SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

September 9 - 15, 2002

WEATHER SUMMARY

Sites away from the coast observed sunny, clear skies on Monday while the beaches experienced the grazing effects of Tropical Storm Gustav. Only a few light showers were measured along the north coast as Gustav passed well offshore. Hot weather followed on Tuesday and Wednesday with mid to upper 90's recorded. A frontal boundary entered the state on Thursday lowering temperatures by around ten degrees. On Friday, Tropical Storm Hanna, located in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico began to influence South Carolina's weather with distant bands of showers. After land falling near the Florida panhandle, the remnants of Hanna set a northeastward course towards South Carolina for the weekend. Periodic heavy rains fell on both Saturday and Sunday with reports of widespread flooding in the upstate and wind damage from thunderstorms. The western two thirds of the state received between three to five inches of rain. Yearly rainfall deficits at some locations were cut in half due to the tropical downpours. Rains were still falling late Sunday night. For the period, the state average temperature was three degrees above normal.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

The highest temperature reported was 100 degrees at Allendale on September 11. The lowest temperature was 52 degrees at Lake Bowen on the morning of September 10. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 3.25" at Mullins ending at 7:00 a.m. on September 15. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 2.3".

                        Precipitation
                  Period     2002     Deviation*        Temperature
Location           Total    Total     From Avg.	      Maximum   Minimum	
Greer               5.75    30.86         5.9B           93        58                       	              	
Columbia            4.81    32.84         4.5B           96        62
Florence            1.25    27.57         6.5B           94        63	        
Charleston          1.49    38.82         1.0B           95        70
N Myrtle Beach      0.49    26.09         7.4B           94        69
Augusta, Ga.        4.69    27.54         6.3B           99        57 
A=Above, B=Below                                                                       
                                 
                         

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

SOIL

4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 80 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages are rising.
Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 80 degrees.