The Hottest June Ever Recorded in South Carolina Had Residents Sweating Bullets

South Carolina, like many other southern states, is known for having very warm summers. The hot, long-lasting, and humid summer days make people seek shelter. Some turn on the air conditioning in their homes while others head for the state’s incredible beaches. South Carolina is one of the warmest states in June throughout the United States. Discover the hottest June ever recorded in South Carolina and see why this unrelenting heatwave had residents sweating bullets.

The Climate of South Carolina

To appreciate the intense heat that struck South Carolina, we must first understand the state’s climate. Just about all of the state is a part of the humid subtropical Köppen climate type. Typically, the winters in this region are mild and short. The summers are long-lasting, hot, and humid.

Take a look at the mean temperatures throughout the state during the summer months. This information will provide an understanding of the average of the mean daily temperatures throughout the state to illustrate the extreme heat of the record-setting June. The data is based on measures taken around the Columbia area from 1980 until 2022.

The average of the highest and lowest temperatures provides the mean temperature in a given area. For Columbia, South Carolina, the mean temperature in June over 42 years was 79.1 °F. Yet, the hottest June ever recorded in South Carolina was far warmer.

What Was the Hottest June Ever Recorded in South Carolina?

The hottest June ever recorded in South Carolina with an average daily temperature of 83.7 °F in 2010. That average is an incredible 4.6 °F hotter than the typical June in this area. This record-setting heat was recorded in Columbia, South Carolina, but similar temperatures occurred near Charleston as well.  

The hottest day of the month came on June 15, 2010, after temperatures rose to 101 °F amid an ongoing heat wave. The month was so hot that only 5 days of the 30 days of June had a high temperature below 90 °F.

That means that almost the entire month was one long heat wave that never ended. The month broke down into three separate heat waves. The hottest of them featured three days of 100 °F or over, including:

• June 13 — 100 °F
• June 14 — 100 °F
• June 15 — 101 °F

However, the days surrounding that heat wave were in the high 90s. By the time the month had ended, the average daily high had reached 94.6 °F. The following summer also came very close to this measure. Despite having a higher average temperature in June 2011, the mean temperature was 83.3 °F.

The summer of 2010 was one of the hottest ever recorded in places around the world. Millions of people experienced unusual extreme heat in June and July. These hot temperatures negatively affect people in several ways. Hot weather can cause people to use a lot of electricity and overwhelm the electrical grid, diminish crop harvests, and cause heat illnesses in people that cannot beat the heat.

What Was the Highest Temperature During June in South Carolina?

The all-time mean high temperature in the state during June is 90.9 °F, but 2010 featured an average daily high of 94.6 °F. However, the hottest temperature ever recorded during June would not arrive until 2012. On June 29, 2012, the temperature measured at the Columbia University of South Carolina reached 113 °F.

How the Hottest June in South Carolina Affected People

South Carolina residents are no strangers to intense heat throughout the summer. As such, the unusually hot weather in June did not have drastic impacts on the people in the state. Throughout the entirety of the summer, only 10 people died from heat-related causes. While any deaths from hot weather are unfortunate, the fact that the numbers did not spike in 2010 shows that the state’s infrastructure held up.

The power infrastructure in South Carolina performed admirably despite the increased demand for electricity. No widespread power outages occurred because of a higher need for electricity. However, powerful thunderstorms in parts of the state did cause some power outages.

According to the USDA, several crops suffered because of the hot weather in 2010. Wheat, sorghum, oats, and soybean crops were baked in the early summer sun. However, the hottest June recorded in South Carolina did not trigger a widespread crop failure; the yields dropped less than 10 percent in many cases.

The school year in South Carolina had already ended when the worst of the heat arrived. That means the stifling buildings were already closed for summer break. No schools closed for inclement weather during that month.

Residents of South Carolina held to the typical methods to stay cool. That includes steps such as:

• Drinking more water to combat dehydration.
• Staying inside during the hottest part of the day.
• Swimming in natural waterways and home pools
• Staying alert for signs of heat-related illnesses.

These steps kept people safe during the oppressive heat.

Lessons Learned from June 2010

June 2010 was the hottest June ever recorded in South Carolina and one of the hottest summers overall. However, the following two years would each bring incredibly hot weather to the region. People in South Carolina realized:

• Summer temperatures were getting hotter over that time.
• The hottest temperatures, including triple-digit temperatures, were starting earlier in the year.
• People that are susceptible to hot weather need to have a plan to mitigate the threat of heat-related illnesses.
• While South Carolina generally handles hot weather well, extremely hot temperatures over a long period in the summer could present a significant challenge to the state.

Residents and government officials alike learned a great deal from this sweltering summer. June 2010 was one for the record books. The month was practically one prolonged heatwave occasionally broken up by thunderstorms. Despite the average temperature being higher in June 2010 than any other before, the state’s infrastructure and citizens handled it well