SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

Sunny weather and a cooling trend prevailed for the first couple of days as high pressure was in control. Early morning temperatures on Wednesday fell into the upper 20's and low 30's with reports of frost. Cloudy skies and a few showers were observed on Thursday and Friday due to a nearly stationary boundary positioned across the state. A wind shift to a more southerly direction on Saturday provided a source of moisture and helped create unstable conditions ahead of an approaching cold front. Thunderstorms developed late on Saturday and continued through Sunday. On Sunday afternoon a line of storms turned violent with tornadoes reported in Clarendon and Horry counties and additional reports of costly wind damage in Orangeburg county. Rainfall amounts of between 2 and 4 inches caused street and property flooding. By the end of the period, clearing was occurring in western sections. Statewide temperatures averaged 2 degrees below normal.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

The maximum observed temperature was 76 degrees on March 8 at Jamestown. The minimum observed temperature was 20 degrees at Cedar Creek on the morning of March 4. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall was recorded at Salem with 3.00" ending at 7 a.m. on March 8. Statewide rainfall for the period averaged 1.2 inches.

                     Precipitation
                    Period     1997       Deviation*       Temperature
Location            Total      Total      From  Avg.    Maximum   Minimum   
Greer               3.15       16.9         6.9A        64        28
Charlotte, NC       1.64       11.6         2.8A        66        32
Columbia            2.44       15.6         5.8A        61        30    
Florence FAA        1.87       13.5         5.7A        71        29   
Blackville          1.60       15.9         6.4A        72        28 
Augusta, GA         4.17       19.1         9.5A        63        28
Beaufort            1.60       17.3         9.3A        64        36 
Charleston          1.20       19.0         11.1A       74        35
Myrtle Beach        0.00       18.5         9.4A        64        35
*A=Above, B=Below                                                                       
                                   
Note: Weekly rainfall amounts are for the prior 24-hrs ending 7:00 a.m.
Monday through ending 7:00 a.m. Sunday

ENERGY DEMAND AND AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY

                     Degree Days      
                     Actual  
                     Mar. 1-8    
                  Cooling   Heating             
Columbia          0         110
Charleston        2         73
Greenville        0         139    

RIVERS AND SURF

River stages are rising. Several eastern rivers are in flood. Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 53 degrees.