Will SC be hotter and wetter than normal in summer 2024? What Farmers Almanac and NWS predict

Patrick McCreless
·2 min read

Get ready for a scorching and muggy summer, South Carolina.

Temperatures across the state have jumped significantly in the past week or so, but that’s just the beginning of what to expect in the coming months.

Though many Americans consider Memorial Day weekend (May 25-27 this year) as the start of summer, the official first day of the summer solstice is June 20 for the Northern Hemisphere.

Both the Farmers’ Almanac and the National Weather Service are forecasting hotter and wetter summers for South Carolina than usual this year.

Farmers’ Almanac extended forecast

The Farmers’ Almanac summer weather forecast calls for a warm, hot and muggy summer for most of the nation. The Southeast in particular faces soaking showers and steamy days.

A U.S. map that shows general summer weather forecasts for 2024, according to Farmers’ Almanac.
A U.S. map that shows general summer weather forecasts for 2024, according to Farmers’ Almanac.

According to Farmers’ Almanac, South Carolina will kick off June with rain and thunderstorms. The weeks of June 8 and June 16 will experience a rise in humidity and more thunderstorms. Expect the month to round out with humidity and more thunderstorms as well.

There will be a bout of hot but dry weather the week of July 4, followed by a week of heavy rains, Farmers’ Almanac states. More thunderstorms and hot temperatures are predicted toward the end of July.

Showery rains will continue into August. Temperatures are expected to get “oppressively hot” the week of Aug. 8. Don’t expect rain chances to let up toward the end of August, but temperatures should cool a bit, Farmers’ Almanac states.

How Farmers’ Almanac predicts the weather

Founded in 1818, the Farmers’ Almanac uses a secret formula that includes components such as “sunspot activity, tidal action, the position of the planet,” to predict long-range weather forecasts. The forecasts are typically made two years in advance. Fans of the Farmers’ Almanac have, over the years, calculated that the predictions are accurate 80-85% of the time.

NWS summer forecast

The NWS Climate Prediction Center calls for a 40% to 50% of South Carolina having above normal temperatures in June, July and August.

A U.S. map that shows temperature predictions from June through August.
A U.S. map that shows temperature predictions from June through August.

The coastal areas of South Carolina are predicted to have a 33% to 40% chance of above normal rainfall from June to August.

A U.S. map that shows rainfall predictions between June and August.
A U.S. map that shows rainfall predictions between June and August.

However, the rest of the state may see a greater 40% to 50% chance of above normal rainfall for the summer, the NWS predicts.