Hilton Head Island in August
The warmest water of the year and the last weeks of full summer — plan your mornings, embrace the storms.
Average High Temp
88° F
Average Low Temp
77° F
Average Water Temp
83° F
Pace of the Island
Late Summer
August is the warmest month on Hilton Head in every way that matters to a beach vacation. Air temperatures hover in the upper 80s, the ocean peaks at 83 degrees, and the sun stays up past 8pm. It is also the island’s wettest month — afternoon thunderstorms are a regular feature of the Lowcountry summer and they move fast. Locals have learned to plan around them.
The summer thunderstorm pattern is predictable enough to work with: mornings are almost always clear and beautiful, the heat builds through midday, and a significant percentage of August afternoons see storms rolling in between 2 and 5pm. By early evening, the storm has typically passed, the air has cooled a few degrees, and the beach reopens with fewer people on it. Experienced visitors treat the afternoon storm as built-in naptime.
August sees the beginning of the island’s seasonal shift. Early in the month it is full peak summer. By the final week of August, the first hints of fall appear in the light, school starts in many states, and the crowds begin their gentle retreat. Late August can be a genuinely excellent time to visit — all of the summer infrastructure is still running, but the island starts to breathe again.
Events & Festivals
These events recur annually. Exact dates shift year to year — check local event listings before your visit for current schedules.
- HarbourFest at Shelter Cove (weekly through August) — the summer tradition continues; Thursday evenings at the marina •
- End-of-summer specials — many properties and restaurants offer late August promotions as peak season winds down •
- Summer concert series continues — outdoor performances throughout the month
Best Activities This Month
- Swimming — warmest water of the entire year; 83°F is as good as it gets on the Atlantic coast
- All watersports — every operator is running at full capacity; ideal conditions all month
- Beach (morning) — get out early; the morning light in August is extraordinary and the heat is manageable
- Dolphin cruises — summer pods at peak activity; sunset cruises are particularly memorable
- Offshore fishing — August is excellent for mahi, wahoo, and king mackerel offshore
- Sea turtle nesting and early hatching — the first nests of the season begin to hatch in late August
- HarbourFest at Shelter Cove — free weekly event; the August crowds give it great energy
- Kayaking and paddleboarding at sunset — the post-storm evening light is among the most beautiful of the year
- Indoor afternoon activities — Coastal Discovery Museum, shopping at Coligny Plaza, the Tanger Outlets on the mainland
- Evening dining — the restaurant scene is at its liveliest; reserve in advance for popular spots
