SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

Januuary 9 - January 15, 2006

WEATHER SUMMARY

Near record warmth was observed early in the week. Afternoon high temperatures in the 70's were reported from the Piedmont in upstate South Carolina to the coast. Several sites on Wednesday and Thursday were in the upper 70's. Wet weather occurred as thundershowers during the day on Wednesday followed by dense fog Thursday morning. A fast moving cold front collided with the warm moist airmass on Friday producing severe weather in the form of tornadoes. Personal injuries and moderate property damage were the result of an F1 tornado's ground path of at least six miles through Clarendon County. Colder air was forced into the state Saturday on northwest winds gusting above 40 mph. Partly sunny skies and diminishing winds ended the week. For the period, the state average temperature was ten degrees above normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 78 degrees at Orangeburg on January 11 and 12. The lowest official temperature reported was 23 degrees at Chester on the morning of January 15. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.77 inches at Fountain Inn ending at 7:00 a.m. on January 14. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.5 inches.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

                    Precipitation                    
                       Weekly   Jan 1  Deviation     
                        Total   Total   From Avg
         Greer           1.27    2.37      0.3
      Columbia           0.38    1.44     -0.8 
    Orangeburg           0.78    1.96      0.0  
 Charlotte, NC           1.08    1.84     -0.1             	
   Augusta, GA           0.56    1.95     -0.2  
      Florence           0.30    1.23     -0.8
  Myrtle Beach           0.31    1.46     -0.3
    Charleston           0.11    1.75     -0.2     
  Savannah, GA           0.39    1.49     -0.4                                              

                         
                            






Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.  

SOIL: 4-inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 52 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were near normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 51 degrees.