Mostly sunny, hot weather continued through the last week of spring. Thursday morning was the exception as drier, cooler air spread over the Southeast. Early morning low temperatures fell into the 50's and lower 60's. Sweltering heat returned on Friday. Charleston reported a heat index value of 108 at 3:00 p.m. Afternoon thunderstorms on Friday produced multiple reports of high winds, downed trees, damaged property and disrupted electrical power. Greenville Airport recorded a peak wind of 63 mph. Isolated storms on Sunday, the first day of summer 1998, caused additional damage from winds over the upstate and north midlands. With over 14 hours of sunshine on Sunday, the heat pushed the mercury again into the mid and upper 90's. Temperatures for the period averaged four degrees above normal.
PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA
The maximum observed temperature was 100 degrees on June 19 at Blackville, Johnston, Williams and Beaufort. The minimum observed temperature was 50 degrees at Hunts Bridge on the morning of June 18. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall was recorded at Pickens with 2.46 inches ending at 7:00 a.m. on June 20. Statewide rainfall for the period averaged 0.8 inches.
Precipitation
Period 1998 Deviation* Temperature
Location Total Total From Avg. Maximum Minimum
Greer 0.92 32.3 6.8A 93 62
Charlotte, NC 0.03 23.6 2.8A 95 NA
Columbia 0.28 28.8 4.2A 97 64
Florence FAA 0.46 28.4 8.2A 98 68
Blackville 0.65 29.0 5.1A 100 62
Augusta, GA 0.40 31.5 8.7A 97 61
Beaufort 1.55 31.8 9.6A 100 70
Charleston AP 0.87 34.3 12.1A 97 68
Myrtle Beach 0.80 34.2 11.4A 96 70
*A=Above, B=Below
Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the prior 24-hrs ending 7:00 a.m.
Monday through ending 7:00 a.m. Sunday
ENERGY DEMAND AND AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY
Degree Days Actual June 1-21 Cooling Heating Columbia 323 0 Charleston 362 0 Greenville 231 3 Temperatures are expected to average above normal for the week. Rainfall is expected to be near normal. The Sandhill Research and Education Center in north Columbia reports an average 4-inch depth soil temperature of 84 degrees.
RIVERS AND SURF
Rivers are near to below normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 79 degrees.