A hard freeze was observed on Monday morning. Southerly surface winds on Tuesday helped warm much of the Lowcountry into the 70's. The unstable airmass supported the development of thunderstorms with frequent lightning Wednesday night throughout central South Carolina. Repeating clusters of convective rains fell from the mountains and over the southern Midlands into Friday morning. Newberry measured 4.51 inches of rain between Wednesday and Friday. The 2.77 inches of soaking rain at Keowee Dam was the greatest rainfall for that area since the remnants of Tropical Storm Fay back during the last week of August. Clear weather was noted on Friday with another sub-freezing morning for Saturday. Afternoon temperatures on Saturday climbed to near 50 degrees. Clouds dominated the last day of the period with a few passing light showers. The state average temperature for the period was two degrees above normal.
The highest official temperature reported was 79 degrees at Johnston on December 9. The lowest official temperature reported was 15 degrees at Cheraw on December 8. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 4.05 inches at Lake Greenwood ending at 7:00 a.m. on December 5. The state average rainfall for the period was 1.9 inches.
Precipitation
Weekly Jan 1 Departure
Total Total from Avg
Greer 2.94 36.98 -11.1
Columbia 3.11 43.99 -2.3
Orangeburg 0.78 43.20 -3.1
Charlotte, NC 2.69 41.68 -0.1
Augusta, GA 3.89 43.61 0.9
Florence 0.69 49.82 7.1
N Myrtle Beach 2.22 50.30 6.5
Charleston 0.23 47.21 -2.4
Savannah, GA 0.44 47.27 -0.6
Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.
4-inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 53 degrees.
South Carolina river stages were near to above normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 53 degrees.
