Clear skies and light winds started the day on Monday, January 16, with high pressure still in the region. Increased clouds across the region ahead of another system. Morning temperatures dropped below freezing across much of the state, including 24 degrees reported at the National Weather Service (NWS) station at the Florence Regional Airport. Afternoon temperatures ranged from the upper 50s to the low 60s and were slightly above normal. During the afternoon, mid and high-level clouds increased across the region ahead of a weak low-pressure system that would pass to the north of the state on Tuesday. The system produced scattered light rain showers, and rainfall totals were less than half an inch outside of locations in the Upstate.
On Wednesday, a high pressure built off the Atlantic Coast, and southerly flow returned across the area, funneling additional moisture and warm air into the Southeast US. High temperatures were between ten and fifteen degrees above average, with maximum temperatures reaching the upper 60s to low 70s. Before another cold front pushed through the state late Thursday, temperatures soared into the mid-70s in the Lowcountry, Midlands, and Pee Dee. The frontal boundary tried another round of scattered showers; however, windy conditions developed behind the front. The NWS issued a lake wind advisory for most of the Midlands and small craft advisories along the coast.
Sunny conditions prevailed on Friday, and while high temperatures were still slightly above normal, temperatures had cooled into the 60. Increased cloudiness on Saturday helped keep temperatures cool as showers started to move in during the late evening ahead of a stronger cold front. Widespread rain all day, heavy at times, with a few thunderstorms observed in the Midlands. As the storms moved offshore Sunday evening, there were reports of wind gusts between 35 and 40 mph from buoys and coastal stations. The Charleston Harbor Tidal Gauge recorded a high astronomical of 7.7 ft MLLW on Sunday morning, typically producing moderate flooding in low-lying areas of the South Carolina coast. There were reports of road closures in downtown Charleston, including portions of Fishburne Street, Hagood Avenue, and Washington Street.
(Note: The highest and lowest official temperatures and highest precipitation totals provided below are based on observations from the National Weather Service (NWS) Cooperative Observer network and the National Weather Service's Forecast Offices.)| Weekly* | Since Jan 1 | Departure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Airport | 1.34 | 5.99 | 3.1 |
| Greer Airport | 1.56 | 6.14 | 3.2 |
| Charlotte, NC Airport | 1.31 | 4.18 | 1.7 |
| Columbia Metro Airport | 2.50 | 4.10 | 1.6 |
| Orangeburg 2 (COOP) | 2.11 | 3.52 | 0.7 |
| Augusta, GA Airport | 2.20 | 4.28 | 1.6 |
| Florence Airport | 2.14 | 3.19 | 1.0 |
| North Myrtle Beach Airport | 1.50 | 1.77 | -0.2 | Charleston Air Force Base | 1.52 | 2.19 | -0.1 |
| Savannah, GA Airport | 1.49 | 2.27 | 0.0 |
| *Weekly precipitation totals ending midnight Sunday. M - denotes total with missing values. s - denotes total with suspect data. |
4-inch depth soil temperature: Clinton: 45 degrees. Columbia: 53 degrees. Barnwell: 45 degrees. Mullins: 43 degrees.
A cold front on Sunday provided the majority of the rainfall across much of the state during the period. Widespread totals of over an inch were measured across the state; however, over two inches were recorded in the Central Savannah River Area, Midlands, and parts of the Pee Dee. Isolated portions of Aiken, Lexington, Orangeburg, and Richland counties reported over three inches of rain. According to the latest release of the US Drought Monitor, drought (D1) and abnormally dry (D0) conditions persisted in the Lowcountry and Pee Dee regions. While there was a slight decrease in D1 conditions in the Lowcountry, there was expansion across the Pee Dee region.
While most of the rain came from the frontal passage on Sunday, precipitation during the previous periods kept the 14-day averages for stream flow gauges near normal in portions of the Midlands and Upstate. Some tributaries along Broad River and Savannah recorded stream flows slightly above normal. River heights remained below flood stage but started to rise with the Sunday’s rainfall, approaching a minor flood stage. A few gauges within the ACE and Pee Dee River basins continued to measure flows below average, including gauges on the Coosawhatchie, Salkehatchie, Little Pee Dee, and Waccamaw. Elsewhere, the river heights on the state’s rivers were observed below the flood stage.
