SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

April 28 - May 4, 2003

WEATHER SUMMARY

Sunny, warm weather started the week with daily high temperatures rising into the 80's. There were a few reports of the mercury exceeding 90 degrees. A frontal boundary entered the state on Friday setting up conditions for storms and episodes of severe weather. On Friday evening, storm cells produced large hail, high damaging winds across the upstate, southern midlands and counties near Florence. At least one isolated tornado was confirmed near Easley. A series of thunderstorms followed from the northwest on Saturday with additional reports of high winds and large hail across the northern counties. The Pee Dee region reported more hail early Sunday morning. Late day sunshine on Sunday signaled the passing of threatening weather. The average statewide temperature for the period was three degrees above normal.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

The highest temperature reported was 92 degrees at Orangeburg on May 2. The lowest temperature was 46 degrees at Lake Bowen on the morning of April 28. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.48" at N. Myrtle Beach ending at 7:00 a.m. on May 4. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.3".

                  Precipitation
               Period    2003     Deviation*        Temperature
Location        Total   Total      From Avg.     Maximum   Minimum	
Greer            0.57   20.37         2.3A          83       52
Columbia         0.02   19.07         2.7A          88       51
Florence         0.17   17.90         2.6A          87       51      
Charleston       0.04   15.92         2.2A          88       55
N Myrtle Beach   1.60   19.32         5.9A          85       51
Augusta, Ga      0.78   19.88         3.4A          87       52
A=Above, B=Below                                                                                                                                

Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the 24-hour period ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL

4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 72 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages were reported near to above normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 70 degrees.