SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

September 2 - 8, 2002

WEATHER SUMMARY

Early in the week, Tropical Storm Edourd, positioned well offshore, fanned bands of rainshowers into coastal sites. Inland areas reported mostly sunny weather with cool mornings in the 60's. Wednesday was the warmest day with afternoon high temperatures climbing into the low to mid 90's. A weak frontal boundary dropped south on Thursday lowering temperatures by five to eight degrees. Over the weekend a sub-tropical low pressure formed several hundred miles east of the state's coast and by Sunday was upgraded to Tropical Storm Gustav. With its broad circulation, northeast winds were brisk along the beaches and some north coastal sites reported passing rains. For the period, the state average temperature was two degrees above normal.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

The highest temperature reported was 95 degrees at Orangeburg and Pickens on September 4. The lowest temperature was 56 degrees at Caesars Head on September 2 and Lake Bowen on the morning of September 6. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.15" at Myrtle Beach on September 8. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.2.

                      Precipitation
               Period    2002    Deviation*             Temperature
Location        Total   Total     From Avg.         Maximum    Minimum	
Greer            0.00   25.11        10.7B              92        63                       	              	
Columbia         0.00   28.03         8.4B              91        65
Florence         0.15   26.21         7.0B              91        64	        
Charleston       0.47   37.33         1.0B              91        69
N Myrtle Beach   1.16   25.24         6.5B              89        66
Augusta, Ga.            0.00      22.85          10.2B                                     94                           61 
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 82 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages are below normal.
Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 81 degrees.