WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2015

August 31 - September 6, 2015

WEATHER SUMMARY:

Heavy rains fell within the coastal zones on Monday morning, the last day of August. The Charleston AP measured a calendar-day total of 6.43 inches and part of a twenty-four-hour total of 7.24 inches. Preliminary records indicate the 7.24 inches amount being the fourth greatest twenty-four-hour total since recordkeeping began at the Charleston AP in 1938. The Naval Weapons Station near Goose Creek measured 4.05 inches. The August 2015 state rainfall ranged from a high of 12.01 inches at the Georgetown AP to a low of 1.49 inches at Fort Mill. Additional rainfall measurements taken on Tuesday morning included Jamestown's 4.25 inches and Georgetown's airport total of 4.00 inches. A sunny Sandhill in Richland County recorded a September 1 high temperature of 95 degrees. Summertime-like heat was observed on Wednesday with Bennettsville and Hartsville also reaching 95 degrees. The leftover circulation and showers of a once Tropical Storm Erika made their way northward into the southeastern-most beaches on Wednesday afternoon. Rainfall amounts taken by CoCoRaHS observers included 2.25 inches at Yemassee and 1.58 inches at Daufuskie Island. Greenville, Clinton and Lugoff all recorded a Thursday high temperature of 94 degrees. Friday's hot weather and the approach of a lifting layer from the north caused strong storms across the state. At 3:40 p.m., half dollar-sized hail fell near Jalapa in Newberry County. Straight line winds, estimated at 70 mph by the Beaufort County Emergency Management storm survey team, roared along the Seabrook Highway at 4:10 p.m. taking down at least ten large oaks. Winds at the Greenville Downtown AP gusted to 59 mph. Just beyond midnight and within the usual sleeping hours of Saturday morning, flooding rains developed at the Lake Murray Dam. Two separate but nearby instruments managed by the USGS and Richland County Emergency Services recorded identical rainfall intensities of 3.39 inches in one hour. The Columbia Metro AP recorded 1.91 inches in 37 minutes. Flash flooding was observed through parts of Lexington and Northern Richland counties. Partial sunshine and seasonal air returned for Saturday afternoon. The 1:00 p.m. Saturday temperature of 83 degrees at Shaw AFB was 8 degrees cooler than at the same hour on Friday. Showers on Sunday were concentrated along the coastal counties. Mostly sunny skies brought a high temperature of 87 degrees to Anderson and Florence. Walhalla missed the widely scattered downpours during the week and reported only 0.08 inches. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was three degrees above the long-term average.

The highest official temperature reported was 97 degrees at Union on September 3 and at Columbia Metro AP and the Greenville-Spartanburg AP on September 4. The lowest official temperature reported was 53 degrees at Jocassee 8WNW on September 1. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 3.79 inches at the Lake Murray Dam USGS gage on September 5. The state average rainfall for the seven-day period was 1.3 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL:

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

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were below to much below normal. Charleston Harbor reported a water temperature of 84 degrees and Springmaid Pier at Myrtle Beach reported a surf water temperature of 83 degrees.