SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

     After a sunny start Monday, cloudy skies along a nearly stationary
boundary returned and persisted into mid-week. On Wednesday, July 23, a
tropical low, which as Hurricane Danny had come ashore in Alabama, brought
flooding rains and tornadoes to South Carolina.  Hardest hit were the 
central midlands where unofficial rainfall totals exceeded 8 inches.  A 
brief, violent tornado touched down near Gaston in Lexington County, 
destroying several mobile homes, causing one death and multiple injuries.  
Tornadoes were also reported in east Richland and Abbeville counties.  Many 
sites reported damage from high winds.  Most small streams and creeks in 
the affected areas could not handle the heavy rains.  Street flooding
forced business closures and abandoning of autos.  Since most South Carolina
river stages were below normal prior to the tropical rains, only a few 
reached flooding conditions.  Hot and humid followed the remainder of the 
week.  Aternoon temperatures climbed into the mid 90's.  On Sunday both 
Florence and Columbia observed a Heat Index value of 110 degrees.  
Statewide temperatures for the period averaged near normal across the 
coast and upstate and 2 degrees above normal in the midlands.

     The maximum observed temperature was 97 degrees on July 20 at Williams.
The minimum observed temperature was 65 degrees in lhalla on the morning of
July 25.  The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall was recorded at Lake Wylie
with 6.47" ending at 7 a.m. on July 24.  Statewide rainfall for the period
averaged 2.6 inches.

                  Precipitation
                 Period     1997      Deviation      Temperature
Location         Total      Total     From Avg.    Maximum   Minimum   
Greer            3.07        32.5       1.5A         91        70
Charlotte, NC    8.23        32.0       6.7A         94        71
Columbia         3.44        27.9       1.9B         94        72            
Florence FAA     2.7         26.9       0.4A         93        71   
Blackville       2.30        29.1       0.3A         96        70
Augusta, GA      1.66        23.7       4.1B         94        71
Beaufort         0.85        25.4       4.2B         93        75 
Charleston       0.97        35.6       5.5A         92        73
Myrtle Beach     1.30        26.8       2.9B         93        73

*A=Above, B=Below
                                   
Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the prior 24-hrs ending 7 am Monday
through ending 7 am Sunday

                        Degree Days

                          Actual

                        July 1-27

                    Cooling   Heating

Columbia                461         0

Charleston              420         0

Greenville              388         0           
                                                                                            
     Temperatures are expected to average near to below normal for the week.
Rainfall is expected to be near normal.  The Sandhill Research and Education
Center in north Columbia reports an average 4-inch depth soil temperature of
88 degrees.

    River stages are near normal.

    Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 84
degrees.