SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

February 23 - 29, 2004


WEATHER SUMMARY

Overcast skies and cold mornings were observed on Monday and Tuesday. A few areas of light rain accompanied gusting northeast winds on Tuesday. Wednesday's weather map indicated a developing area of low pressure over the Gulf approaching South Carolina. By Thursday morning pockets of snow, sleet, and freezing rain were falling over central and western counties. A deepening upper low pressure tracked across the state on Friday with cold northerly winds and heavy snows from the northern Midlands and into the eastern Piedmont. Rock Hill measured a 24-hour snowfall total of 18 inches and a reported event total of 22 inches. This was the state's third highest 24-hour snowfall total in record keeping. Sites in Chesterfield County measured between 10 and 14 inches. Transportation along I-77 near York County came to a standstill. Elsewhere, icy roads caused nearly one thousand accidents. Snowshowers continued into Friday along with occasional sleet and freezing drizzle. Most schools and government offices were closed Thursday and Friday near and north of Columbia. A rapid warmup and melting began on Saturday as winds shifted to the southwest behind the departing storm. Sunny, mild weather was observed on both Saturday and Sunday with afternoon high temperatures climbing into the mid and upper 60's. The average statewide temperature for the period was six degrees below normal.

The state's highest reported temperature was 69 degrees at Mullins, Jamestown, and Beaufort on February 29. The lowest temperature reported was 16 degrees at Chester on the morning of February 29. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.09" at Chester ending at 7:00 a.m. on February 27. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 1.4.”

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

                             Precipitation                 
                       Weekly   Jan 1  Deviation     
                        Total   Total   From Avg
         Greer           0.75    5.88       -2.8          
      Columbia           1.65    5.96       -2.5
   Augusta, GA           2.07    7.51       -1.1           
     *Florence           1.68    4.64       -2.5   
  Myrtle Beach           2.06    7.57        0.4            
    Charleston           1.11    5.97       -1.2  
             
   *Equipment problems have made rainfall reports unreliable.

         

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

SOIL

4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 46 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages were at or above normal. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach
and Savannah will average around 50 degrees.


sco@water.dnr.state.sc.us
http://water.dnr.state.sc.us/climate/sco/weekly/wk022904.html