SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

December 15 - 21, 2003

WEATHER SUMMARY

The last full week of the Fall season continued cold. With the exception of Tuesday, when high temperatures along the coast climbed into the mid-60's, inland sites peaked with afternoon highs in the 50's. Early Wednesday, a strong cold front dropped south into the state with scattered, light rains followed by west winds gusting at thirty mph. A second push of freezing air came on Friday. There were reports of light snow showers across the South Carolina mountains. Maximum temperatures on Saturday barely made it into the 40's. With diminishing winds and clear skies, Sunday morning was the coldest of the season. Low temperatures fell into the teens from the Midlands to the upstate. All sites, excluding Charleston City which just missed its first freeze with a 33 degree minimum, have now reported a freeze. The statewide average temperature for the period was six degrees below normal.

The highest temperature reported was 67 degrees at Charleston AP on December 16. The lowest temperature was 14 degrees at Chester on the morning of December 21. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 0.57" at Table Rock ending at 7:00 a.m. on December 17. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.1”

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

                             Precipitation                 
                       Weekly   Jan 1  Deviation     
                        Total   Total   From Avg
         Greer           0.14    63.0       14.1          
      Columbia           0.16    56.4        9.4
   Augusta, GA           0.38    52.9        9.4           
      Florence           0.03    40.5       -1.6  
  Myrtle Beach           0.03    55.4       10.8            
    Charleston           0.01    51.0        0.6  
             
                

Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the 24-hour period ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL

4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 44 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages were near normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and
Savannah will average around 49 degrees.