WEATHER SUMMARY
Although well ahead of schedule, Winter-like weather held its grip over the state all week. Clouds increased on Wednesday limiting high temperatures to the 40's. Light showers were reported on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, a rapidly moving Arctic type cold front approached from the northwest. Ahead of the front, gusting southerly winds late Saturday night caused temperatures to rise into the 70's. The colliding air masses triggered thunderstorms, unconfirmed tornadoes, high wind observations over 50 mph and heavy rain amounts upstate. The mercury plunged on Sunday with continuing damaging high winds and brief snow showers before partially clearing late in the day. Statewide temperatures for the period averaged one degree below normal.
PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA
The maximum temperature was 74 degrees at Beaufort on December 16. The minimum temperature was 25 degrees at Greer and Caesars Head on the morning of December 17. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall was 2.00" at Hunts Bridge ending at 7:00 a.m. on December 17 Statewide average rainfall for the period was 0.7".
Precipitation
Period 2000 Deviation* Temperature
Location Total Total From Avg. Maximum Minimum
Greer 1.66 34.9 14.2B 55 25
Columbia 0.60 36.2 12.0B 67 27
Florence 0.33 35.6 6.7B 73 31
Charleston 0.06 44.9 5.1B 72 32
N Myrtle Beach 0.20 52.6 4.3A 70 33
Augusta, Ga. 0.37 37.0 6.0B 68 28
*A=Above, B=Below
Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the prior 24-hrs ending 7 am Monday through ending 7 am Sunday.
SOIL
4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 51 degrees.
RIVERS AND SURF
South Carolina river stages are below normal.
Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 49 degrees.
sco@water.dnr.state.sc.us http://water.dnr.state.sc.us/climate/sco/weekly/wk121800.html