WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2008

September 22, 2008 - September 28, 2008

WEATHER SUMMARY:

Autumn arrived on Monday under mostly sunny skies and mild, 80-degree afternoon high temperatures. Northeast surface winds began increasing Tuesday in response to a large area of high pressure to the north and low pressure forming offshore and located southeast of Charleston. Clouds entered the coastal counties on Wednesday, signaling the northwestward movement of the storm. Blowing rain was observed from the central coast into the Pee Dee and Grand Strand during the day on Thursday. The center of the storms circulation entered South Carolina near Springmaid Pier, Myrtle Beach (lowest pressure reported 29.35 inches of mercury) at 12:00 a.m. on Friday morning. N Myrtle Beach AP measured an east wind gusting to 46 mph. The feature tracked west before exiting the state near Cherokee County. Catawba picked up 2.15 inches of rain from the last bands of showers. Slow clearing from south to north took place on Saturday. Sunday's weather included bright sunshine, drifting clouds and high temperatures returning to the middle 80's. The state average temperature for the period was three degrees below normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 88 degrees at Beaufort MCAS and Jamestown on September 27 and again at Beaufort MCAS on September 28. The lowest official temperature reported was 51 degrees at Lake Bowen on the morning of September 23. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.40 inches at Myrtle Beach ending at 7:00 a.m. on September 26. The state average rainfall for the period was 1.1 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

                            
                                                                                                     
                            Precipitation                    
                       Weekly   Jan 1   Departure     
                        Total   Total   from Avg
         Greer           1.16   27.73    -10.7
      Columbia           0.67   32.39     -6.5
    Orangeburg           0.57   30.43     -8.5
 Charlotte, NC           1.74   34.75      1.7	
   Augusta, GA           0.02   28.48     -6.9
      Florence           2.08   42.47      6.9
N Myrtle Beach           2.56   40.63      4.8
    Charleston           1.41   33.57     -8.7
  Savannah, GA           0.19   31.63     -9.4




    
                            





Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.  

SOIL:

4-inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 73 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 77 degrees.