What should you know about Myrtle Beach's weather?
- NWS office
- Wilmington (ILM)
- Climate
- Humid subtropical
- Time zone
- EST/EDT
- Elevation
- 21 ft
- Coordinates
- 33.73° N, 78.87° W
- Nearest radar
- KLTX · Wilmington NEXRAD · 31 mi
- County
- Horry County, SC
- Yearly rain
- 48.5 in
- Warmest month
- July · 80.6°F average
- Coldest month
- January · 46.2°F average
- Severe storm peak
- May to Jul
How much rain does Myrtle Beach get each month?
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 55.7 | 58.2 | 64.7 | 71.8 | 78.7 | 84.8 | 87.6 | 86.5 | 83.2 | 75.6 | 66.4 | 59.3 |
| Low °F | 36.7 | 39.6 | 45.4 | 53.3 | 62.1 | 70.3 | 73.7 | 72.5 | 67.7 | 56.3 | 45.6 | 40.0 |
| Rain (in) | 3.01 | 3.18 | 3.59 | 2.77 | 2.96 | 4.07 | 5.40 | 6.25 | 6.65 | 4.20 | 3.29 | 3.10 |
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Rain (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55.7 | 36.7 | 3.01 |
| Feb | 58.2 | 39.6 | 3.18 |
| Mar | 64.7 | 45.4 | 3.59 |
| Apr | 71.8 | 53.3 | 2.77 |
| May | 78.7 | 62.1 | 2.96 |
| Jun | 84.8 | 70.3 | 4.07 |
| Jul | 87.6 | 73.7 | 5.40 |
| Aug | 86.5 | 72.5 | 6.25 |
| Sep | 83.2 | 67.7 | 6.65 |
| Oct | 75.6 | 56.3 | 4.20 |
| Nov | 66.4 | 45.6 | 3.29 |
| Dec | 59.3 | 40.0 | 3.10 |
N MYRTLE BCH AP, SC US · 10 mi away · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020
How did Hurricane Hugo hit Myrtle Beach in 1989?
Hugo heavily damaged the Myrtle Beach oceanfront. NWS Wilmington says Hugo was again a category four hurricane as it approached the South Carolina coast, and it made landfall at midnight on September 22, 1989 near Sullivan's Island. In Myrtle Beach, hotels and homes on the beachfront were heavily damaged and the bulk of the protective sand dunes washed away. Springmaid Pier was cut to only 150 feet, and two other piers in Myrtle Beach were destroyed. In Garden City, the surge was estimated at 13 feet above sea level.
How bad was the Florence flooding around Conway?
Florence brought record river flooding to Conway and Horry County after landfall on September 14, 2018. A station in Loris recorded 23.63 inches of rain, a new state tropical cyclone rainfall record for South Carolina. The Waccamaw River at Conway crested at a record 21.16 feet, breaking its Hurricane Matthew crest by over three feet. Nearly 1,000 homes and businesses near the river were flooded, and homes in the Polo Farms neighborhood off SC Highway 905 were flooded five feet deep.
What did Hurricane Matthew do to the Myrtle Beach piers?
Storm surge and large waves from Matthew destroyed most of Springmaid Pier in October 2016. The NOAA weather station attached to the end of the pier was lost with it, and its data stopped between 12:18 and 12:24 p.m. on October 8, likely the time the pier was destroyed. Garden City Pier suffered damage, and Surfside Pier lost about half of its 689-foot length. Matthew made its final landfall near McClellanville that day as a category 1 hurricane.
Do tornadoes hit Myrtle Beach?
Yes, including weak tornadoes during hurricanes. The NOAA Storm Events Database lists 33 tornado entries for Horry County from 1996 to 2025. During Florence, an EF0 tornado touched down 2 miles north-northeast of Myrtle Beach and crossed Highway 17 moving west, and a local TV station showed it live from a skycam. Early on October 8, 2016, during Matthew, an EF0 with winds near 85 mph touched down in North Myrtle Beach.
How far is the Myrtle Beach weather radar from the city?
The radar behind this page, KLTX, is the Wilmington NEXRAD station, about 31 miles from Myrtle Beach. NOAA notes that a radar beam gets higher above the ground with distance and also becomes wider. Small storm-scale features that are easy to see close to a radar are often masked at long distances. Use the loop for rain bands and follow NWS Wilmington warnings for tornadoes and surge.
When should you check the Myrtle Beach radar?
Thunderstorm season
May to JulyAbout 65% of Horry County's 1996 to 2025 severe reports fall in these months. Beachgoers along Ocean Boulevard watch the loop for afternoon cells and head inside when thunder starts.
Peak hurricane season
Mid-August to mid-OctoberMost Atlantic hurricane activity falls in this window, and September averages 6.65 inches of rain, the most of any month. Drivers on US 501 check the 7-day forecast when a storm heads for the Carolinas.
What else do people ask about the Myrtle Beach radar?
Which NWS office and radar cover Myrtle Beach?
NWS Wilmington (ILM) issues forecasts and warnings for Myrtle Beach. The nearest NEXRAD radar is KLTX, about 31 miles from the city center.
How often does the radar on this page update?
The radar loop on this page updates every 5 minutes.
Is this page an official warning service?
No. It shows radar and forecasts only. For warnings, follow NWS Wilmington and local emergency alerts.
Quick facts
- Radar: KLTX (Wilmington NEXRAD), a new frame every 5 minutes
- Forecasts and warnings: NWS Wilmington (ILM)
- Severe storms peak from May to July (NOAA Storm Events, 1996 to 2025)
- Local time: EST/EDT
- Radar: KLTX, a new frame every 5 minutes
- Warnings: NWS Wilmington (ILM)
- Severe storms: May to July
- Local time: EST/EDT
Where does this data come from?
- NOAA NEXRAD radar via Iowa Environmental Mesonet
- National Weather Service, Wilmington office
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020: N MYRTLE BCH AP, SC US
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1996 to 2025
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service
- GOES-East satellite imagery
- Open-Meteo forecast API
- OpenStreetMap contributors
- NWS Wilmington: Hurricane Hugo
- NWS Wilmington: Hurricane Florence
- NWS Wilmington: Hurricane Matthew in the Carolinas
- NOAA JetStream: Radar beams
- National Hurricane Center: Tropical cyclone climatology