WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2012

October 29 - November 4, 2012

WEATHER SUMMARY:

The broad circulation around Hurricane Sandy caused much colder air to enter South Car"lina on strong, northwesterly winds. According to park rangers at Jones Gap and Caesars Head, the high elevation mountains "peak" color was short-lived due to excessive leaf drop caused by Monday's high winds. Clemson AP and Anderson AP recorded wind gusts of 39 mph. Darlington and Hartsville reported a Monday high temperature of just 55 degrees. Dry, windy conditions were observed on Tuesday. At 4:00 p.m., Orangeburg noted west winds at 21 mph gusting to 30 mph. Newberry and Mullins recorded 57 degrees for their high temperature. Steady west winds overnight and into Wednesday morning ushered in more cold air. Conway and the Georgetown AP started the day at 37 degrees. Relative humidity values fell to 13 percent at Clemson, 14 percent at Orangeburg, 15 percent at Columbia and 16 percent at Beaufort. October rainfall totals ranged from 5.66 inches at Caesars Head to just 0.62 inches at Little Mountain. November began with the season's lowest temperatures and frost reported across the Midlands and into Horry County. Calm air over the McEntire ANG AP allowed the early morning temperature to fall to a hard freeze of 27 degrees. Other sub-freezing reports included Bishopville at 28 degrees, Cades at 30 degrees and Greenwood at 31 degrees. On Friday morning, the surf water temperature at Springmaid Pier cooled to 62.1 degrees. The cold air forcing relaxed during a sunny Friday afternoon and allowed temperatures to move back into the lower 70's. On Saturday, Clarks Hill warmed to 81 degrees. Saturday ended with most of inland South Carolina rain free for the past two weeks. Warming, moist air pushed north on Sunday, ahead of a frontal boundary and hail producing storm cells. At 5:10 p.m., Monetta reported one-inch diameter hail that quickly moved into the neighborhoods of South Congaree. The Orangeburg AP, Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station and Adams Run all warmed to a Sunday high temperature of 84 degrees. At 5:55 p.m., a severe thunderstorm released 1.75-inch diameter hail over parts of Murrells Inlet with public reports of quarter-sized hail covering the ground at Garden City Beach. Socastee measured one of the heaviest rainfall amounts with 0.68 inches. The fast-moving weather left only isolated relief to the dry conditions. The state average temperature for the period was two degrees below normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 85 degrees at Barnwell on November 4. The lowest official temperature reported was 24 degrees at Pelion on November 1. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.00 inches at Myrtle Beach FD on November 4. The state average rainfall for the period was 0.1 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

                                Precipitation                
                           Weekly   Jan 1   Departure     
                            Total    Total    from Avg       
         Greer AP            0.03    32.18     -7.6
      Anderson AP            0.01    33.61     -3.4
      Columbia Metro AP      0.19    37.82     -1.2
    Orangeburg AP            0.07    36.80     -4.0
 Charlotte, NC AP            0.00    29.20     -6.4
   Augusta, GA Bush AP       0.00    30.31     -7.4
      Florence AP            0.01    35.88     -1.7
N Myrtle Beach AP            0.24    33.47    -12.4
    Charleston AP            0.43    38.64     -7.2
  Savannah, GA AP            0.00    37.82     -5.1

Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.  

SOIL:

4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 66 degrees, Charleston 65 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 62 degrees.