SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

December 12 - December 18, 2005


WEATHER SUMMARY

The last full week of Fall 2005 began cold and dry. By Wednesday morning, December 14, the lowest temperatures of the season were being observed. Just after midnight and continuing Thursday morning, a storm circulation over the Florida panhandle sent clouds and periods of heavy rain into South Carolina. Sites from the northern midlands and westward through the upstate reported a mix of sleet changing to freezing rain. Tree limbs and power lines failed under the weight of the quarter-inch coating of ice. Electrical service to counties across the upstate was disrupted for several days. At 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, Charleston reported a temperature of 63 degrees while at the same time Greer reported 33 degrees. A brief window of clearing occurred Friday before clouds and a cold rain returned for the weekend. For the period, the state average temperature was six degrees below normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 65 degrees at Charleston City on December 15. The lowest official temperature reported was 16 degrees at Caesars Head on the morning of December 14. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.05 inches at Lake Wateree and Keowee Dam ending at 7:00 a.m. on December 16. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 1.3 inches.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

                           
                            Precipitation                    
                       Weekly   Jan 1  Deviation     
                        Total   Total   From Avg
         Greer           1.55    52.3        3.7
      Columbia           1.33    44.5       ­-2.2  
    Orangeburg           0.74    40.2       -6.5
 Charlotte, NC           1.77    40.8       -1.3	
   Augusta, GA           0.93    45.7        2.6
      Florence           1.40    42.4       -0.8           
  Myrtle Beach           1.72    45.1        0.8
    Charleston           1.35    45.9       -4.1      
  Savannah, GA           0.96    45.8       -2.5







Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.  

SOIL: 4-inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 48 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF: South Carolina river stages were near normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 50 degrees.


tylerw@dnr.sc.gov
http://water.dnr.state.sc.us/climate/sco/weekly/wk121805.html