Charleston weather in May

In May, Charleston sees average daytime highs of 73°F and overnight lows near 56°F, with 5.0 in of rain across 14.6 wet days and about 14.1 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 70°F in the first days to 77°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Charleston's 7th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Charleston's year-round climate.

Daytime high
73°
5th warmest
Overnight low
56°
8th coldest
Rainfall
5.0 in
14.6 wet days
Daylight
14 h 06 min
5:21 AM – 7:25 PM
Cloud cover
63%
7th clearest
Wind
6 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.71 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 May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 70°F in the first days to 77°F by the end.

A typical May day in Charleston reaches about 73°F in the afternoon and slips back to 56°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 62°F and 84°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 7°F warmer than April and about 7°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17051
27052
37152
47152
57153
67153
77153
87253
97254
107254
117254
127255
137355
147355
157355
167355
177356
187456
197456
207457
217457
227557
237558
247558
257658
267658
277659
287659
297760
307760
317760

How May really feels in Charleston

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May 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

May 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 May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 2nd-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 May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13862
23961
33961
43961
53961
63961
74060
84060
94060
104060
114159
124159
134159
144159
154258
164258
174258
184258
194258
204258
214258
224357
234357
244357
254456
264555
274456
284654
294555
304654
314654

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Charleston gets around 5.0 in of rain over 14.6 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 48% and peaks near 48% on the wettest days.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
148
248
347
447
547
647
747
848
948
1048
1148
1248
1348
1448
1548
1648
1748
1848
1948
2048
2148
2248
2347
2447
2547
2647
2747
2847
2947
3047
3146

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 46% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 10% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
171181100
268191210
366201310
464201510
561211620
659221720
757221830
856231830
954231940
1052232050
1152232050
1250242060
1349242170
1447242180
1546242190
16452321100
17442322110
18432322120
19422223130
20412224140
21392224150
22382225150
23372225160
24352226171
25342226171
26322227181
27312327181
28302327191
29292328191
30272328201
31262328211

Wind in May

Winds average 6 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
56calm
66calm
76calm
86calm
96calm
106calm
116calm
126calm
136calm
146calm
156calm
166calm
176calm
186calm
196calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:36 AM to 5:10 AM, and sunset from 7:11 PM to 7:37 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:367:11
213.65:357:12
313.65:347:13
413.75:337:14
513.75:327:15
613.85:317:16
713.85:297:17
813.85:287:18
913.95:277:19
1013.95:267:19
1113.95:257:20
1214.05:247:21
1314.05:237:22
1414.05:227:23
1514.05:217:24
1614.15:217:25
1714.15:207:26
1814.15:197:27
1914.25:187:28
2014.25:177:29
2114.25:167:29
2214.25:167:30
2314.35:157:31
2414.35:147:32
2514.35:147:33
2614.35:137:34
2714.45:137:34
2814.45:127:35
2914.45:117:36
3014.45:117:37
3114.45:107:37

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.71 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 — May's 5.71 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.3Bright
25.4Bright
35.4Bright
45.4Bright
55.4Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.5Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.8Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.9Bright
235.9Bright
245.9Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
276.0Bright
286.0Bright
296.0Bright
306.0Bright
316.0Bright
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Charleston?

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

6.0
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
4.6
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Charleston for sightseeing.

What to pack for Charleston in May

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

In May, Charleston sees daytime highs around 73°F and nights near 56°F. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 15 days see rain.

rain gearlight clothessun protection

UV index in Charleston in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — 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 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 May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May 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
May 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).