All the details on Columbia, SC’s Weather and Four Seasons
Weather-wise, Columbia experiences all four seasons. Though summers and early-fall can be downright hot, overall it’s a pretty mild place to live. Especially during the winter!
Prepare for high temperatures in the summer (between 90-100 most days) and mild winter weather.
No matter the season, there is always something to do in Columbia. See below for a detailed description of each season to help you plan your next trip.
Columbia’s Climate
- Warmest month: July — average high is 92°F (33°C) and the average low is 73°F (22°C)
- Coolest month: January– average high is 56°F (13°C) and the average low is 37°F (2°C)
Summer Weather in Columbia
There’s no sugarcoating it… Columbia is HOT. I hate to even type it but we often hear Columbia called ‘the armpit of the South’ and, well, I think it may be true. It just seems hotter than any other city around it.
Plan on June through September being hot and sticky, and if you are lucky we’ll get a nice reprieve in the 80’s…
Luckily there are places to cool off, like pools, the river and Lake Murray!
Winter Weather in Columbia
Winter is pretty mild in Columbia overall, though there can be some absolutely freezing days!
Columbia also gets the occasional snow. Lately, it seems like every four years or so Columbia will get between .25-1 inch of snow. Not much, but enough to shut the city down!!
Columbia is very much a ‘stock up on milk, bread and eggs’ city when snow is in the forecast.
When there aren’t freezing temperatures in the forecast, the winters in Columbia can be pretty pleasant.
We are often shocked at how often we can opt for outdoor dining in February! December and January highs are in the low 50s (lows in the 30s), while February begins to creep back up to a high of 60s and low of late-30s.
Spring in Columbia
Columbia’s winter is pretty short and before you know it flowers and trees will be in bloom. You’ll smell that familiar Bradford Pear tree smell in the air.
Columbia in the spring is pure perfection… except for that pesky pollen.
If you have allergy problems, make sure to start a daily Claritin regimen before March of each year to be safe. Early-spring temperatures are in the high 60’s and slowly climb to the high 80’s by June.
Fall in Columbia
We love fall in Columbia!
Leaves begin to change late-October to mid-November and it’s just beautiful all around.
The fall season starts out pretty warm in Columbia but toward the middle of October you’ll start to get those perfectly crisp fall days. This timing also coincides with the annual State Fair in Columbia, located just next to Carolina’s Williams Brice stadium.
The average high temperature in October is in the mid-70s and in November it’s in the mid-60s (lows in the 40s and 50s, respectively.)
Columbia Weather: Average Temperatures and Rainfall
| Average | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 56°F | 60°F | 68°F | 76°F | 83°F | 89°F | 92°F | 90°F | 84°F | 75°F | 66°F | 59°F |
| Average | 45°F | 48°F | 56°F | 64°F | 72°F | 78°F | 81°F | 80°F | 74°F | 64°F | 55°F | 48°F |
| Low | 37°F | 39°F | 46°F | 53°F | 62°F | 69°F | 73°F | 72°F | 65°F | 54°F | 45°F | 39°F |
| Rainfall | 3.3″ | 3.5″ | 3.5″ | 2.8″ | 2.8″ | 3.6″ | 3.7″ | 3.9″ | 3.4″ | 3.0″ | 2.6″ | 3.1″ |
