The highest temperature reported in the state on Monday, December 13, was 40 degrees. On Tuesday morning, Hunts Bridge and West Pelzer recorded 9 degrees. Edisto Beach and Beaufort observed a hard freeze with 21 degrees. At 11:00 a.m. N Myrtle Beach reported 30 degrees and stinging northwest winds gusting to 29 mph. During the first two weeks of December 2010, the average temperature at the Greer AP, Florence AP and Columbia AP was the coldest of record. It was the second coldest of record at the Charleston AP, behind 1944. Date record low temperatures were set on Wednesday, December 15, at Florence, 13 degrees, and Columbia, 15 degrees. A coastal feature edged northeast late Wednesday night and with it, light snow at the Charleston AP. Off and on flurries, mixed with sleet, were observed over parts of Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties into Thursday morning. St. Stephen reported a light coating of sleet on roadways. At 7:30 a.m., instruments at Springmaid Pier recorded the lowest known surf water temperature for so early in the season at 45.0 degrees. Icy streets in Chesterfield and Lancaster counties caused accidents. A sharp change to mild air came for the southern counties Thursday afternoon. Barnwell warmed up to 65 degrees. On Friday, December 17, the Georgetown AP rebounded to 67 degrees. Cold rains entered the state early in the day on December 18 along a stalled boundary. The heaviest concentration of rain was over eastern South Carolina. Hemingway measured 0.72 inches and Orangeburg measured 0.65 inches. The week ended under partly sunny skies and another round of cold air moving back into the state. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was seven degrees below normal.
The highest official temperature reported was 68 degrees at the Charleston AP and the Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station on December 17. The lowest official temperature reported was 6 degrees at Table Rock on December 14. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.10 inches at Walterboro ending at 8:00 a.m. on December 18. The state average rainfall for the period was 0.5 inches.
PRECIPITATION:
Precipitation
Weekly Jan 1 Departure
Total Total from Avg
Greer 0.17 42.41 -6.3
Anderson 0.35 39.12 -6.1
Columbia 0.32 34.99 -11.8
Orangeburg 0.85 39.38 -7.4
Charlotte, NC 0.21 36.04 -6.2
Augusta, GA 0.34 28.39 -14.8
Florence 0.53 43.98 0.7
N Myrtle Beach 0.57 41.31 -3.1
Charleston 1.16 56.67 6.5
Savannah, GA 0.57 35.64 -12.7
Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.
SOIL:
4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 51 degrees, Charleston 52 degrees.
RIVERS AND SURF:
South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 46 degrees.
