On Monday, May 6, high pressure offshore brought unseasonably warm and humid conditions across the state that lingered through the middle of the week, with daily chances for showers and thunderstorms. Localized heavy rain and gusty winds from some storms were reported. Hail, ranging from a quarter to golf-ball-sized, was reported in Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, and Saluda counties. Conditions on Tuesday were dry for most of the day; however, an approaching front sparked a few afternoon showers and storms in the northern Midlands. The temperature was near record highs, up to ten degrees above normal, with many locations across the state recording highs in the low 90s.
There was an increased risk of severe weather on Wednesday and Thursday as a cold front pushed closer to the area. Severe storms produced heavy rain, damaging wind, tornadoes, and hail. There were widespread reports of downed trees and powerlines on Wednesday across the Upstate and Midlands, with isolated reports in the Lowcountry. The National Weather Service station at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport reported a high of 89 degrees, breaking the daily high-temperature record of 88 in 2014. On early Thursday, the first of a series of upper-level disturbances brought more severe weather across the state. National Weather Service storm survey teams confirmed three tornadoes in the Midlands: a brief EF-0 tornado with peak winds of 80 mph in northwestern Fairfield County near Jenkinsville, another tornado in Fairfield County, an EF-1, with peak winds of 100 mph near Ridgeway; and an EF-0 tornado in Newberry County near Whitmire with peak winds of 80 mph. The second complex moved through mid-day on Thursday.
As the cold front moved through the area on Friday, the chance of severe weather lingered through the morning. By Saturday, high pressure had built in behind the cold front, providing quieter and drier conditions. Temperatures were cooler than normal, with lows dropping into the 40s and daytime temperatures reaching the mid-to upper 70s.
During the weekend, strong geomagnetic storms reached the G5 level, the highest level defined by NOAA, allowing South Carolinians to see the Aurora Borealis on Friday and Saturday for the first time since 2003.
(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 | 2.74 | 24.06 | 6.8 |
| Greer Airport | 2.48 | 24.87 | 6.8 |
| Charlotte, NC Airport | 1.95 | 18.10 | 2.4 |
| Columbia Metro Airport | 0.96 | 19.79 | 5.3 |
| Orangeburg 2 (COOP) | 0.58 | 14.54 | -1.9 |
| Augusta, GA Airport | 1.93 | 14.63 | -0.9 |
| Florence Airport | 2.62 | 15.27 | 1.7 |
| North Myrtle Beach Airport | 0.89 | 11.66 | -2.0 | Charleston Air Force Base | 1.03 | 18.37 | 4.2 |
| Savannah, GA Airport | 1.18 | 15.74 | 1.7 |
| *Weekly precipitation totals ending midnight Sunday. M - denotes total with missing values. s - denotes total with suspect data. |
4-inch depth soil temperature: Clinton: 68 degrees. Columbia: 70 degrees. Barnwell: Not Available. Mullins: 67 degrees.
Most of the measurable rain during the period fell on Wednesday and Thursday. Statewide rainfall totals for the period ranged from half an inch up to five inches. Due to two to three inches of rain falling in parts of the Upstate and northern Midlands, the latest release of the U.S. Drought Monitor removed abnormally dry conditions (D0) from portions of the state.
The 14-day average streamflow values at gauges across the state, where higher rainfall was observed, recorded increased flows. However, some gauges in the same areas still reported below-average streamflow values. The river height gauges across the state reported levels below the flood stage.
