WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2009

August 10, 2009 - August 16, 2009

WEATHER SUMMARY:

The season's highest temperatures were recorded on both Monday and Tuesday. Sandy Springs and Bamberg were two of the dozen or more sites reporting maximum temperatures of 100 degrees. The heat energy forced cloud tops to 60,000 feet and helped with Tuesday's formation of strong afternoon thunderstorms. The Santee National Wildlife Refuge at St. Pauls in Clarendon County measured 1.41 inches of rain during a convective storm. Chester's high temperature of 98 degrees on Tuesday was tempered by clouds and showers on Wednesday and resulted in a next day high of only 74 degrees. Large hail, the size of golf balls, pelted Burton in Beaufort County Wednesday afternoon at 2:50 p.m. Soaking rains fell across Lexington County on Thursday. Batesburg totaled 3.51 inches of rain from back to back storms Wednesday and Thursday while McEntire ANG Airport near Eastover measured 3.40 inches of rain Thursday through Saturday. Wet weather coverage for most of the week was concentrated over eastern and southern South Carolina with only isolated rainfalls over the Upstate. Moderating temperatures and increased cloudiness were observed through the weekend. Sunday evening thundershowers expanded into the Piedmont and Foothills with a few locations reporting much welcome, one-half to one-inch rains. The state average temperature for the period was one degree above normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 102 degrees at USC Campus Columbia on August 10 and at McCormick on August 11. The lowest official temperature reported was 62 degrees at Chesnee on August 16. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.81 inches at Johnston ending at 7:00 a.m. on August 13. The state average rainfall for the period was 1.1 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

                            
                            Precipitation                    
                       Weekly   Jan 1   Departure     
                        Total   Total   from Avg
         Greer           0.53   27.18     -5.6
      Columbia           2.83   28.00     -4.7
    Orangeburg           1.53   29.56     -3.1
 Charlotte, NC           0.43   30.06      2.4
   Augusta, GA           1.25   26.42     -3.4
      Florence           0.69   25.52     -4.1
N Myrtle Beach           0.34   23.84     -3.9
    Charleston           2.75   36.08      3.0
  Savannah, GA           1.58   40.11      7.4   





  
                            





Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL:

4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 81 degrees, Charleston 83 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Ocean water temperatures at the Edisto Buoy were reported at 82 degrees.