Cold, high pressure dominated the early work week with statewide freezes reported on both Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Summerville, in Dorchester County, only managed to recover from a Tuesday morning low temperature of 26 degrees to a high temperature of 41 degrees. The 25-degree minimum on Wednesday at Beaufort was their coldest March morning in thirteen years. Inland temperatures began a sharp rebound on Thursday, with the exception of the beaches where onshore surface winds over the near 50-degree water kept their afternoon high temperatures in the middle 50's. The mercury continued climbing into the weekend with much of the state warming to around 80 degrees on Saturday. For Columbia, this was the first 80-degree mark since October 17, 2008. Mostly sunny, spring-like conditions were observed Sunday along with brisk, southwest winds. The Greer AP measured a wind gust of 37 mph. The state average temperature for the period was three degrees below normal.
The highest official temperature reported was 83 degrees at Camden on March 7 and at Cheraw and Jamestown on March 8. The lowest official temperature reported was 14 degrees at Caesars Head on March 2. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 0.01 inches at Florence AP on March 2. The state average rainfall for the period was 0.0 inches.
Precipitation
Weekly Jan 1 Departure
Total Total from Avg
Greer 0.00 8.63 -1.4
Columbia 0.00 4.97 -4.7
Orangeburg 0.00 6.42 -3.2
Charlotte, NC 0.01 6.92 -1.8
Augusta, GA 0.00 6.06 -3.8
Florence 0.01 4.94 -3.2
N Myrtle Beach 0.00 4.55 -3.7
Charleston 0.00 4.06 -4.1
Savannah, GA 0.00 4.21 -3.5
Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.
4-inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 55 degrees.
South Carolina river stages were near normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 52 degrees.
