SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

April 25 - May 1, 2005

WEATHER SUMMARY

Near record cold temperatures were observed on Monday morning. Sites upstate reported a freeze while the usual cold pockets throughout the central counties reported a frost. Milder air began a push from the south on Tuesday with a few showers passing west to east. By Friday afternoon temperatures were back to normal and near 80 degrees. A frontal boundary crossed the state on Saturday with widespread thunderstorms. Hampton County reported hail and high winds. Skies began to clear during the day on Sunday. For the period, the state average temperature was four degrees below normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 82 degrees at Cades, Orangebuurg and Jamestown on April 29. The lowest official temperature reported was 29 degrees at Chester and Johnston on the morning of April 25. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.00 inches at Ridgeville ending at 7:00 a.m. on April 27. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.4 inches.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

                           
                            Precipitation                    
                       Weekly   Jan 1  Deviation     
                        Total   Total   From Avg
         Greer           0.84    13.9       -3.7
      Columbia           0.32    13.1       -3.1       
    Orangeburg           0.52    12.8       -3.2
 Charlotte, NC           0.68    13.2       -1.8
   Augusta, GA           0.34    16.4        0.2
      Florence           0.36    10.7       -3.3           
  Myrtle Beach           0.23     9.1       -4.0
    Charleston           NA       NA         NA         
  Savannah, GA  	 0.32    13.4       -0.5






Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.  

SOIL: 4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 67 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were near normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 65 degrees.