Home › Columbia

Climate in Columbia, South Carolina: Monthly Weather Averages

By the AverageClimate Editorial Team · Last updated: October 2026

Columbia sits at 231 feet above sea level, and its climate, as recorded at the Columbia, SC station, runs to a yearly mean of 64.3°F. The warmest month is July, averaging 82.4°F with typical highs of 92.7°F; the coldest is January, averaging 45.7°F with lows around 34.6°F. Across a normal year the city receives 45.2 in of precipitation and 1.2 in of snow. The full month-by-month picture below comes from the official 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals — the 30-year averages the National Weather Service itself uses — so it describes the Columbia climate you should actually plan around, whether you are timing a visit, weighing a move, or just settling an argument about which month is best.

Columbia climate month by month

The table below is the complete 1991–2020 normals profile for Columbia: average high, average low and mean temperature, rainfall, and snowfall for every month. Read down the Mean column to feel the year's rhythm — Columbia's temperature range runs from 45.7°F in January to 82.4°F in July.

How to read the colors:below freezingcoldcoolmildwarmhot. Bands are colored by each cell's own temperature, so a whole year reads at a glance.

Columbia through the seasons

Winter in Columbia averages highs of 56.8–60.8°F and lows of 34.6–37.3°F, a seasonal mean of 47.5°F. The three months together bring 10.6 in of precipitation — about 23% of the city's yearly total — with December the wettest of the three at 3.70 in. Snowfall averages 1.1 in over the season, most of it in January (0.6 in). Winters here are cool rather than harsh: chilly mornings, mild afternoons, and only occasional brushes with freezing weather.

Spring in Columbia averages highs of 68.3–83.8°F and lows of 43.6–60.5°F, a seasonal mean of 64.1°F. The three months together bring 9.9 in of precipitation — about 22% of the city's yearly total — with March the wettest of the three at 3.57 in. Snowfall averages 0.1 in over the season, most of it in March (0.1 in). The season is a transition: the average temperature climbs 16.3°F from March to May, and by late spring Columbia is firmly into warm territory, with May rainfall of 3.49 in to plan around.

Summer in Columbia averages highs of 89.7–92.7°F and lows of 68.6–72.0°F, a seasonal mean of 80.8°F. The three months together bring 15.0 in of precipitation — about 33% of the city's yearly total — with July the wettest of the three at 5.35 in. Summers are hot in the classic sense — most afternoons reach the 90s, and shade, water, and air conditioning shape the daily routine. It is also the storm season: July alone averages 5.35 in of rain, much of it in heavy downpours.

Fall in Columbia averages highs of 66.4–85.7°F and lows of 41.6–65.3°F, a seasonal mean of 64.7°F. The three months together bring 9.8 in of precipitation — about 22% of the city's yearly total — with September the wettest of the three at 3.91 in. Temperatures ease off through the season — the monthly mean drops 21.5°F from September to November — and fall is when Columbia's weather turns crisp and dry, while nights stay mostly frost-free into December.

Best and worst months to visit Columbia

Ranking every month by its normals — mild mean temperatures score best, heavy rain and snow count against — the most comfortable months to visit Columbia are:

AprilMaySeptember

April leads the list: average highs of 76.7°F, lows of 51.5°F, and 2.83 in of rain, with snow a non-factor at 0.0 in. The other picks, May and September, offer the same balance in Columbia's shoulder seasons. At the other end, January is usually the month to avoid — the least comfortable mix of temperature and rainfall, with a mean temperature of 45.7°F and 3.49 in of precipitation.

How Columbia compares

Across the 124 cities in our dataset, the typical city averages 57.9°F for the year and 36.3 in of precipitation. Columbia runs 6.3°F warmer than that typical city and wetter by 8.9 in a year, ranking #32 of 124 for annual warmth and #39 of 124 for precipitation (wettest first). Its year-round temperature swing — warmest month minus coldest — is 36.7°F, which puts it in the moderate, clearly seasonal camp.

Planning notes for Columbia

For anyone relocating: average lows never drop below freezing in any month, so hard freezes are events, not seasons; 2 months average highs of 90°F or more, making air conditioning a core cost of summer life; days and nights differ by 22.6°F on average — a big desert-style swing that rewards dressing in layers year-round; 6 months of the year average between 55°F and 80°F, the band most people find comfortable without heating or cooling. Those four facts, all straight from the normals table above, shape everything from a Columbia wardrobe to its utility bills.

Columbia climate FAQ

Source: 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) — ncei.noaa.gov. Station: Columbia, SC (USW00013883), elevation 231 ft. Figures checked October 2026.