright
125.4Bright
135.4Bright
145.4Bright
155.4Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.2Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.2Bright
275.2Bright
285.1Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.0Bright
Planning a trip in August

Is August a good time to visit Charleston?

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

6.0
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.6
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

August is a reasonable time to visit Charleston for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Charleston in August

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

In August, Charleston sees daytime highs around 82°F and nights near 66°F. Pack light clothes. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

UV index in Charleston in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Charleston peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 20UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Charleston in August

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Charleston is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1418 µg/m³Dec 147 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar9Good
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Charleston?

Charleston sits at 38.3°N, 81.6°W, 597 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Huntington, 44 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 623 ft around an average of 814 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,148 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,002 ft.

The land around Charleston is covered by trees (63%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 2 miles, trees (89%) within 10 miles, and trees (93%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
623 ft
10 miles
1,148 ft
50 miles
3,002 ft
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswater
August weather nearby: Huntington 44 mi · Beckley 47 mi · Ashland 55 mi · Meads 58 mi · Parkersburg 63 mi · Athens 72 mi · Portsmouth 78 mi · Clarksburg 94 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 (38.3498°, -81.6326°, elevation 597 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).