SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

August 19 - 25, 2002

WEATHER SUMMARY

On Monday several convective thunderstorms produced isolated, heavy rainfalls while most sites baked in the late August sun. Throughout the week afternoon temperatures rose into the upper 90's to over 100 degrees. All South Carolina counties were considered to be in an extreme stage of drought. Temperatures peaked on Saturday with the Summer's highest readings. Both Columbia and Florence either tied or set daily records. A severe thunderstorm on Saturday over the Columbia AP produced a wind gust to 64 mph and reports of scattered wind damage in the area. Sunday ended the week with increasing clouds, widely scattered showers and slightly cooler temperatures. For the period, the state average temperature was six degrees above normal.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

The highest temperature reported was 105 degrees at USC in downtown Columbia on August 24. The lowest temperature reported was 61 degrees at Caesars Head on the morning of August 20. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 3.18" at Loris ending at 7:00 a.m. on August 20. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.7."

                     Precipitation
               Period     2002     Deviation*          Temperature
Location        Total    Total      From Avg.       Maximum   Minimum	
Greer            0.22    24.71          9.3B           95       69                       	              	
Columbia         0.93    25.17          9.0B          104       72
Florence         0.59    20.00         11.2B          103       72	        
Charleston       3.49    30.61          4.6B           98       72
N Myrtle Beach   0.59    18.87         10.5B           95       70
Augusta, Ga.     0.51    22.24          8.9B          101       69 
A=Above, B=Below   
 

Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the 24-hour period ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL

4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 88 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages are well below normal.
Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 85 degrees.