There was little consolation in the fact that no one in the state reported 100 degrees on Monday. Andrews was the hottest with 98 degrees. On Tuesday afternoon, the mercury read 99 degrees at Darlington, Shaw AFB, Little Mountain, Clinton and Allendale. Scattered storms near the Savannah River developed during the late afternoon hours and brought Saluda some relief with 1.02 inches of rain and McCormick 0.89 inches. Golf ball-sized hail fell four miles northeast of Laurens. Both airports at Bennettsville and Hartsville reported 99 degrees on Wednesday. The Sandhill Experiment Station noted a Thursday maximum temperature of 103 degrees followed by a 24-hour open pan evaporation water loss of 0.51 inches. The only escape from the taxing heat was found at Caesars Head State Park (elevation 3200 feet and a high of only 85 degrees) or the water's edge at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach with a sea breeze-limiting 86 degrees. A few locations observed isolated thunderstorms on Thursday. Hardeeville was under a thunderstorm cell that left 1.14 inches of rain and the Greenville-Spartanburg AP recorded a rainfall amount of 0.89 inches. Hot, humid weather continued through the weekend. Non-irrigated landscapes displayed the wilting effects of the drying summer heat. Pinopolis and the Columbia Metro AP reached the century mark on Saturday. Sullivan's Island never got cooler than 80 degrees at sunrise on Sunday morning. Just up the coast, the Georgetown AP temperature moved to the triple-digits of 100 degrees on Sunday afternoon. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was five degrees above normal.
The highest official temperature reported was 104 degrees at Santuck on July 4. The lowest official temperature reported was 62 degrees at Sandy Springs on July 6. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.77 inches at Chesterfield ending at 7:00 a.m. on July 6. The state average rainfall for the period was 0.3 inches.
PRECIPITATION:
Precipitation Weekly Jan 1 Departure
Total Total from Avg
Greer AP 1.02 17.63 -6.7
Anderson AP 0.52 17.80 -5.3
Columbia Metro AP 0.00 18.90 -3.6
Orangeburg AP 0.00 21.11 -3.1
Charlotte, NC AP 0.28 16.36 -5.2
Augusta, GA Bush AP 0.29 13.59 -9.7
Florence AP 0.00 21.89 0.7
N Myrtle Beach AP 0.10 14.83 -8.6
Charleston AP 0.00 22.59 -1.0
Savannah, GA AP 0.82 21.14 -2.4
Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.
SOIL:
4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 85 degrees, Charleston 83 degrees.
RIVERS AND SURF:
South Carolina river stages were below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 84 degrees.
