SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

Julu 1 - 7, 2002

WEATHER SUMMARY

Typical of July and those days surrounding the holiday Fourth, it was a hot and humid period. Afternoon thunderstorms on Tuesday produced hail and wind damage over western counties and at least four people survived being struck by lightning. Mid-90 degree heat was reported daily, peaking at or over 100 degrees on Friday. Some relief came on the heels of a southward moving cool front on Saturday but not before scattered thunderstorms, hail and high winds swept across the low country. Sunday ended the week with southeast winds lowering the afternoon temperatures by at least five to eight degrees. For the period, the state average temperature was three degrees above normal.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

The highest temperature reported was 104 degrees at Orangeburg on July 5. The lowest temperature was 65 degrees at Lake Bowen on the morning of July 3. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.12" at Greenville ending at 7:00 a.m. on July 4. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.3".

                      Precipitation
               Period     2002      Deviation*          Temperature
Location        Total    Total       From Avg.       Maximum   Minimum	
Greer            0.49    16.95          10.1B           97       67                       	              
Columbia         0.00    19.53           6.0B          100       68
Florence         0.01    14.87           7.7B          101       68	        
Charleston       0.09    19.02           5.9B           96       69
N Myrtle Beach   0.40    12.25           8.5B           95       67
Augusta, Ga.     0.59    17.23           7.1B           98       67 
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 88 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages remained below normal.
Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 84 degrees.