Hilton Head temps plummet from high 60s to freezing in 12 hours
Hilton Head Island and the surrounding Lowcountry experienced one of the sharpest temperature swings of the season this weekend as an arctic cold front plunged temperatures to near-record lows.
According to the National Weather Service, this high pressure system moved into the region Sunday afternoon, ushering in some of the coldest air of the season. Hilton Head temperatures on Sunday topped off at 69.8 degrees Sunday at 1:50 p.m.; by 2:35 a.m. Monday, it was 32 degrees on the island.
Overnight lows fell into the upper teens across inland areas and the lower to mid-20s along the coast, prompting a cold weather advisory from late Sunday night through Monday morning. Wind chills dipped into the 11–20 degree range, with a few inland areas reaching below 10 degrees.
Even with full sunshine on Monday, Dec. 15, temperatures will be slow to recover to winter normals for the region.
Highs on Monday are expected to reach only around 42 degrees, 15 degrees below normal for mid-December. Monday night will remain cold, with lows settling into the low 30s along the coast and colder inland areas dipping into the 20s.
By Tuesday, Dec. 16, temperatures begin a modest rebound. Highs will climb into the mid-50s with overnight lows in the low 40s, marking the start of a warming trend expected to continue through the week.
Two warming shelters in Beaufort County, Sea Island Presbyterian Church in Beaufort and Christ Lutheran Church on Hilton Head, will open at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 15 and close at 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 16.
Did these temperatures break Hilton Head records?
This week’s chill stands in stark contrast to last December.
According to previous temperature recordings from The Weather Channel, Hilton Head saw highs in the mid-60s and lows in the 50s on Dec. 14 and 15 of last year.
Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, reached a high of 70 degrees — nearly 30 degrees warmer than Monday’s high this year.
Climatologically, mid-December temperatures in the Hilton Head area typically range from the low-to-mid 40s to highs in the low-to-mid 60s. That places this week’s cold well below average.
And while temperatures were unusually cold, they did not break all-time records.
NWS climate records show the coldest temperature ever recorded for the area on Dec. 14 was 18 degrees in 1960. The record high for the date stands at 81 degrees, set in 1931.
What about the rest of the week?
Forecasters say dry, high pressure will remain in control through midweek, allowing temperatures to steadily moderate.
Wednesday is expected to bring highs near 61 degrees, with overnight lows around 52.
Thursday may reach the mid-60s, though a weak system could bring a slight chance of showers before another cold front passes late Thursday night into Friday.
By Friday, sunshine returns, with highs near 63 degrees and overnight lows in the upper 40s.
Looking ahead to the weekend, temperatures are expected to rise to above-normal levels, with temperatures hitting 70, though another cold front could approach late Sunday.
For the latest forecast, visit the NWS 7-day forecast.
