WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2013

January 21 - January 27, 2013

WEATHER SUMMARY:

Colder air began arriving on Monday as Canadian-sourced high pressure ridged south along the Eastern seaboard. The temperature on Tuesday morning fell to 25 degrees at Walhalla. After a sunrise air temperature of 30 degrees, the noon temperature at Greenville Downtown AP had recovered to just 38 degrees. At 3:00 p.m., the Rock Hill airport's instruments indicated a dewpoint value of minus 2 degrees and just 15 percent relative humidity. Strong north to northwest surface winds only allowed Chester to reach 44 degrees. Wednesday's low temperatures plummeted to 18 degrees at Chesnee, 19 degrees at Cedar Creek and 22 degrees at Hartsville. Mullins reported an afternoon high temperature of 43 degrees. Ninety Nine Islands recorded a Thursday morning low temperature of 17 degrees. Edisto Island's low temperature of 33 degrees kept them as the only site to have not recorded a freeze for the season. A parcel of milder air entered the Lowcountry during the daylight hours on Thursday and pushed the mercury to 68 degrees at the Charleston AP. More cold was introduced to the state on Friday morning. Florence and Shaw AFB reached a minimum of 22 degrees. Precipitation in the forms of sleet and freezing rain were observed over the Upstate and into the north Midlands during the early afternoon. Although the wintry precipitation was light in intensity, there were disruptions to vehicle traffic caused by accidents on slippery roadways. The afternoon high temperature of just 26 degrees at Rock Hill was the "lowest" high temperature at that location since February 1996. Table Rock noted the state's "first measurable" snow of the season with a tenth of an inch. Bishopville and Hartsville reported a Friday maximum of only 34 degrees. Most of South Carolina observed a seasonal Saturday with middle 50-degree afternoon temperatures. On Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m., the Darlington County Jetport recorded a barometric pressure value of 30.58 inches of mercury. A sunny Greenville, Sumter and Myrtle Beach each noted a Sunday high temperature of 46 degrees. The state average temperature for the period was two degrees below normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 69 degrees at Edisto Island and Beaufort MCAS on January 24 and at Hardeeville on January 26. The lowest official temperature reported was 16 degrees at Caesars Head on January 25. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 0.12 inches at Long Creek and Gaston Shoals ending at 7:00 a.m. on January 26. The state average rainfall for the period was 0.0 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

                                   Precipitation                
                              Weekly   Jan 1   Departure     
                              Total    Total    from Avg      
        Anderson AP            0.02     3.91      0.6
           Greer AP            0.06     4.01      0.7 
   Charlotte, NC AP            0.11     3.41      0.4
  Columbia Metro AP            0.00     0.81     -2.3
      Orangeburg AP            0.00     0.35     -3.0
Augusta, GA Bush AP            0.00     0.29     -3.1
        Florence AP            0.01     1.14     -1.7
  N Myrtle Beach AP            0.00     0.43     -2.7
      Charleston AP            0.00     0.20     -3.0
    Savannah, GA AP            0.00     0.29     -2.9

Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.

SOIL:

4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 51 degrees, Charleston 54 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 49 degrees.