WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2015

August 3 - August 9, 2015

WEATHER SUMMARY:

At the same time a sunny Clemson, Union and Clinton were reporting a Monday maximum temperature of 98 degrees, an axis of rain showers was developing from Allendale over to Conway. Overnight downpours circulating around a slow moving tropical-type feature brought flooding rains to Georgetown and Horry counties. Tuesday's sunrise measurements included 5.72 inches of rain at McClellanville and a CoCoRaHS volunteer report in Myrtle Beach of 4.95 inches. Springmaid Pier recorded east-southeast winds gusting to 38 mph. The Columbia Metro AP high temperature of 102 degrees on Tuesday set a date record, besting the 101 degrees set in 1954. Clarks Hill and Saluda reached 101 degrees. On Wednesday at 1:55 p.m., the Sumter County AP noted 102 degrees. Strong storms began forming across Lexington and Richland counties around 4:00 p.m. Southwest winds gusted to 54 mph at the Columbia Hamilton-Owens AP resulting in localized power interruptions from falling limbs and toppled trees. The NWS tipping bucket gage at the USC campus recorded 2.21 inches of rain. Converging storms became more widespread on Thursday. Nearly constant lightning within heavy rain-bearing cells rolled across central and eastern South Carolina. Winds gusted to 64 mph at the Florence Regional AP and blew out plate glass at the passenger terminal. It was 97 degrees in Dillon and Hartsville. A Richland County Emergency Services rain gage at Pineview-Garners Ferry Road recorded rainfall rates of up to 0.55 inches in five minutes and by 9:25 p.m., a running daily total of 3.11 inches. Another 2.82 inches measured at the USC campus caused the Rocky Branch Creek to flood. Additional heavy rains reported by the NWS Cooperative network included 2.45 inches at Little Mountain, 2.30 inches at Aiken, 2.15 inches at Newberry and 1.83 inches at Clarks Hill. Friday's mostly cloudy skies and occasional light rains moved the temperature back to seasonal averages for inland observation sites. Greenville and Shaw AFB both reported a Friday high temperature of 87 degrees. Friday's warmest temperatures were seen at Beaufort and Hilton Head Island at 93 degrees. Chester cooled to 68 degrees on Saturday morning before warming to an afternoon high of 89 degrees. The Sunday sunrise temperature at Lake City of 69 degrees made it to 90 degrees by late afternoon and a high temperature shared with Pickens, Rock Hill and Moncks Corner. Areas of rain drifted southeast from the Piedmont and into the central Savannah River basin on Sunday evening, leaving rainfall amounts of 1.45 inches at Fountain Inn, 1.38 inches at Newberry (USGS) and 0.64 inches at McCormick. The Georgetown County AP received 7.01 inches of rain during the week while in contrast, Fort Mill reported only 0.20 inches. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was two degrees above the long-term average.

The highest official temperature reported was 103 degrees at Johnston on August 5. The lowest official temperature reported was 56 degrees at Jocassee 8WNW on August 4. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 6.30 inches at the Georgetown AP ending at 7:00 a.m. on August 4. The state average rainfall for the seven-day period was 1.2 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL:

4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 84 degrees, Charleston 85.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were much below normal. Charleston Harbor reported a water temperature of 85 degrees and Springmaid Pier at Myrtle Beach reported a surf water temperature of 84 degrees.