SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

  The week began with a continuation of cold weather as high pressure 
covered the southeast.  Wednesday, Christmas Day, was mostly sunny with 
afternoon high temperatures in the upper 40's to low 50's.  Light rain 
showers returned on Thursday and Friday .  The weekend started under 
widespread fog as warm moist air worked northward over the much cooler 
surface.   Scattered light showers were reported both Saturday and Sunday.   
Temperatures responded with the warm front boundary  by rising into the 
upper 60's and low 70's.  Statewide temperatures for the period averaged 4 
degrees above normal.

     The maximum observed temperature was 78 degrees on December 29 at 
Orangeburg, Cades and Holly Hill.  The minimum observed temperature was 18 
degrees at Cedar Creek  on the morning of December 26.  The heaviest official 
24 -hour rainfall was recorded at Greenwood with 0.55" ending at 7:00 a.m. on 
December 27.  Statewide rainfall for the week averaged  0.2".
        
               Precipitation
                Period   1996     Deviation*      Temperature
Location        Total    Total    From Avg.      Maximum Minimum   
Greer           0.23     53.7      2.7A          64        26
Charlotte, NC   0.16     40.2      2.7B          64        27
Columbia        0.21     33.2     16.7B          75        24                     
Florence 8 NE   0.23     51.3      5.7A          74        25   
Blackville      0.08     35.2     11.6B          76        31
Augusta, GA     0.13     38.3      6.3B          78        23   
Beaufort          NA       NA        NA          NA        NA      
Charleston      0.03     45.7      5.2B          75        34
Myrtle Beach    0.00     47.5      4.8B          71        36
*A=Above, B=Below                                                                       

                   Degree Days          
                      Actual  
                     Dec 1-29
                Cooling     Heating              
Columbia          0          523
Charleston        2          396
Greenville        0          603
                                                                                            
     Temperatures are expected to average above normal for the week.  
Rainfall is expected to be near normal.  Sandhill Experiment Station in 
North Columbia reports average soil temperature at a 4-inch depth of 48 
degrees.

    River stages are near normal.
Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 53 
degrees.