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These bookings run through Viator, who pay us a commission. Your price does not change, and neither does the order they appear in.

Weather

Hilton Head Island weather

Near-perfect conditions for dolphin cruises and beach time across Hilton Head today.

  • 71°FRight now
  • 79° / 65°Today
  • 5:29 PMSunset

Conditions on Hilton Head Island

Clear

71°

Clear · feels like 77°

TodayHigh 79° · Low 65°

Humidity93%
Wind4 mph SSE
Rain1%

Sunrise 6:43 AMSunset 5:29 PM

Near-perfect conditions for dolphin cruises and beach time across Hilton Head today.

Updated

Best time to go outside today

Early morning, 7 AM – 1 PM

Near-perfect conditions for dolphin cruises and beach time across Hilton Head today.

Outdoor comfort98 out of 100 · Excellent

Sweet spot around 8 AM at 70°F.

Updated

Hour by hour

The bar is our outdoor-comfort score for that hour: temperature, rain, wind, UV and humidity together.

  1. 66°
    1%5 AM
  2. 65°
    1%6 AM
  3. 65°
    1%7 AM
  4. 70°
    1%8 AM
  5. 74°
    1%9 AM
  6. 76°
    1%10 AM
  7. 79°
    1%11 AM
  8. 79°
    9%12 PM
  9. 78°
    8%1 PM
  10. 79°
    5%2 PM
  11. 79°
    5%3 PM
  12. 78°
    0%4 PM
  13. 75°
    1%5 PM
  14. 72°
    1%6 PM
  15. 71°
    1%7 PM
  16. 70°
    1%8 PM
  17. 69°
    1%9 PM
  18. 69°
    1%10 PM

Dimmed hours are after dark.

Updated

The week ahead

  1. Overcast

    79° / 65°

  2. Drizzle

    79° / 64°

  3. Overcast

    74° / 59°

  4. Overcast

    70° / 53°

  5. Overcast

    74° / 51°

  6. Overcast

    75° / 54°

  7. Overcast

    77° / 60°

Updated

Sunrise and sunset

Sunrise
6:43 AM
Sunset
5:29 PM
Daylight
10 hr 46 min
Golden hour
from 4:29 PM

Times are local (America/New York). Golden hour is the hour before sunset, when the light comes off the water at an angle and the photographs start working.

On the water

Water72°F
WavesCalm — 1.5 ft
Swell period6.7s
  • BoatingGood

    Seas around 1.5 ft, wind 8 mph. Comfortable on a larger boat, a little bouncy on a skiff.

  • SwimmingFair

    Water at 72°F — bracing at first, fine once you are in. Surf around 1.5 ft.

  • FishingExcellent

    Seas 1.5 ft, wind 8 mph on a 7s swell — offshore is on the table.

Updated

Plan around it

What to do with the weather you have got

The forecast is only useful if it changes the plan. These are the Hilton Head pages that match each kind of day.

Indoor and under-cover plans that do not depend on the sky clearing.

On the water and in it — the things a calm, warm day is actually for.

Land-based outdoor plans for the days the forecast gives you.

What the evening is for once the light has gone off the water.

The longer view

Hilton Head's climate, season by season

Today's forecast tells you what to wear. This tells you when to come.

Hilton Head Island runs its warmest in summer (June – August), averaging 88°F by day and 73°F overnight. Winter (December – February) is the other end of it: highs around 62°F, lows near 42°F. That is a 46-degree spread between the hottest afternoon and the coldest night of a typical year, which is why the same packing list does not work twice here. Visitor numbers track it closely — summer is full, winter is quiet — so the cheapest weather is rarely the most comfortable weather.

  • Spring

    March – May

    75°F / 56°F

    busycrowds
    busyprices
    • RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links in mid-April
    • Wading-bird rookery at Pinckney Island's Ibis Pond at its noisiest
    • Alligators basking on Forest Preserve lagoon banks
  • Summer

    June – August

    88°F / 73°F

    fullcrowds
    fullprices
    • Tuesday-night fireworks over Shelter Cove Harbour
    • Ocean water in the low eighties, the warmest of the year
    • Free Breeze Trolley running afternoons and evenings
  • Fall

    September – November

    77°F / 59°F

    steadycrowds
    steadyprices
    • Redfish and speckled trout schooling in the creeks
    • Ocean still swimmable well into October
    • Weekly rental rates fall sharply after Labor Day
  • Winter

    December – February

    62°F / 42°F

    quietcrowds
    quietprices
    • Best shelling of the year at low tide on the north end
    • Dogs allowed on the beach at any hour, October through March
    • Wintering waders and ducks at Pinckney Island and Jarvis Creek

Book around it

Dolphin Tours suit conditions like today's

Departures cancel for weather, not for forecasts. Check the operator's own cancellation terms before you book on a marginal day.

These bookings run through Viator, who pay us a commission. Your price does not change, and neither does the order they appear in.

Shared departures

Per-seat pricing, fixed departure times, and other people on the boat. For one or two of you this is almost always the right call.

  • Hilton Head Island Sunset Dolphin Tour

    Private and Luxury

    Hilton Head Island Sunset Dolphin Tour (opens in a new tab)

    Free cancellationInstant confirmation
    109 reviews

    Embark on an unforgettable Sunset Dolphin Tour around Hilton Head Island, SC! Join our fun crew of knowledgable guides as we cruise the…

    1–2 hours

    Prices checked

    from $49.99
  • 90 minute Hilton Head Sunset Dolphin Cruise

    Involves Animals

    90 minute Hilton Head Sunset Dolphin Cruise (opens in a new tab)

    Free cancellationInstant confirmation
    279 reviews

    Explore the salt marsh and take in views of the incredible Lowcountry sunset! On this 90-minute tour, learn about the salt marsh and try…

    1–2 hours

    Prices checked

    from $55
  • Hilton Head Sunset Dolphin Watching Cruise

    Short term availability

    Hilton Head Sunset Dolphin Watching Cruise (opens in a new tab)

    Free cancellationInstant confirmation
    477 reviews

    Set sail from the iconic Harbour Town Yacht Basin, right beneath Hilton Head’s famous lighthouse, for an unforgettable evening on the…

    1–2 hours

    Prices checked

    from $45Usually $50
  • Hilton Head Island Ocean Dolphin Cruise

    Low Supplier Cancellation Rate

    Hilton Head Island Ocean Dolphin Cruise (opens in a new tab)

    Free cancellationInstant confirmation
    444 reviews

    This isn’t just another boat ride—it’s Hilton Head’s original dolphin cruise, operating for over 50 years on Hilton Head Island! Step…

    1–2 hours

    Prices checked

    from $39

Private and small-group

Priced for the boat rather than the seat, and often the cheaper answer for four or more once you divide it out. Worth checking against the shared price above before you assume private means expensive.

Last updated

Conditions checked (America/New York). This page refreshes every half hour. Forecast data from Open-Meteo.