SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

February 4 - 10, 2002

WEATHER SUMMARY

After a sunny start on Monday, north winds and clouds set the stage for a lengthy period of wind and cold rain beginning early Wednesday into Thursday. As the precipitation began to fall over western sections there were reports of sleet and freezing rain. Daytime high temperatures remained in the 30's over most inland sites. Amounts ranged from between one to three inches for the event and helped greatly with the ongoing rainfall deficit. A welcomed warming trend followed with temperatures rising into the 60's and low 70's on Friday through the weekend. For the period the state average temperature was two degrees below normal.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

The highest temperature was 76 degrees at Charleston AP, Givhans, Jamestown and Cades on February 10. The lowest temperature reported was 15 degrees at Caesars Head on the morning of February 5. The greatest 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.67" at Clarks Hill ending at 7:00 a.m. on February 8. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 1.6".

                    Precipitation
               Period    2002    Deviation*        Temperature
Location        Total   Total     From Avg.     Maximum    Minimum	
Greer            1.21    6.07         0.2A         64         22                         	              		
Columbia         1.83    4.15         1.8B         67         28
Florence         1.49    3.14         2.1B         74         24	        
Charleston       1.88    4.30         0.9B         76         27
N Myrtle Beach   2.08    2.86         2.0B         64         26
Augusta, Ga.     2.14    4.79         1.2B         69         23
*A=Above, B=Below                                                                       

   

Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the period ending midnight Monday through midnight Sunday

SOIL

4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 53 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages were below to near normal.
Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 51 degrees.