Rapid clearing, cooler temperatures and gusty west-southwest winds occurred on Monday, April 16, after cold frontal passage that had brought heavy rain and five tornadoes the previous day. Caesars Head started the week with a morning low temperature of 32 degrees. Spartanburg and North Myrtle Beach warmed to only 66 degrees under clear skies. Columbia Metro Airport had sustained winds up to 29 mph gusting to 38 mph. On April 17, radiational cooling helped drop the morning low temperature below freezing at many locations. Cedar Creek and Rock Hill had a morning low temperature of 28 degrees. Numerous locations tied or set date-record low temperatures (table below). The Greenville- Spartanburg Airport observed a low of 30 degrees, which is the lowest for so late in April in 25 years (27 degrees on April 21, 1983). Light frost was reported in Fountain Inn, Chapin, and Camden. Greenville-Spartanburg and Orangeburg had an afternoon high temperature of 75 degrees under clear skies. Blustery west-southwest winds continued on April 17. The Clemson-Oconee County Airport had sustained winds to 32 mph and a gust to 48 mph.
| April 17, 2018 (°F) | Previous Record / Year (°F) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Barnwell | 32 | 34 / 2008 |
| Blackville | 34 | 36 / 2005 |
| Clemson | 34 | 39 / 2001 |
| Columbia Owens | 36 | 38 / 2005 |
| Greer | 30 | 33 / 1983 |
| McClellanville | 37 | 41 / 2008 |
| Orangeburg | 37 | 38 / 2005 |
| Rock Hill | 28 | 34 / 2014 |
| Wateree Dam | 32 | 37 / 2014 |
| York | 28 | 30 / 2014 |
High pressure over Florida and a deepening low pressure system northwest of the state helped maintain blustery southwest winds on April 18. Lancaster reported sustained winds to 25 mph gusting to 37 mph. Orangeburg reported a morning low temperature of 50 degrees, and Columbia Metro Airport had a high temperature of 88 degrees. These high temperatures in the upper 80’s made for the state’s warmest day in over six months (October 12, 2017). Similar conditions persisted on April 19. Ninety Nine Islands posted a morning low temperature of 43 degrees. Dillon's high temperature reached 88 degrees. Columbia Metro Airport reported sustained southwest winds to 25 mph gusting to 39 mph. A dry cold front swept over the state late in the day on April 19.
Cool, dry Canadian high pressure built in over the state on Friday, April 20. Table Rock and Walhalla began the day at 31 degrees. Orangeburg and Florence had an afternoon high temperature of 69 degrees under clear skies. Clear and dry conditions persisted again on Saturday April 21. Santuck warmed to 75 degrees after a morning low of 36 degrees. Cloudy skies returned on April 22 ahead of deepening low pressure system west of the state. Cedar Creek had a morning low temperature of 50 degrees. Charleston had a high temperature of 76 degrees. Late day pre-frontal rainshowers drifted east over the Savannah River. Anderson reported 0.10 inches of light rain on April 22.
(Note: The highest and lowest official temperatures and highest precipitation totals provided below are based on observations from the National Weather Service Cooperative Observer network and the National Weather Service's Forecast Offices.)
The highest official temperature reported was 89 degrees at USC in Columbia on April 18.
The lowest official temperature reported was 26 degrees at Ninety Nine Islands on April 17.
The heaviest official 24-hour precipitation reported was 3.57 inches at Lake City on April 16.
The state average precipitation for the seven-day period was 0.00 inches.
| Weekly* | Since Jan 1 | Departure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Airport | 0.10 | 14.89 | 1.0 |
| Greer Airport | 0.01 | 14.67 | -0.1 |
| Charlotte, NC Airport | 0.00 | 11.38 | -1.6 |
| Columbia Metro Airport | 0.05 | 8.17 | -4.7 |
| Orangeburg Airport | 0.00 | 6.92 | -6.9 |
| Augusta, GA Airport | 0.08 | 8.47 | -5.7 |
| Florence Airport | 0.00 | 9.42 | -2.0 |
| North Myrtle Beach Airport | 0.00 | 10.28 | -3.0 |
| Charleston Air Force Base | 0.00 | 7.89 | -4.6 |
| Savannah, GA Airport | 0.01 | 5.25 | -7.3 |
| *Weekly precipitation totals ending midnight Sunday. |
4-inch depth soil temperature: Clinton: 56 degrees. Columbia: 64 degrees. Barnwell: 58 degrees. Mullins: 50 degrees.
Upstate river stages were normal.
Midlands and Pee Dee river stages below normal to normal.
Lowcountry river stages were normal.
Charleston Harbor (CHTS1): 65.1 degrees.
Fripp Nearshore Buoy (Station 41033): 63.9 degrees.
