SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

Mid-summer heat, the hottest of the season, spread over the state from Tuesday into Saturday. Afternoon high temperatures under all day sun climbed into the upper 90's to low 100's from the foothills to the beaches. High humidity values combined with the excessive heat to produce heat index readings between 105 and 115 degrees. On Friday, July 23, at 3:00 p.m. Myrtle Beach Airport observed at peak heat index of 119 degrees. Saturday afternoon and evening thunderstorms, associated with a southward moving boundary of drier air, produced scattered reports of damaging high winds and isolated heavy rainfalls. Sunday's weather was a welcomed change with a steady north breeze, lower humidity and only mid-90 degree heat. Statewide temperatures for the period averaged five degrees above normal.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

The maximum observed temperature was 106 degrees on July 23 and 24 at Cheraw. The minimum observed temperature was 64 degrees at Cedar Creek and Salem on the morning of July 21. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall was recorded at Dillon with 2.20" ending at 7:00 a.m. on July 25. Statewide rainfall for the period averaged 0.3 inches.

                  Precipitation
                 Period     1999       Deviation*    Temperature
Location         Total      Total       From Avg.  Maximum Minimum   
Greer            0.00       20.9         9.8B         98        70
Charlotte, NC    1.24       20.5         4.5B         96        68
Columbia         0.32       20.8         8.6B         99        73            
Florence FAA     0.47       22.9         3.2B         102       69   
Blackville       0.00       27.2         2.3B         102       65
Augusta, GA      0.00       24.1         3.1B         NA        68
Beaufort         0.01       33.4         4.2A         98        77 
Charleston       0.49       21.5         8.2B         96        74
Myrtle Beach     0.24       23.7         5.7B         98        72
*A=Above, B=Below                                                                       

ENERGY DEMAND AND AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY

               Degree Days
                  Actual  
                 July 1-25
                  Cooling   Heating
Columbia             393       0
Charleston            NA       0
Greenville           344       0          

RIVERS AND SURF

Most river stages are near to below normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 84 degrees.