WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2010

May 17, 2010 - May 23, 2010

WEATHER SUMMARY:

Unsettled, rainy weather was observed on Monday. During the late morning hours heavy rains were falling across the Lowcountry. Between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m., National Weather Service instruments measured 1.71 inches of rain at the University of South Carolina Campus which resulted in flash flooding for the Five Points area and Rocky Branch Creek drainage basin. Ridgeville measured a 24-hour rainfall total of 3.88 inches and nearby Walterboro received 3.40 inches. On Wednesday morning, a boundary of drier and cooler air dropped into the state. Inland observation sites reported minimum temperatures in the upper 50's to around 60 degrees. Areas to the east and ahead of the change, like Beaufort, Conway, Cades and Charleston, all reported afternoon high temperatures of 90 degrees. Isolated showers and a few thunderstorms started the weekend but were generally concentrated over the north Midlands and Pee Dee locations. Severe weather developed on Sunday as groups of thunderstorms moved from north to south over much of the eastern half of the state. High winds caused downed trees in parts of Greenwood, Beaufort, Colleton and Jasper counties and golf ball-sized hail fell on Goose Creek and Garden City Beach. Hail described as "near baseball" size (2.50" diameter) pelted a small area of Highway 17 near Seewee Road, nine miles southwest of Awendaw in Charleston County. Barnwell and Johnston reported a Sunday high temperature of 93 degrees. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was three degrees above normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 94 degrees at Bamberg on May 23. The lowest official temperature reported was 51 degrees at Table Rock, Long Creek and Walhalla on May 20. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 4.60 inches at Givhans ending at 7:00 a.m. on May 18. The state average rainfall for the period was 0.8 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

               
                         
                           
                         Precipitation                                                                     Weekly   Jan 1   Departure     
                        Total   Total   from Avg
         Greer           0.11   15.88     -5.0
      Anderson           0.33   16.87     -3.1
      Columbia           0.93   10.59     -7.7
    Orangeburg           0.45   12.53     -5.8
 Charlotte, NC           0.66   16.03     -1.6
   Augusta, GA           0.21   13.16     -5.2
      Florence           1.28   10.51     -5.7
N Myrtle Beach           1.89   12.78     -2.4
    Charleston           1.75   16.46      0.1
  Savannah, GA           1.19   16.19     -0.1   

    
 


Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL:

4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 76 degrees, Charleston 78 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 77 degrees.