SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

October 28 - November 3, 2002

WEATHER SUMMARY

The pattern of cloudy skies and cool weather continued from the week before as a stationary boundary held in place. Daily showers were reported across the state while afternoon high temperatures remained in the 60's and 70's. The only exception was the southern coast which was positioned on the southern side of the boundary and observed more warming sunshine. A series of cold fronts entered the state beginning Wednesday with the second front on Friday delivering the season's coldest air. Most sites in the upstate reported frost or a light freeze Saturday morning. A mostly sunny sky Saturday gave way to a return to cloudy conditions Sunday, signaling a return to wet weather.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

The highest temperature reported was 85 degrees at Beaufort on October 28. The lowest temperature was 30 degrees at Salem on the morning of November 2. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.56" at Greenwood ending at 7:00 a.m. on October 29. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.6."

                    Precipitation
                Period    2002     Deviation*      Temperature
Location         Total   Total      From Avg.    Maximum    Minimum	
Greer             0.86   36.96          6.0B         64       39                       	              	
Columbia          1.19   40.34          1.9B         78       37
Florence          0.10   31.55          7.4B         77       37	        
Charleston        0.42   50.22          4.4A         84       46
N Myrtle Beach    0.02   32.09          7.5B         78       40
Augusta, Ga.      0.82   32.54          6.5B         79       36 
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 68 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages are near to below normal.
Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 67degrees.