SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

August 11 -17, 2003

WEATHER SUMMARY

The week began with a cool morning, areas of fog and several sites recording low temperatures in the 60's. Thunderstorms in association with the coastal sea breeze were observed on Tuesday and Wednesday. A frontal boundary entered the state on Thursday producing scattered heavy rains across the midlands. Both Lexington and Richland Counties reported high winds and flash flooding. Rising temperatures over the weekend helped develop more strong storms. Flash flooding was common along the southern coastal counties while high winds damaged several airplanes at Greenville's airport. Late day storms on Sunday caused light wind damage from Anderson over to Cherokee County. The average statewide temperature for the period was near normal.

The highest temperature reported was 95 degrees at Orangeburg on August 14. The lowest temperature was 60 degrees at Salem on the morning of August 11. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 3.23" at Summerville ending at 7:00 a.m. on August 16. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.8.".

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

                Precipitation                     Temperature
                       Weekly   Jan 1  Deviation      Average  Average
                        Total   Total   From Avg      Maximum  Minimum  Average
         Greer           0.23    51.6       18.7           86       69       77 
      Columbia           0.51    44.8       11.9           88       72       80 
   Augusta, GA           1.67    74.6       14.7           91       70       81 
        Cheraw           0.23    36.1        4.6           88       72       80 
       Chester           0.64    43.8       13.0           89       68       78 
      Johnston           1.75    39.8        7.2           90       68       79 
        Sumter           0.05    37.2        4.5           89       72       81
       Clemson           0.21    48.1       13.1           91       71       81
      Florence           0.34    35.0        6.0           89       73       81
N Myrtle Beach           1.33    40.6       12.7           86       73       79 
     Allendale           0.40    38.8        6.9           89       71       80 
    Charleston           0.72    38.5        5.2           90       73       81 
      Beaufort           0.00    41.4        9.0           90       75       83 

             

Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the 24-hour period ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL

4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 82 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages were above normal. Surf temperatures at
Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 80 degrees.