South Carolina Current Drought Status

State Climate Office                
NEWS RELEASE          DNR News 803-667-0696
September 30, 1999

SEVERE DROUGHT REMAINS IN NINE UPSTATE COUNTIES

South Carolina Drought Map for September 30, 1999

For previously issued drought statements see the archived status reports.

Table of all counties and drought status.
Drought Response Committee Meeting Sign-In sheet.

South Carolina’s drought has been downgraded for all except 9 upstate counties - Oconee, Pickens, Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg Cherokee, Union, Laurens and York - which remain at severe status.

The State and Northwest Drought Response Committees met Thursday morning, Sept. 30 in Greenville to discuss drought conditions across South Carolina and in the upstate.

Recent rains have not been sufficient to ameliorate drought conditions in the upstate where the rainfall deficit since Jan. 1 is still 15 to 20 inches, according to Hope Mizzell, drought coordinator with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. "There is also great concern in the upstate about forest fires, many of which over the past month have been attributed to negligent burning. This is one time that citizens can make a difference. Some smaller water suppliers in the upstate have gone to mandatory water use restrictions."

The drought was downgraded to incipient, initial level, for five counties including Jasper, Hampton, Beaufort, Colleton and Charleston. There is still a 2-inch rainfall deficit for the year in Charleston.

The drought advisory was completely removed from four counties - Horry, Georgetown, Marion and Dillon where rains have been sufficient to make up the rainfall deficit.

A moderate level drought declaration remains in effect for the rest of South Carolina. Just in the midlands there is a 7 to 9 inch rainfall deficit since the first of the year.

The long-range NOAA outlook predicts that drought conditions for South Carolina will continue through May of 2000 statewide and that the recent rains are only a temporary relief, according to Mizzell "If not for Hurricane Floyd and moisture from tropical storm Harvey the entire state would be in the same condition as the nine counties in the upstate."

The state and upstate drought committees meeting in Greenville Thursday evaluated drought conditions within the Northwest Drought Management Area (DMA) to determine if a need exists for action beyond the scope of local government. The continued severity of drought conditions in the northwestern region of the state has generated major concerns regarding water supply problems and potential forest fires.

For more information regarding the state and Northwest Drought Response Committee meeting contact to Hope Mizzell, drought coordinator with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, at (803) 737-0800 in Columbia.

The DNR will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed. Integrated drought information is available on the DNR's State Climatology Office Internet Web Site.

Contact Dr. Mizzell in Columbia at (803) 734-9568 or e-mail at mizzellh@dnr.sc.gov for more information.

DNR protects and manages South Carolina's natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state's natural resources and its people. Find out more about DNR at the DNR Web site.

Drought Status Table

Current Drought Status by County
Normal Incipient Moderate Severe Extreme
County
Status
County
Status
County
Status
County
Status
County
Status
ABBEVILLE
Moderate
AIKEN
Moderate
ALLENDALE
Moderate
ANDERSON
Severe
BAMBERG
Moderate
BARNWELL
Moderate
BEAUFORT
Incipient
BERKELEY
Moderate
CALHOUN
Moderate
CHARLESTON
Incipient
CHEROKEE
Severe
CHESTER
Moderate
CHESTERFIELD
Moderate
CLARENDON
Moderate
COLLETON
Incipient
DARLINGTON
Moderate
DILLON
Normal
DORCHESTER
Moderate
EDGEFIELD
Moderate
FAIRFIELD
Moderate
FLORENCE
Moderate
GEORGETOWN
Normal
GREENVILLE
Severe
GREENWOOD
Moderate
HAMPTON
Incipient
HORRY
Normal
JASPER
Incipient
KERSHAW
Moderate
LANCASTER
Moderate
LAURENS
Severe
LEE
Moderate
LEXINGTON
Moderate
MARION
Normal
MARLBORO
Moderate
MCCORMICK
Moderate
NEWBERRY
Moderate
OCONEE
Severe
ORANGEBURG
Moderate
PICKENS
Severe
RICHLAND
Moderate
SALUDA
Moderate
SPARTANBURG
Severe
SUMTER
Moderate
UNION
Severe
WILLIAMSBURG
Moderate
YORK
Severe


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Sign-In Sheet

SC Drought Response Committee Meeting, September 30, 1999
Sign-In sheet
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Find out more about the State Climatology Office at https://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/ or by calling (803) 734-9100.