WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2016

August 1, 2016 - August 7, 2016

WEATHER SUMMARY:

The Monday afternoon high temperature at Columbia's Hamilton-Owens AP made it to 96 degrees at 5:25 p.m., a few hours before a county-sized storm produced constant lightning and flooding rains. At around 7:30 p.m., the "bottom fell out" across Forest Acres and over Five Points. Rainfall intensities of 1.02 inches in 10 minutes (3.46 inches in 44 minutes) were measured by Richland County Emergency Services at MLK Park and 0.99 inches in 10 minutes by NWS instruments at the nearby USC Campus. The Columbia Hamilton-Owens AP recorded rainfall rates of 1.96 inches in 28 minutes (3.08 inches in 56 minutes). A State Climatology Office rain gage near Trenholm Park measured 4.64 inches in one and one-half hours. At least two dozen merchants in Five Points reported flooding and property losses. The Rocky Branch Creek rose 9 feet in 30 minutes, peaking at 9:15 p.m. at the third highest stage known of 12.04 feet. Slow-moving storm cells on Tuesday brought localized heavy rains of 3.26 inches to Mt. Pleasant and 2.23 inches to Cedar Creek. Whitmire, McCormick and Beaufort each reported a Tuesday maximum temperature of 96 degrees. Poorly defined boundaries on Wednesday contributed to another day of downpours. Amounts reported on Thursday morning included 3.54 inches at Long Creek, 3.28 inches at N Inlet Georgetown County, 2.33 inches at Barnwell and 1.93 inches at Walterboro. A thunderstorm over Gaffney brought 2.52 inches of rain. Drifting thundershowers on Friday gave Hartsville 2.60 inches of rain and 1.52 inches to Mullins. Shaw AFB in Sumter and Barnwell were the state's warmest locations reaching 93 degrees. Hot, humid weather closed out the weekend with much of the storminess concentrated in the Upstate. Greenwood and Longtown both made it to 98 degrees on Saturday afternoon. Sunday's weather saw temperatures climb to 96 degrees at Rock Hill and Newberry. A drenching thunderstorm rainfall of 2.46 inches fell on Durbin Creek above Fountain Inn that included an intensity of 1.19 inches in 15 minutes. Sassafras Mt. received 3.10 inches or rain between 7:00 p.m. and midnight. The Greenwood 8NE NWS Cooperative observer noted less than one-quarter of an inch of rain for the week.

The highest official temperature reported was 100 degrees at McCormick on August 6. The lowest official temperature reported was 61 degrees at Jocassee 8WNW on August 3. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 3.67 inches at Columbia Hamilton-Owens AP on August 1. The state average rainfall for the seven-day period was 1.5 inches. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was two degrees above the long-term average.

PRECIPITATION:

Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL:

4-inch depth soil temperature: Clinton 82 degrees. Columbia 85 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Charleston Harbor reported a water temperature of 87 degrees. Springmaid Pier at Myrtle Beach reported a surf water temperature of 84 degrees.