A convergence zone between the offshore subtropical high and a positively tilted trough over the central United States produced cloudy skies and scattered rain showers on Monday. This synoptic interaction produced a robust southwesterly surface flow of humid air over the state for most of the week. Most inland counties reported unseasonable dewpoint values in the mid to upper 70’s. A 79-degree dewpoint was observed Monday at the Darlington County Jetport. Tuesday morning, the Dillon COOP observer reported Tuesday a 24-hour rainfall amount of two inches of rain.
Unseasonably warm temperatures continued into midweek. On Wednesday morning, the Columbia Metro Airport reported a date record high minimum temperature of 77 degrees. With abundant surface moisture in place, numerous sites reported patchy, dense morning fog. The Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station, the Summerville Airport and the Georgetown County Airport reported morning visibilities reduced to three-quarters of a mile in fog. Thursday, high temperature date records were set at the Columbia Metro Airport and tied at the Charleston Air Force Base with readings of 91 and 87 degrees respectively. The state's Thursday high temperature was 94 degrees at the Orangeburg 2 COOP site.
Late Thursday, a weak cold front passed over the state and produced Lowcountry thunderstorms after sunset. The Conway Horry County Airport accumulated 2.19 inches of rain early Friday morning from a passing shower. Surface high pressure and cooler, drier air settled in for the weekend behind the retreating cold front. The state's weekend low temperature was 53 degrees at the Aiken 2 E COOP site Sunday morning. The state's weekend high temperature was set at the Orangeburg 2 COOP site Sunday afternoon.
(Note: The highest and lowest official temperatures and highest precipitation totals provided below are based on observations from the National Weather
Service Cooperative Observer network and the National Weather Service's Forecast Offices.)
The highest official temperature reported was 94 degrees at the Barnwell on October 9 and Orangeburg on October 12.
The lowest official temperature reported was 49 degrees at Spartanburg 3 SSE on October 9.
The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.63 inches at Lake City ending on the morning of October 13.
The state average rainfall for the seven-day period was 0.4 inches.
| Weekly* | Since Jan 1 | Departure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Airport | 0.18 | 43.15 | 8.3 |
| Greer Airport | 0.31 | 44.92 | 7.2 |
| Charlotte, NC Airport | 0.44 | 38.63 | 5.0 |
| Columbia Metro Airport | 0.01 | 41.96 | 4.9 |
| Orangeburg Airport | 0.68 | 33.14 | -5.9 |
| Augusta, GA Airport | 0.00 | 39.29 | 3.4 |
| Florence Airport | 0.08 | 36.22 | 0.4 |
| North Myrtle Beach Airport | 1.17 | 41.51 | -2.2 |
| Charleston Air Force Base | 1.47 | 46.82 | 3.0 |
| Savannah, GA Airport | 0.06 | 48.60 | 7.5 |
| *Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday. |
4-inch depth soil temperature: Clinton 72 degrees. Columbia 80 degrees. Barnwell 69 degrees. Mullins 62 degrees
Upstate river stages were normal.
Midlands and Pee Dee river stage were below normal.
Low Country river stages were normal.
Charleston Harbor water temperature: 79 degrees.
Capers Nearshore Buoy (Station 41029): 78 degrees.
