SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

     Low pressure combined with a cold air mass on Wednesday, January 8, to
produce widespread sleet and freezing rain across upstate counties which
continued into Thursday.  There were power and travel disruptions, from 
downed limbs and trees. Brief reports of sleet were noted in central South 
Carolina.  Outside of the counties receiving the freezing precipitation, 
heavy rains of around two inches were common. Friday was a mostly sunny and 
windy day with afternoon temperatures climbing into the mid to upper 40's.  
During the early morning hours of Saturday, January 11, a fast moving area 
of precipitation entered South Carolina with another cold front. A few snow 
flurries were observed in the midlands.  The week ended under sunny skies 
and cold conditions Statewide temperatures for the period averaged two
degrees below normal.

     The maximum observed temperature was 72 degrees on January  6 at 
Blackville and Dillon.  The minimum observed temperature was 15 degrees 
at Walhalla on the morning of  January 11.  The heaviest official 24 -hour 
rainfall was recorded at Edgefield with 2.55" ending at 7:00 a.m. on 
January 9.  Statewide rainfall for the period  averaged  2.0".
        
               Precipitation
              Period     1997         Deviation*         Temperature
Location       Total      Total         From Avg.      Maximum Minimum   
Greer          1.53        2.0           0.5A          57      20
Charlotte, NC  1.03        1.6           0.2A          60      22
Columbia       1.86        2.2           0.5A          66      23              
Florence FAA   0.92        1.5           0.0           66      25   
Blackville     1.67        1.7           0.1A          72      23
Augusta, GA    1.93        2.2           0.7A          62      23   
Beaufort         NA         NA             NA          NA      NA      
Charleston     2.10        2.3           0.9A          68      25
Myrtle Beach   2.60        2.9           1.4A          68      27
*A=Above, B=Below                                                                       

                      Degree Days          
                       Actual  
                      Jan. 1-12
                    Cooling   Heating              
Columbia              0        179
Charleston            0        159
Greenville            0        223
                                                                                            
     Temperatures are expected to average near normal for the week.  
Rainfall is expected to be near normal.  Sandhill Experiment Station in 
North Columbia reports an average 4-inch depth soil temperature of 41 
degrees.

    River stages are above normal.  Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach 
and Savannah will average around 50 degrees.