On Monday, February 28, the weak low pressure off the southeast coast moved away from the region, and the cloudy skies cleared throughout the day. Temperatures were near average, with morning lows in the mid-30s to mid-40s and highs reaching the upper 60s. A high pressure that settled in behind the system dominated the weather pattern, providing dry conditions and warmer than average temperatures for most of the period.
The Charleston Harbor Tidal Gauge recorded a high astronomical tide of 7.4 feet MLLW on Tuesday, and shallow flooding was reported in low-lying areas of the coast. The dry air allowed overnight temperatures to drop into the low to mid-30s, slightly cooler than normal. However, temperatures rebounded into the upper 70s by mid-afternoon. Temperatures continued to increase through the middle of the week, and high temperatures were some of the warmest on record, running between twenty and twenty-five degrees above normal. On Thursday, the National Weather Service (NWS) station at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport measured a high of 82 degrees, making it the second warmest March 3 on record at the station. The maximum temperature of 84 degrees at the NWS station at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport tied multiple years for the second warmest March 3 on record.
A dry back door cold front pushed through the state overnight on Thursday, and a high pressure built into the northeast, providing somewhat cooler afternoon temperatures on Friday, with highs in the mid-60s to low 70s across the state. Over the weekend, an upper-level ridge dominated the weather, as southerly flow increased moisture and ushered warmer air back into the region. Overcast skies on Saturday morning cleared by the afternoon, and temperatures reached the upper 70s, after starting in the mid-40s to low 50s. By Sunday, daytime temperatures were pushing record values, with highs back in the upper 70s in the Upstate, with mid-80s elsewhere.
(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 | 0.00 | 6.43 | -2.5 |
| Greer Airport | 0.00 | 8.19 | -0.7 |
| Charlotte, NC Airport | 0.00 | 6.81 | -0.6 |
| Columbia Metro Airport | 0.00 | 5.92 | -1.7 |
| Orangeburg 2 (COOP) | 0.00s | 7.09s | -1.6s |
| Augusta, GA Airport | 0.00 | 5.24 | -3.1 |
| Florence Airport | 0.00 | 6.15 | -0.6 |
| North Myrtle Beach Airport | 0.00 | 5.79 | -1.1 | Charleston Air Force Base | 0.00 | 3.05 | -4.0 |
| Savannah, GA Airport | 0.17 | 3.91 | -2.9 |
| *Weekly precipitation totals ending midnight Sunday. M - denotes total with missing values. s - denotes total with suspect data. |
4-inch depth soil temperature: Clinton: 55 degrees. Columbia: 61 degrees. Barnwell: 55 degrees. Mullins: Not available.
The only rainfall totals reported during the period were on Monday morning and resulted from 24-hour totals reported from rain on Sunday. Most of the CoCoRaHS and NWS stations across the state recorded no precipitation, and those that did had values less than a tenth of an inch. The United States Drought Monitor showed worsening conditions across the Palmetto State. Abnormally dry conditions (D0) expanded into the Midlands, and the area of moderate drought (D1) along the coast expanded further inland.
With the lack of precipitation during the past few periods, streamflow gauges across South Carolina are reporting values below normal. Some of the streamflow gauges in the Pee Dee watershed measured much below average, including low values at the gauges on the Little Pee Dee River at Galivants Ferry and on the Waccamaw River near Longs. Values dropped at gauges in most of the ACE and Santee basins. The only streamflow gauges reporting average values were in the Upper Savannah River watershed, where above-normal precipitation in the region during February helped keep flows consistent. Statewide, all rivers observed heights below the flood stage.
