August Lowcountry Almanac
A month of summer sailing, fresh harvests and night skies full of wonder
Story by Bailey Gilliam
August in the Lowcountry is made for golden afternoons on the water, fresh seafood feasts and starry evenings. It is the perfect month for sailing, with steady breezes and warm days that make local waters inviting. You can catch meteor showers, explore marsh trails, enjoy backyard cookouts or watch Tuesday night fireworks sparkle over Broad Creek. Festivals, outdoor movies and live music fill the calendar, adding even more ways to celebrate. Whether you’re casting a line at dawn, cooling off with a late swim or harvesting summer’s bounty, there is plenty to enjoy. Here’s your guide to making the most of an August built for adventure.
Weather predictions
The heat is still going strong this month, with the hottest days falling in early to mid-August. Expect higher-than-normal temperatures, a bit less rainfall than usual and some scattered storms.
- Average temperature: 84 degrees (Warmer than average)
- Precipitation: 2.5 inches (2 inches below average)
Forecast by week
- August 1-15: Hot with isolated thunderstorms
- August 16-23: Sunny and a bit cooler
- August 24-31: Warm with scattered storms
Night & day
August brings a subtle shift in the rhythm of daylight. Mornings start a bit later, and evenings wrap up a little sooner, reminding us that change is in the air.
Sunrise: Between 6:36 and 6:56 a.m.
Sunset: Between 8:21 and 7:49 p.m.
Astronomical events
August puts on a spectacular show for anyone who loves looking up after dark.
August 9: Full moon, called the sturgeon moon, will shine brightly. It’s named for the many sturgeon caught in the Great Lakes this time of year.
August 12: Venus and Jupiter will appear close together, only about a degree apart, near dawn.
August 12-13: Watch for the Perseid meteor shower, one of summer’s best shows.
August 22: New moon begins, perfect for stargazing.
In the garden
August may be humid, but it rewards you with generous harvests and fresh opportunities to try something new in the kitchen.
Prep: Think ahead for next year’s garden, water sweet potatoes deeply, prepare new strawberry beds, keep weeding and harvesting, cut back chard and celery planted in spring, thin out carrots and rutabagas about 10 days after sprouting, and weed brassicas that went in earlier.
Plant: With daylight fading, you’ll want to give seedlings a strong start right away. Transplant cabbage, broccoli and other brassicas in early August. Keep up succession planting. Sow cover crops. Transplant fast-ripening tomatoes.
Harvest: The August harvest is a feast: Asian greens, asparagus beans, regular beans, cantaloupes, carrots, celeriac, celery, chard, corn, cowpeas, cucumbers, edamame, eggplant, figs, grapes, herbs, hot peppers, leeks, spinach, okra, peppers, raspberries, scallions, squash, sweet peppers, tomatoes, watermelons and zucchini.
Tides & Currents
Keep up with the rhythms of the coast. Click here for updated tide and current predictions from NOAA.
Best days
If you like to plan around the moon, these dates line up for good luck and smooth sailing.
Fishing: August 1-9 and 23-31
Travel: August 21-22
Weddings: August 25-27
Painting projects: August 14-15
Sailing: August 16-17
Hosting guests: August 21-22