Aiken’s Climate

Aiken’s Climate… What’s it REALLY Like?

Aiken’s climate is mild and temperate, with four distinct seasons. In the late 1800’s, wealthy Northerners discovered that Aiken’s winters were perfect for sporting pursuits like foxhunting, polo, court tennis, golf and shooting. But what’s the weather like the rest of the year?

Read on for all the info…

Winter in Aiken

When Northern parts of the country are experiencing sub zero temperatures, snow and ice, Aiken’s norm is chilly nights and sunny days, with wintertime temps often warming into the high 50’s and low to mid, even upper 60’s. Aiken receives an average of less than one inch of snow per year. In over 20 years of living in Aiken, I experienced snow only a few times, and it rarely stays on the ground for more than a couple of hours. Having grown up in New Hampshire, I found the occasional snowfall in Aiken a pleasant diversion. Be prepared to spend a lot of time outside in Aiken in the winter…most days it’s comfortable enough to play sports, hike, ride your horses, whatever you fancy. An occasional cold rainy day will keep you inside. On those odd days, I enjoy a warm fire, hot chocolate and a cozy spot indoors with a good book.

Spring in Aiken

Springtime in Aiken is heavenly, beginning in March and lasting into June. Trees and flowers are blooming prolifically, the scents of spring are intoxicating. Temperatures typically range from 50’s at night to 60-70’s during the day. Humidity is low in spring. The sunshine is warm, and restorative without being hot. Think gardening, daytime hikes through Hitchcock Woods, outdoor dinner parties on the veranda, coffee on the porch kind of days. For horse people, the blankets come off, the horses are fresh, relaxed and feeling good. The birds are out at Audubon’s Silver Bluff Sanctuary. It’s so perfect!

Summer in Aiken

Summer is the least comfortable time of the year in Aiken to spend lots of time outside. Like many areas of the South, lots of moisture in the air and higher temps has many people inside in the air conditioning, or traveling to the mountains or the beach during summer months. I found that doing outside work earlier in the day, as well as minimizing the number of times in and out of the air conditioning helped a lot. Temperatures get into the 90’s, but the moisture in the air is more a factor than the temperature. Having said that, I certainly prefer summer in the South to winter in the North – no question!

Fall in Aiken

Fall in Aiken is as pleasant as spring. The light in fall is warm, leaves are changing colors, daytime temperatures are usually in the mid 70’s with cool, comfortable evenings. Equestrian sports pick up again after slowing over the summer- as do tennis and golf. The polo season restarts in fall, horse shows are happening everywhere and everyone spends as much time as possible outdoors. There’s so much to do during the fall season in Aiken, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to enjoy being outside. 

By the Numbers

For those interested in the numbers, here are the statewide averages of relative humidity (RH) and dew point for each state. A ranking (1=most, 50=least) is also included.