Record envelope, standing records and threshold days for Hilton Head (USC00384169), South Carolina, United States, with 46 years of record.
Key Facts for Hilton Head
Hilton Head (USC00384169) is a weather station in South Carolina, United States at 32.22 latitude and -80.75 longitude, 5 m (15 ft) above sea level.
The station reports from 1953 to 1998, 46 years of record.
1,464 records set at Hilton Head still stand.
Records are tracked for tmax, tmin, prcp, snow, snwd: an element needs 30 years of data to be eligible.
Hilton Head set a monthly record daily precipitation of 176.0 mm (6.9 in) on 17 February 1998.
About the Station
Location: South Carolina, United States, 32.22 latitude, -80.75 longitude.
Elevation: 5 m (15 ft).
Period of record: 1953 to 1998, 46 years.
Eligible elements: tmax, tmin, prcp, snow, snwd.
Daily Record Envelope and 2026
0 days at or beyond a record
Record highRecord low2026 daily maximum2026 daily minimum
The band shows the record high and record low for each calendar day at Hilton Head. The lines show the 2026 daily maximum and minimum. 0 days in 2026 matched or passed a record. Temperatures are in degrees Celsius.
Daily record high and record low at Hilton Head, with 2026 drawn through them
Month
Highest record high
Lowest record low
2026 highest maximum
2026 lowest minimum
Jan
29.4 C (84.9 F)
-15.6 C (3.9 F)
n/a
n/a
Feb
28.9 C (84.0 F)
-9.4 C (15.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Mar
32.2 C (90.0 F)
-6.1 C (21.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Apr
35.0 C (95.0 F)
0.0 C (32.0 F)
n/a
n/a
May
37.2 C (99.0 F)
2.8 C (37.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Jun
38.3 C (100.9 F)
5.6 C (42.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Jul
41.7 C (107.1 F)
11.7 C (53.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Aug
39.4 C (102.9 F)
11.7 C (53.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Sep
36.7 C (98.1 F)
7.8 C (46.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Oct
36.1 C (97.0 F)
0.0 C (32.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Nov
31.1 C (88.0 F)
-5.0 C (23.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Dec
28.3 C (82.9 F)
-12.2 C (10.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Which Years Hold Standing Records
1,464 standing records
Year with most
1,464 records at Hilton Head still stand. 1986 holds the most, with 56.
Standing records at Hilton Head by the year they were set
Year set
Standing records
1953
14
1954
54
1955
33
1956
37
1957
40
1958
29
1959
23
1960
35
1961
45
1962
43
1963
47
1964
44
1965
22
1966
22
1967
44
1968
30
1969
25
1970
34
1971
27
1972
34
1973
15
1974
41
1975
20
1976
35
1977
40
1978
31
1979
25
1980
38
1981
37
1982
27
1983
49
1984
51
1985
50
1986
56
1987
24
1988
19
1989
32
1990
31
1991
21
1992
22
1993
15
1994
14
1995
17
1996
18
1997
51
1998
3
All-Time Record Progression
8 new records
8 all-time records were set at Hilton Head between 24 July 1983 and 3 October 1994. Each dot is a new record.
When Hilton Head set new all-time records
Date
Kind
Detail
1983-07-24
Record high minimum temperature
Record high minimum temperature 27.2 C (81.0 F)
1983-12-25
Record low minimum temperature
Record low minimum temperature -12.2 C (10.0 F)
1985-01-21
Record low minimum temperature
Record low minimum temperature -15.6 C (3.9 F)
1985-09-10
Record high minimum temperature
Record high minimum temperature 30.0 C (86.0 F)
1986-07-09
Record high maximum temperature
Record high maximum temperature 40.6 C (105.1 F)
1986-07-20
Record high maximum temperature
Record high maximum temperature 41.7 C (107.1 F)
1989-12-23
Record low maximum temperature
Record low maximum temperature -2.2 C (28.0 F)
1994-10-03
Record daily precipitation
Record daily precipitation 246.9 mm (9.7 in)
Wettest Day of Each Month
Oct: 246.9 mm (9.7 in)
The wettest day on record for each calendar month at Hilton Head. The most was 246.9 mm (9.7 in) on 3 October 1994.
Record daily precipitation for each month at Hilton Head
Month
Record daily precipitation (mm)
Date
Jan
110.5 mm (4.4 in)
1 January 1987
Feb
176.0 mm (6.9 in)
17 February 1998
Mar
124.2 mm (4.9 in)
6 March 1959
Apr
116.3 mm (4.6 in)
30 April 1976
May
86.6 mm (3.4 in)
4 May 1994
Jun
175.0 mm (6.9 in)
18 June 1982
Jul
127.8 mm (5.0 in)
26 July 1978
Aug
196.9 mm (7.8 in)
17 August 1971
Sep
168.1 mm (6.6 in)
18 September 1988
Oct
246.9 mm (9.7 in)
3 October 1994
Nov
152.9 mm (6.0 in)
1 November 1969
Dec
89.7 mm (3.5 in)
3 December 1971
Period of Record Coverage
1953 to 1998
Complete yearUnder 90 percent of days
46 years of record at Hilton Head, 1953 to 1998. 7 years have data for under 90 percent of days and are left out of rankings: 1953, 1966, 1968, 1973, 1986, 1987, 1998.
Cooler than the station meanWarmer than the station mean
One stripe for each of 35 complete years at Hilton Head, 1954 to 1997. Blue stripes are years cooler than the station's own mean of 18.6 C (65.6 F); red stripes are warmer. The coolest year was 1963, at 17.7 C (63.8 F), and the warmest was 1985, at 19.9 C (67.8 F). The strongest colour marks a difference of 1.3 C (2.3 F).
Annual mean temperature at Hilton Head as warming stripes, 1954 to 1997
Year
Annual mean temperature
Difference from the station mean
1954
19.1 C
+0.48 C
1955
18.8 C
+0.17 C
1956
19.1 C
+0.44 C
1957
19.0 C
+0.40 C
1958
17.8 C
-0.83 C
1959
18.9 C
+0.28 C
1960
18.1 C
-0.53 C
1961
18.6 C
-0.07 C
1962
18.4 C
-0.21 C
1963
17.7 C
-0.99 C
1964
18.4 C
-0.29 C
1967
18.4 C
-0.26 C
1969
17.7 C
-0.92 C
1970
18.5 C
-0.10 C
1971
18.8 C
+0.18 C
1972
18.9 C
+0.23 C
1974
19.1 C
+0.49 C
1975
19.1 C
+0.50 C
1976
17.8 C
-0.83 C
1977
18.6 C
-0.08 C
1978
18.4 C
-0.27 C
1979
18.0 C
-0.60 C
1980
18.8 C
+0.13 C
1981
18.6 C
0.00 C
1982
19.6 C
+0.99 C
1983
18.6 C
-0.02 C
1984
19.2 C
+0.58 C
1985
19.9 C
+1.25 C
1988
18.1 C
-0.52 C
1992
18.6 C
-0.04 C
1993
18.7 C
+0.04 C
1994
19.1 C
+0.44 C
1995
18.9 C
+0.25 C
1996
18.6 C
-0.03 C
1997
18.4 C
-0.25 C
The fitted trend in annual mean temperature here over 1954 to 1997 is 0.1 C (-0.1 to 0.2) per decade. The interval includes zero, so the trend is not clearly different from zero. In Fahrenheit: 0.1 F (-0.1 to 0.4) per decade. The slope is a straight line fitted to 35 complete years; the brackets give its 95 percent interval.
Fitted temperature trends per decade at Hilton Head
Measure
Per decade (C)
Per decade (F)
Period
Complete years
Reading
Annual mean temperature
0.1 C (-0.1 to 0.2) per decade
0.1 F (-0.1 to 0.4) per decade
1954 to 1997
35
Not clearly different from zero
Mean daily maximum
-0.04 C (-0.19 to 0.10) per decade
-0.1 F (-0.3 to 0.2) per decade
1954 to 1997
35
Not clearly different from zero
Mean daily minimum
0.17 C (-0.01 to 0.34) per decade
0.30 F (-0.01 to 0.61) per decade
1954 to 1997
35
Not clearly different from zero
A year is complete when all 12 months have at least 20 days of both daily maximum and daily minimum readings. The annual mean is the mean of the monthly means. The trend describes this one station over this period; it does not say what caused the change.
Extremes by Year
1953 to 1998
Yearly extremes at Hilton Head: the record and the median year
Measure
Record
Year of the record
Median year
Years with a value
Hottest day (TXx)
41.7 C (107.1 F)
1986
36.4 C (97.5 F)
46
Coldest night (TNn)
-15.6 C (3.9 F)
1985
-7.2 C (19.0 F)
46
Wettest day (Rx1day)
246.9 mm (9.7 in)
1994
90.8 mm (3.6 in)
46
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
382.3 mm (15.1 in)
1995
155.8 mm (6.1 in)
46
Longest dry spell (CDD)
45 days
1955
22 days
46
Hottest day (TXx)
The hottest day of the year at Hilton Head, 1953 to 1998. The record is 41.7 C (107.1 F) in 1986, marked on the chart; the median year is 36.4 C (97.5 F).
Hottest day (TXx) at Hilton Head by year
Year
Hottest day (TXx)
1953
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1954
39.4 C (102.9 F)
1955
35.0 C (95.0 F)
1956
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1957
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1958
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1959
37.2 C (99.0 F)
1960
37.2 C (99.0 F)
1961
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1962
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1963
37.2 C (99.0 F)
1964
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1965
35.0 C (95.0 F)
1966
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1967
35.0 C (95.0 F)
1968
37.2 C (99.0 F)
1969
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1970
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1971
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1972
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1973
34.4 C (93.9 F)
1974
34.4 C (93.9 F)
1975
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1976
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1977
39.4 C (102.9 F)
1978
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1979
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1980
39.4 C (102.9 F)
1981
38.3 C (100.9 F)
1982
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1983
38.9 C (102.0 F)
1984
37.8 C (100.0 F)
1985
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1986
41.7 C (107.1 F)
1987
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1988
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1989
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1990
37.2 C (99.0 F)
1991
34.4 C (93.9 F)
1992
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1993
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1994
33.9 C (93.0 F)
1995
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1996
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1997
34.4 C (93.9 F)
1998
23.9 C (75.0 F)
Coldest night (TNn)
The coldest night of the year at Hilton Head, 1953 to 1998. The record is -15.6 C (3.9 F) in 1985, marked on the chart; the median year is -7.2 C (19.0 F).
Coldest night (TNn) at Hilton Head by year
Year
Coldest night (TNn)
1953
-7.2 C (19.0 F)
1954
-4.4 C (24.1 F)
1955
-6.1 C (21.0 F)
1956
-3.9 C (25.0 F)
1957
-8.9 C (16.0 F)
1958
-9.4 C (15.1 F)
1959
-7.8 C (18.0 F)
1960
-8.9 C (16.0 F)
1961
-6.7 C (19.9 F)
1962
-11.1 C (12.0 F)
1963
-8.9 C (16.0 F)
1964
-9.4 C (15.1 F)
1965
-6.7 C (19.9 F)
1966
-8.3 C (17.1 F)
1967
-7.2 C (19.0 F)
1968
-6.1 C (21.0 F)
1969
-6.7 C (19.9 F)
1970
-11.1 C (12.0 F)
1971
-7.2 C (19.0 F)
1972
-7.2 C (19.0 F)
1973
-5.6 C (21.9 F)
1974
-6.7 C (19.9 F)
1975
-5.0 C (23.0 F)
1976
-7.2 C (19.0 F)
1977
-8.3 C (17.1 F)
1978
-6.1 C (21.0 F)
1979
-7.8 C (18.0 F)
1980
-8.9 C (16.0 F)
1981
-10.6 C (12.9 F)
1982
-10.6 C (12.9 F)
1983
-12.2 C (10.0 F)
1984
-5.0 C (23.0 F)
1985
-15.6 C (3.9 F)
1986
-10.6 C (12.9 F)
1987
-3.9 C (25.0 F)
1988
-6.1 C (21.0 F)
1989
-11.1 C (12.0 F)
1990
-2.8 C (27.0 F)
1991
-7.2 C (19.0 F)
1992
-4.4 C (24.1 F)
1993
-2.8 C (27.0 F)
1994
-6.7 C (19.9 F)
1995
-6.1 C (21.0 F)
1996
-6.7 C (19.9 F)
1997
-5.6 C (21.9 F)
1998
-2.2 C (28.0 F)
Wettest day (Rx1day)
The wettest day of the year at Hilton Head, 1953 to 1998. The record is 246.9 mm (9.7 in) in 1994, marked on the chart; the median year is 90.8 mm (3.6 in).
Wettest day (Rx1day) at Hilton Head by year
Year
Wettest day (Rx1day)
1953
88.6 mm (3.5 in)
1954
77.5 mm (3.1 in)
1955
89.4 mm (3.5 in)
1956
90.7 mm (3.6 in)
1957
99.6 mm (3.9 in)
1958
63.5 mm (2.5 in)
1959
155.4 mm (6.1 in)
1960
99.8 mm (3.9 in)
1961
121.9 mm (4.8 in)
1962
75.2 mm (3.0 in)
1963
76.5 mm (3.0 in)
1964
164.6 mm (6.5 in)
1965
47.2 mm (1.9 in)
1966
117.1 mm (4.6 in)
1967
181.9 mm (7.2 in)
1968
104.6 mm (4.1 in)
1969
152.9 mm (6.0 in)
1970
66.5 mm (2.6 in)
1971
196.9 mm (7.8 in)
1972
66.5 mm (2.6 in)
1973
130.8 mm (5.1 in)
1974
80.0 mm (3.1 in)
1975
67.6 mm (2.7 in)
1976
116.3 mm (4.6 in)
1977
85.3 mm (3.4 in)
1978
127.8 mm (5.0 in)
1979
68.1 mm (2.7 in)
1980
61.0 mm (2.4 in)
1981
69.1 mm (2.7 in)
1982
175.0 mm (6.9 in)
1983
88.4 mm (3.5 in)
1984
73.7 mm (2.9 in)
1985
112.3 mm (4.4 in)
1986
90.9 mm (3.6 in)
1987
110.5 mm (4.4 in)
1988
168.1 mm (6.6 in)
1989
74.7 mm (2.9 in)
1990
90.7 mm (3.6 in)
1991
69.1 mm (2.7 in)
1992
101.6 mm (4.0 in)
1993
84.3 mm (3.3 in)
1994
246.9 mm (9.7 in)
1995
173.0 mm (6.8 in)
1996
104.6 mm (4.1 in)
1997
45.5 mm (1.8 in)
1998
176.0 mm (6.9 in)
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
The wettest five days of the year at Hilton Head, 1953 to 1998. The record is 382.3 mm (15.1 in) in 1995, marked on the chart; the median year is 155.8 mm (6.1 in).
Wettest five days (Rx5day) at Hilton Head by year
Year
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
1953
196.9 mm (7.8 in)
1954
85.1 mm (3.4 in)
1955
183.4 mm (7.2 in)
1956
98.6 mm (3.9 in)
1957
157.9 mm (6.2 in)
1958
82.0 mm (3.2 in)
1959
195.6 mm (7.7 in)
1960
170.5 mm (6.7 in)
1961
206.0 mm (8.1 in)
1962
163.8 mm (6.4 in)
1963
223.1 mm (8.8 in)
1964
211.6 mm (8.3 in)
1965
99.4 mm (3.9 in)
1966
182.4 mm (7.2 in)
1967
217.2 mm (8.6 in)
1968
119.6 mm (4.7 in)
1969
160.6 mm (6.3 in)
1970
195.0 mm (7.7 in)
1971
239.8 mm (9.4 in)
1972
130.0 mm (5.1 in)
1973
212.1 mm (8.4 in)
1974
195.9 mm (7.7 in)
1975
148.8 mm (5.9 in)
1976
148.1 mm (5.8 in)
1977
93.5 mm (3.7 in)
1978
128.6 mm (5.1 in)
1979
101.4 mm (4.0 in)
1980
96.0 mm (3.8 in)
1981
91.2 mm (3.6 in)
1982
244.3 mm (9.6 in)
1983
125.0 mm (4.9 in)
1984
143.3 mm (5.6 in)
1985
153.7 mm (6.1 in)
1986
139.1 mm (5.5 in)
1987
232.2 mm (9.1 in)
1988
187.2 mm (7.4 in)
1989
74.7 mm (2.9 in)
1990
196.6 mm (7.7 in)
1991
134.1 mm (5.3 in)
1992
113.8 mm (4.5 in)
1993
92.8 mm (3.7 in)
1994
341.9 mm (13.5 in)
1995
382.3 mm (15.1 in)
1996
127.5 mm (5.0 in)
1997
115.7 mm (4.6 in)
1998
179.8 mm (7.1 in)
Longest dry spell (CDD)
The longest dry spell of the year at Hilton Head, 1953 to 1998. The record is 45 days in 1955, marked on the chart; the median year is 22 days.
Longest dry spell (CDD) at Hilton Head by year
Year
Longest dry spell (CDD)
1953
26 days
1954
27 days
1955
45 days
1956
35 days
1957
22 days
1958
26 days
1959
13 days
1960
22 days
1961
35 days
1962
16 days
1963
23 days
1964
25 days
1965
23 days
1966
25 days
1967
21 days
1968
16 days
1969
14 days
1970
22 days
1971
16 days
1972
17 days
1973
24 days
1974
20 days
1975
16 days
1976
28 days
1977
22 days
1978
17 days
1979
16 days
1980
22 days
1981
20 days
1982
21 days
1983
19 days
1984
13 days
1985
16 days
1986
20 days
1987
24 days
1988
17 days
1989
22 days
1990
20 days
1991
22 days
1992
23 days
1993
16 days
1994
17 days
1995
22 days
1996
26 days
1997
28 days
1998
11 days
Each chart shows one value per year; the dot marks the record year. TXx is the hottest daily maximum, TNn the coldest daily minimum, Rx1day and Rx5day the largest one-day and five-day rain totals, and CDD the longest run of days with less than 1 mm of rain. A year with missing days can understate an extreme.
Frost Dates and Growing Season
34 years with a frost
Across 34 years with a frost, the median last spring frost at Hilton Head falls on 16 March and the median first autumn frost on 23 November, which leaves a median of 257 days between them.
Fitted over all years, the growing season changes by +6.4 days per decade at this station.
Frost dates and growing season at Hilton Head
Measure
Median, all years
Earliest period
Recent period (1958 to 1997)
Recent against earliest
Fitted trend
Last spring frost
16 March
n/a
13 March
n/a
-4.2 days per decade
First autumn frost
23 November
n/a
23 November
n/a
+2.2 days per decade
Growing days
257 days
n/a
258 days
n/a
+6.4 days per decade
A frost day is a day with a daily minimum at or below 0 C (32 F). The last spring frost and the first autumn frost are the last and first such days of the cold season, and growing days are the days between them. A negative trend for the last spring frost means it comes earlier.
Rainfall Return Levels
40 years, 1954 to 1997
A day with at least 94.2 mm (3.7 in) of rain is expected about once in 2 years. A day with at least 288.3 mm (11.4 in) of rain is expected about once in 100 years.
Rainfall return levels at Hilton Head: the daily rain expected about once in a given number of years
Expected about once in
A day with at least
Note
2 years
94.2 mm (3.7 in)
5 years
133.9 mm (5.3 in)
10 years
164.5 mm (6.5 in)
25 years
208.9 mm (8.2 in)
50 years
246.5 mm (9.7 in)
Longer than the 40 years of record
100 years
288.3 mm (11.4 in)
Longer than the 40 years of record
The levels come from a generalised extreme value (GEV) distribution fitted by L-moments to the wettest-day total of each year, 40 years of values from 1954 to 1997.
A return level is an estimate. It is least reliable for the long periods, 50 and 100 years, and for any period longer than the record behind the fit, where the fit has to reach past the largest day actually observed. It is not a forecast.
The largest wettest-day totals in the fit: 246.9 mm (9.7 in) in 1994; 196.9 mm (7.8 in) in 1971; 181.9 mm (7.2 in) in 1967.
Download the Data
Data for Hilton Head standing records by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Data for Hilton Head threshold days by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-14 (14 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.