WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2011

August 15, 2011 - August 21, 2011

WEATHER SUMMARY:

Monday's early morning temperatures fell into the 60's for much of the state. Bennettsville and Cedar Creek cooled to 64 degrees. Sunny blue skies and cumulus clouds signaled the arrival of a fresh airmass from the northwest. On Tuesday morning Kingstree and Hartsville reported low temperatures of 61 degrees. The Tuesday through Thursday three-day stretch of recording daily average temperatures below the long term average at the Columbia Metro AP was the first such occurrence at that location since the same dates in May. Veering surface winds on Thursday allowed for a convective boundary to form along the coastal counties with scattered thunderstorms. The Myrtle Beach Fire Department measured rains totaling 1.15 inches while Bennetts Point, just west of Edisto Island, measured 1.04 inches. Daytime heating on Friday sent the mercury to 96 degrees at both Dillon and Clarks Hill. Afternoon and evening storms on Saturday at Springfield left 1.35 inches of rain and 1.34 inches at Gaston Shoals. Clinton recorded the state's highest temperature on Sunday at 98 degrees before strong storms and heavy rains passed eastward though Dillon County and to the north coast. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was one degree above normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 99 degrees at Johnston and McCormick on August 19. The lowest official temperature reported was 57 degrees at Chesneee on August 16. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.72 inches at Holly Hill ending at 7:00 a.m. on August 21. The state average rainfall for the period was 0.4 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

               
                             
                            
                            Precipitation                                                      Weekly   Jan 1   Departure     
                        Total   Total    from Avg
         Greer           0.79   28.74     -2.4
      Anderson           1.47   22.66     -5.7
      Columbia           1.16   27.54     -2.9
    Orangeburg           1.30   27.92     -3.8
 Charlotte, NC           0.05   29.18      1.9
   Augusta, GA           0.02   23.51     -6.1
      Florence           0.02   20.92     -7.9
N Myrtle Beach           0.30   19.85    -12.8
    Charleston           0.00   27.91     -5.2
  Savannah, GA           0.65   26.00     -6.3





                                                            

                                                 

Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL:

4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 83 degrees, Charleston 85 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 85 degrees.