Temperatures fell nearly twenty degrees on Monday as arctic-sourced air invaded the state. Caesars Head reported a "trace" of snow. Stinging northwest to west winds on Tuesday gusted to 35 mph at the Clemson and Charleston airports. At 1:00 p.m., Shaw AFB in Sumter reported 37 degrees with northwest winds of 20 mph, gusting to 31 mph. The season's coldest air was observed on Wednesday morning. Pelion recorded 12 degrees and the Edisto Beach State Park recorded a hard freeze of 24 degrees. The 53-degree high temperature at Hardeeville was the highest temperature observed that afternoon. Slow modification of the airmass began on Thursday as light and variable winds and full sunshine pushed the temperatures back into the 60's. Barnwell and Orangeburg noted a Thursday maximum temperature of 63 degrees. The week's second arrival of freezing air and light frost came on Friday morning, but with less severity. Bennettsville's sunrise temperature fell to 28 degrees and Walterboro's fell to 29 degrees. As surface winds shifted on Friday, a welcomed surge of warm air rose up from the south. Sandhill and Bishopville reached 73 degrees on Saturday. A few areas of light rain formed over the Upstate and moved east. Sandy Springs measured a 24-hour rainfall total of 0.22 inches. Sunday's day-weather included mild breezes, alternating periods of warming sunshine and clouds and expanding areas of light rain moving east from Georgia. Unofficial temperature values, taken in direct sun over central South Carolina, indicated lawn-level readings as high as 84 degrees. Sunday's official shade temperatures, taken at approximately five feet above ground, climbed to 75 degrees at Barnwell, the Myrtle Beach International AP and at the Charleston AP. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was three degrees above normal.
The highest official temperature reported was 76 degrees at Allendale, Hardeeville and Witherbee on January 8. The lowest official temperature reported was 11 degrees at Caesars Head on January 3 and at Aiken on January 4. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 0.28 inches at Anderson AP on January 8. The state average rainfall for the period was 0.1 inches.
PRECIPITATION:
Precipitation
Weekly Jan 1 Departure
Total Total from Avg
Greer AP 0.09 00.09 -0.9
Anderson AP 0.29 00.29 -0.7
Columbia Metro AP 0.05 00.05 -0.9
Orangeburg AP 0.07 00.07 -1.0
Charlotte, NC AP 0.05 00.05 -0.8
Augusta, GA Bush AP 0.00 00.00 -1.0
Florence AP 0.00 00.00 -0.9
N Myrtle Beach AP 0.02 00.02 -0.9
Charleston AP 0.00 00.00 -0.9
Savannah, GA AP 0.00 00.02 -0.8
Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.
SOIL:
4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 55 degrees, Charleston 56 degrees.
RIVERS AND SURF:
South Carolina river stages were below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 53 degrees.
