The summer's usual humid airmass was temporarily replaced early in the week with a continental-sourced body of dry air. Locations away from the immediate beaches observed morning low temperatures in the 60's. Barnwell residents started Wednesday morning with a low temperature of 61 degrees. At 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, the Columbia Metro AP reported 99 degrees with a relative humidity value of just 19 percent. Although Saluda and Lake Wateree recorded 101-degree afternoon high temperatures, the low humidity offset some of the discomfort brought by the triple-digit heat. Temperatures soared on Thursday. Edisto Beach and Saluda reported 103 degrees and Beaufort, Newberry and Aiken each reported 102 degrees. The state's only sub-90 degree high temperature Thursday was near the breaking surf at Springmaid Pier. During the late afternoon hours a few thunderstorm cells began drifting south over the Pee Dee around an area of low pressure located just offshore of the North Carolina Outer Banks. Marion received 1.05 inches of rain and nearby Galivants Ferry measured 0.71 inches. Increasing heat and humidity arrived again on Friday. Both Barnwell and Johnston noted 103 degrees. Strong storms on Friday night pelted parts of Chesterfield County with 1.75-inch diameter hail. Shaw AFB recorded a wind gust of 67 mph at 7:57 p.m. Florence received 2.41 inches of rain on July 9. Saturday's convective rains seemed to be more concentrated over central and eastern South Carolina. Orangeburg measured 1.77 inches of rain and Summerville was soaked with 2.50 inches. Sunday's stormy weather included multiple reports of damaging high winds and at least one report of golf ball-sized hail within Sumter County. The poor distribution of rain across portions of west central South Carolina and the Piedmont continues to cause hardship for growers of non-irrigated field crops. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was two degrees above normal.
The highest official temperature reported was 104 degrees at Columbia Hamilton-Owens AP and McCormick on July 8 and again at McCormick on July 9. The lowest official temperature reported was 52 degrees at Jocassee on July 5. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.81 inches at the Charleston AP ending at 7:00 a.m. on July 11. The state average rainfall for the period was 1.1 inches.
PRECIPITATION:
Precipitation
Weekly Jan 1 Departure
Total Total from Avg
Greer 2.09 23.74 -3.9
Anderson 0.17 24.12 -1.5
Columbia 0.35 16.05 -10.2
Orangeburg 1.86 22.66 -3.6
Charlotte, NC 0.01 20.75 -2.5
Augusta, GA 0.22 15.93 -8.9
Florence 3.31 25.58 2.3
N Myrtle Beach 1.12 16.27 -5.2
Charleston 3.03 30.26 4.6
Savannah, GA 0.88 24.24 -0.8
Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.
SOIL:
4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 83 degrees, Charleston 85 degrees.
RIVERS AND SURF:
South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 83 degrees.
