WEEKLY SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER 2011

May 23, 2011 - May 29, 2011

WEATHER SUMMARY:

Hot, dry weather was observed early in the week. At 4:00 p.m. on Monday, the Columbia Metro AP reported 96 degrees with a relative humidity value of just 21 percent. The Sandhill site measured a 24-hour open pan evaporation water loss of 0.44 inches. Both Bamberg and Allendale recorded a Monday afternoon high temperature of 100 degrees. The Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station and Hardeeville reached 98 degrees on Tuesday and the Marlboro County Jetport noted 99 degrees on Wednesday. Low dewpoints, on Wednesday morning, allowed Chester, Greenwood and the McEntire ANG AP to cool down to 65 degrees. Some relief to the afternoon heat was evident along the beaches with a developing seabreeze. Edisto Beach reported a Wednesday high temperature of just 83 degrees. Unstable weather arrived from the west and into the Upstate on Thursday, in the form of thunderstorms. Stronger storms on Friday afternoon were concentrated across the central and north Midlands. A cloudburst at Hartsville produced intense rainfall measuring 4.25 inches. Darlington received 3.10 inches and nearby Pageland received 3.01 inches. The Columbia Hamilton-Owens AP reported at 14-degree temperature drop from 84 degrees in just over an hour, following a thunderstorm. The last of the storms departed on Saturday, but not before leaving 3.00 inches of rain at Dillon and hail up to golf ball-size in parts of Dillon County. With mid-day humidity reaching 70 percent, Florence, Pelion and Charleston noted a "steamy" 88 degrees for a Saturday high temperature. Under mostly sunny skies on Sunday, Clarks Hill warmed up to 94 degrees. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was seven degrees above normal.

The highest official temperature reported was 101 degrees at Barnwell on May 23. The lowest official temperature reported was 56 degrees at Walhalla on May 25. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 4.33 inches at Bishopville ending at 7:00 a.m. on May 28. The state average rainfall for the period was 0.7 inches.

PRECIPITATION:

                             Precipitation                                                     
                       Weekly   Jan 1   Departure     
                        Total   Total   from Avg
         Greer           1.66   20.05     -1.8
      Anderson           0.63   15.24     -5.5
      Columbia           0.57   15.41     -3.6
    Orangeburg           0.63   15.17     -3.8
 Charlotte, NC           1.01   17.37     -0.9
   Augusta, GA           1.37   16.30     -2.7
      Florence           0.10   13.86     -3.1
N Myrtle Beach           0.00   15.28     -0.6
    Charleston           0.01   10.19     -7.1
  Savannah, GA           0.57   12.30     -4.8
                                            
Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.  

SOIL:

4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 79 degrees, Charleston 83 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF:

South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 79 degrees.