SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

March 19 - 25, 2001

WEATHER SUMMARY

High clouds on Monday signaled an approaching storm system from the southwest. By early Tuesday, the first day of Spring, wind-driven rain was being reported all across the state. Higher elevation peaks in the mountains received snowfall amounts of around four inches. Winds gusting over forty miles per hour downed limbs and trees over multiple counties. Before ending on Wednesday several sites had measured between two and three inches of rain. Much milder weather followed on Thursday and continued into Saturday as afternoon high temperatures rose to around 70 degrees. A cold front entered the state late Saturday and helped cause light showers over eastern sections into mid-day Sunday. Statewide temperatures for the period averaged five degrees below normal.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

The highest temperature was 78 degrees at Orangeburg and Hartsville on March 24. The lowest temperature was 25 degrees at Caesars Head on the morning of March 20. The heaviest 24 hour rainfall reported was 3.45" at Conway on March 20-21. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 1.4".

                        Precipitation
                  Period   2001   Deviation*            Temperature
Location           Total  Total    From Avg.        Maximum    Minimum	
Greer               1.85   9.99        3.0B            71         33                            	              		
Columbia            1.11   6.95        4.6B            75         34
Florence            0.98   7.15        3.1B            77         36	        
Charleston          2.49   9.09        1.3B            74         42   
N Myrtle Beach      2.29  10.07        0.4B            68         37
Augusta, Ga.        1.14  10.23        1.9B            76         35
*A=Above, B=Below                                                                      
                    
                                 
               

Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the prior 24-hrs ending 7 am Monday through ending 7 am Sunday.

SOIL

4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 58 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages were nearing normal.
Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 55 degrees.