WEATHER SUMMARY
Sunny, dry and mild weather started the week before a sharp cold front dropped temperatures by at least 25 degrees for Wednesday. Wildfire counts were so high a statewide burning ban was issued because of the dry conditions. On Thursday morning the coldest air of the season set daily record lows at many sites as readings in the teens were common. On Saturday, low pressure drifted slowly northeast along moist southwest winds and helped develop statewide and soaking rains. The wet weather continued into Sunday before exiting the state late in advance of a cold front. For the period the state average temperature was five degrees below normal.
PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA
The highest temperature was 78 degrees at Jamestown on February 26. The lowest temperature reported was 8 degrees at Caesars Head on the morning of February 28. The greatest 24-hour rainfall reported was 2.20" at St. George ending at 7:00 a.m. on March 3. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 1.7".
Precipitation
Period 2002 Deviation* Temperature
Location Total Total From Avg. Maximum Minimum
Greer 1.18 7.43 1.7B 68 16
Columbia 1.17 5.54 3.4B 71 17
Florence 1.20 4.42 3.1B 73 19
Charleston 2.15 6.76 0.8B 74 20
N Myrtle Beach 1.14 4.15 3.4B 67 22
Augusta, Ga. 1.64 6.61 2.5B 70 16
*A=Above, B=Below
Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the period ending midnight Monday through midnight Sunday
SOIL
4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 51 degrees.
RIVERS AND SURF
South Carolina river stages were below normal and rising.
Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 51 degrees.
sco@water.dnr.state.sc.us http://water.dnr.state.sc.us/climate/sco/weekly/wk030402.html