SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

December 30, 2002 - January 5, 2003

WEATHER SUMMARY

Mild conditions ended the year 2002 as afternoon high temperatures rose into the upper 60's and lower 70's. Light showers fell over portions of the state on Tuesday, New Years Eve, dampening activities. Cloudy skies along a frontal boundary persisted into Friday with periods of drizzle and chilling temperatures. Partial clearing began on Saturday as another cold front approached and by Sunday skies were blue with brisk westerly winds. The average statewide temperature for the period was five degrees above normal

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

The highest temperature reported was 72 degrees at Johnston on January 1. The lowest temperature was 19 degrees at Hunts Bridge on the morning of January 5. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 1.25" ending at 7:00 a.m. on January 1. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.5."

                    Precipitation
               Period   2003    Deviation*        Temperature
Location        Total  Total     From Avg.     Maximum   Minimum	
Greer            0.46   0.46         0.2B         61        29          Columbia         0.05   0.05         0.6B         66        26
Florence         0.28   0.28         0.4B         67        26	        
Charleston       0.26   0.26         0.4B         71        28
N Myrtle Beach   0.71   0.71         0.2A         67        28
Augusta, Ga.     0.10   0.10         0.6B         66        24

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 50 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages range from near to above normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 51 degrees.