WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2011

September 19, 2011 - September 25, 2011

WEATHER SUMMARY:

Under a blanket of clouds, the state's Monday high temperature at Allendale, Orangeburg and Barnwell was only 83 degrees. Moist tropical air, at the surface and aloft, began arriving on Tuesday morning in the form of soaking rains. Northward-moving convection produced 1.85 inches of rain at Gaston Shoals and 1.56 inches at Hardeeville. Aiken, McCormick and the Columbia Metro AP reached 89 degrees Wednesday afternoon before more heavy rain fell across the Upstate and Savannah River Basin. Anderson measured 3.18 inches and Edgefield measured 2.59 inches. The official start of Autumn 2011 began on Friday morning with storms that brought flash flooding to the Midlands. The Columbia Hamilton–Owens AP received 0.95 inches in just 15 minutes, which was part of an event total of 3.56 inches. Breaks of sunshine sent the temperature on Saturday to 89 degrees at Johnston, McCormick and the Georgetown AP. More heavy rain developed Sunday afternoon and evening for central South Carolina. Lightning-filled storms brought small hail and high winds. The Columbia Metro AP recorded a thunderstorm wind gust of 55 mph. National Weather Service instruments at the USC Campus measured rainfall rates of up to 3.24 inches in one hour that caused flash flooding. The Tuesday through Sunday six-day rainfall total at the Columbia Hamilton-Owens AP added to 9.33 inches. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was four degrees above normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 92 degrees at Hardeeville on September 24. The lowest official temperature reported was 50 degrees at Jocassee on September 19. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 3.85 inches at Jefferson USGS ending at 7:00 a.m. on September 22. The state average rainfall for the period was 2.9 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

                             
                              Precipitation                                                    
                       Weekly   Jan 1   Departure     
                        Total   Total    from Avg
         Greer           6.04   35.60      0.2
      Anderson           4.22   27.33     -5.4
      Columbia           2.94   31.76     -3.1
    Orangeburg           2.05   30.35     -6.1
 Charlotte, NC           3.16   34.21      2.9
   Augusta, GA           1.23   25.02     -8.5
      Florence           1.44   23.72     -9.8
N Myrtle Beach           1.65   26.23    -14.5
    Charleston           2.71   33.04     -7.8
  Savannah, GA           4.15   30.49     -7.7

                                                        
Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL:

4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 78 degrees, Charleston 81 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 79 degrees.