SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

January 12 - 18, 2004

WEATHER SUMMARY

Most of the work week was dominated by modified surface high pressure with near normal temperatures. Rainfall was absent as skies were mostly sunny each day. On Thursday, a push of cooler air quickly crossed the state and sent Friday morning low temperatures into the 20's. A quick wind shift on Saturday allowed temperatures to rebound and a moist southeasterly flow began. Some light showers developed late Saturday evening over western counties. Sunday was cloudy with occasional light rains. The week's mildest weather also occurred on Sunday with several eastern sites observing high temperatures in the low 70's. The statewide average temperature for the period was three degrees above normal.

The state's highest reported temperature was 72 degrees at Charleston AP, Beaufort, Orangeburg, and Walterboro on January 18. The lowest temperature was 20 degrees at Cheraw on morning of January 16. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 0.43" at Greenwood on January 18. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 0.1”.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

                             Precipitation                 
                       Weekly   Jan 1  Deviation     
                        Total   Total   From Avg
         Greer           0.22    0.58       -1.9          
      Columbia           0.12    0.29       -2.4
   Augusta, GA           0.09    0.40       -2.3           
      Florence           0.00    0.03       -2.5   
  Myrtle Beach           0.15    0.47       -1.6            
    Charleston           0.10    0.48       -1.9  
             
               

Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the 24-hour period ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL

4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 48 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach
and Savannah will average around 48 degrees.