WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2009

November 30, 2009 - December 6, 2009

WEATHER SUMMARY:

A boundary of cold air charged into the state on Monday producing a few light showers. On Tuesday morning, leftover raindrops froze on elevated surfaces where the temperature registered 32 degrees. At around midnight, rain began arriving from the south in association with a large area of low pressure moving into the southern Appalachian Mountains. Between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m., Beaufort received 1.11 inches of rain. Heavy rains combined with high astronomical tides to cause roadway flooding in both Georgetown and Charleston counties. The Reedy River near Greenville rose 8 feet to flood stage from heavy rainfall intervals of up to three hours. At 9:00 p.m., Springmaid Pier in Horry County recorded a peak wind from the south at 53 mph. When the sun reappeared Thursday, Long Creek in Oconee County had measured an event total of 4.12 inches of rain. While most of the state observed drying weather on Friday, rain showers persisted over coastal locations. Edisto Beach measured 1.02 inches and 0.95 inches fell at Ft. Moultrie. A southeastward-moving cold front came early Saturday morning with enough forcing to produce snow flurries at Caesars Head State Park. Much of central and western South Carolina reported a hard freeze Sunday morning. Afternoon high temperatures away from the coast only climbed to the upper 40's. The state average temperature for the period was one degree below normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 75 degrees at Georgetown AP on December 2. The lowest official temperature reported was 20 degrees at Chesnee on December 6. The heaviest official 24-hour rain reported was 3.44 inches at Anderson AP ending at 7:00 a.m. on December 3. The state average rainfall for the period was 2.6 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

                            
                           Precipitation                    
                       Weekly   Jan 1   Departure     
                        Total   Total   from Avg
         Greer           3.17   47.28      0.2
      Anderson           3.99   50.59      7.0
      Columbia           2.07   47.66      2.2
    Orangeburg           2.21   41.20     -4.3
 Charlotte, NC           1.83   42.85      1.9
   Augusta, GA           2.41   44.02      2.0
      Florence           1.16   36.41     -5.5
N Myrtle Beach           4.02   40.62     -2.3
    Charleston           3.68   49.59      0.7
  Savannah, GA           3.55   53.96      6.7   










Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL:

4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 57 degrees, Charleston 59 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were above normal. Ocean water temperatures at nearby Fort Pulaski, GA, were reported at 59 degrees and at Ocean Crest Pier, NC, 57 degrees.