High pressure off the Southeast coast kept warm and dry conditions across the region on Monday, April 1, which would linger into Tuesday. Monday morning temperatures were in the mid-60s, over twenty degrees above normal, with some locations reporting record-high minimum temperatures. Despite high clouds, high temperatures were up to ten degrees warmer than normal, reaching the upper 70s to mid-80s across the state. The above-normal low and high temperatures continued into Tuesday. The National Weather Service station at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport recorded a morning low of 66 degrees, closer to lows observed in mid-June
A cold front approached the region on Tuesday night and moved through the area on Wednesday, producing heavy rain in parts of the Midlands. A few severe thunderstorms early Wednesday morning produced wind damage in Darlington, Edgefield, Lexington, McCormick, and Richland counties. Rainfall tapered off by mid-afternoon, and winds increased behind the front, sometimes gusting between 30 and 40 mph.
By Thursday, the front had moved offshore, and with high pressure moving into the region, winds remained brisk while cooler and drier air pushed into the state. Quiet weather would prevail through the weekend, and morning temperatures dropped into the mid-to upper 30s across portions of the state on Friday and Saturday mornings, prompting freeze warnings and frost advisories for sensitive vegetation. High temperatures over the weekend were cooler than normal, with maximum temperatures reaching the upper 60s to low 70s.
(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 | 0.75 | 18.89 | 5.8 |
| Greer Airport | 0.49 | 20.71 | 7.2 |
| Charlotte, NC Airport | 0.32 | 13.72 | 2.3 |
| Columbia Metro Airport | 1.36 | 14.21 | 3.1 |
| Orangeburg 2 (COOP) | 1.18 | 12.50 | 0.0 |
| Augusta, GA Airport | 0.27 | 10.90 | -1.6 |
| Florence Airport | 1.28 | 10.47 | 0.5 |
| North Myrtle Beach Airport | 0.58 | 7.63 | -2.8 | Charleston Air Force Base | 1.37 | 14.89 | 4.3 |
| Savannah, GA Airport | 1.02 | 10.39 | 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: 52 degrees. Columbia: 61 degrees. Barnwell: 53 degrees. Mullins: 51 degrees.
The storm system that moved through the region overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday provided the only measurable precipitation, with most of the state recording at least half an inch of rain. A few Midlands and Pee Dee locations recorded the highest rainfall totals, with over two inches reported in parts of Edgefield, Kershaw, Newberry, and Saluda counties.
Most of the 14-day average streamflow values across the state recorded normal flows. Some gauges across the Midlands reported above-normal streamflow values due to the rainfall from the previous two periods. River height gauges along portions of the Lower Savannah and the Santee River below Lake Marion reported heights in minor flood stage. Along the coast, tidal gauges reached the action stage toward the end of the period due to the upcoming new moon.
