Live · KCRW · reported 22 min ago
Barometric pressure in Charleston, WV today
30.16inHg
1021.4 hPa (mb)
- 3-hour change
- +0.02 inHg · +0.7 hPa
- 24-hour range
- 29.98 – 30.16 inHg
- Station (absolute) pressure
- 29.52 inHg
- Barometer dial reads
- Change · slightly high
Charleston at a glance
How elevation shapes the reading in Charleston
Charleston is about 597 ft (182 m) above sea level. That is close to sea level, so the pressure you stand in and the sea-level figure in the forecast are nearly the same.
The reading above is the altimeter setting from Charleston/Yeager Arpt (KCRW), 5 km (3 mi) from the city center. It is the station’s measured pressure corrected to sea level, which is the number weather reports, apps and TV forecasts use, so you can compare Charleston with any other city.
Charleston elevation and what it means · Sea-level vs station pressure
| Elevation | 597 ft · 182 m |
|---|---|
| Weather station | Charleston/Yeager Arpt (KCRW) |
| Station elevation | 912 ft · 278 m |
| Standard air pressure at this elevation | 29.28 inHg · 992 hPa |
| Air pressure vs sea level | 98% |
| Water boils at | 210.9 °F · 99.4 °C |
| Time zone | America/New York |
Reading the barometer
Is the pressure in Charleston high or low?
Today’s reading is slightly high. Weather pressure is quoted at sea level, so the same scale works for Charleston and everywhere else.
- Very low Stormy < 29.50
- Low Clouds, rain 29.50–29.80
- Normal Changeable 29.80–30.20
- High Fair 30.20–30.50
- Very high Dry, clear > 30.50
Frequently asked questions
What is the barometric pressure in Charleston today?
The live reading at the top of this page is the latest sea-level pressure reported by Charleston/Yeager Arpt (KCRW), 5 km (3 mi) from the city center. It updates about every 10 minutes; the graph shows the last 24 hours.
What is normal barometric pressure in Charleston?
Weather reports for Charleston use sea-level pressure, so “normal” is the same as anywhere: about 29.92 inHg (1013 hPa), with most days between 29.60 and 30.30 inHg (1002–1026 hPa). Readings above 30.20 inHg are high pressure; below 29.80 inHg is low pressure.
Why does a barometer in Charleston read lower than the forecast?
Charleston is close to sea level (about 597 ft), so absolute and sea-level pressure differ by only about 0.64 inHg (22 hPa). A larger gap usually means the barometer needs to be calibrated against the reading on this page.
Is the pressure in Charleston rising or falling?
See the trend badge under the reading: it compares the latest report with the one three hours earlier. Falling pressure usually means clouds, wind or rain on the way; rising pressure means clearing and more settled weather.