A gale center located offshore of Florida caused cloudy skies and windy conditions along South Carolina beaches on Monday. Downtown Charleston reported a north wind gusting at 47 mph Monday afternoon. Sites inland remained mostly sunny and breezy. This pattern continued as high pressure controlled the weather into the weekend. Mornings were cold with frost, while afternoons were sunny and mild. High temperatures Friday and Saturday rose into the lower 70's at several locations in eastern South Carolina. Cloudiness returned for Sunday, the first day of Winter 1997-98. By late in the day light rain was entering western counties. Statewide temperatures for the period averaged near normal.
PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA
The maximum observed temperature was 71 degrees on December 20 at Allendale, Orangeburg, Blackville and Beaufort. The minimum observed temperature was 11 degrees at Hunts Bridge on the morning of December 15. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall was recorded at Jamestown with 0.20" ending at 7:00 a.m. on December 16. Statewide rainfall for the period averaged 0.0 inches.
Precipitation
Period 1997 Deviation* Temperature
Location Total Total From Avg. Maximum Minimum
Greer 0.09 47.1 2.8B 65 25
Charlotte, NC 0.00 45.6 3.7A 66 29
Columbia 0.00 44.2 4.4B 69 26
Florence FAA 0.00 45.4 2.6A 66 27
Blackville 0.42 54.3 8.4A 71 23
Augusta, GA 0.00 45.8 2.3A 70 26
Beaufort 0.37 51.6 1.2A 71 37
Charleston 0.04 57.4 7.0A 69 33
Myrtle Beach 0.10 49.6 1.8B 65 33
*A=Above, B=Below
ENERGY DEMAND AND AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY
Degree Days
Actual
Dec. 1-21
Cooling Heating
Columbia 0 402
Charleston 0 312
Greenville 0 467
Temperatures are expected to average near normal for the week. Rainfall
is expected to be near normal.
The Sandhill Research and Education Center in north Columbia reports an
average 4-inch depth soil temperature of 47 degrees.
RIVERS AND SURF
River stages are near normal.
Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 51
degrees.