A deep-layered column of tropical air sent drenching rains all across South Carolina during the first week of July. Early morning sunshine and the seasonal heating of already wet surfaces made for widespread coverage of middle of the day and evening convective thundershowers. Socastee reported Monday's heaviest rain with 5.20 inches and Manning was soaked with 3.20 inches. Rotational energy, within an isolated storm on Tuesday evening, produced an EF1-rated tornado near Quinby that caused personal injuries and the destruction of several homes. The Florence Regional AP measured a Tuesday rainfall of 1.90 inches. A thundershower over Edisto Beach State Park left 2.95 inches. The plume of northward-moving rains continued on Wednesday. Some of the heavier 24-hour amounts included 2.87 inches at Gaffney, 2.79 inches at Keowee Dam and 2.53 inches at Chappells. The July 4 holiday began on the cool side for parts of the Upstate. Pickens cooled to 65 degrees. Laurens, Newberry and Clarks Hill noted a Thursday minimum temperature of 69 degrees. Orangeburg was the state's only location to reach the holiday's highest afternoon temperature of 90 degrees. Thursday's downpours produced localized flooding for portions of Greenville County. On Friday morning, Keowee Dam had received a 24-hour rainfall of 3.57 inches. Thundershowers, although diminished in coverage, kept forming on Friday. Union was soaked with 3.15 inches and Shaw AFB measured 2.38 inches. Florence and Darlington shared a Saturday maximum temperature of 90 degrees. Sullivan's Island reported a 24-hour rainfall of 1.50 inches and the Sandhill site received 0.94 inches. During the first 7 days of July, Table Rock received 9.84 inches of rain and a saturated Manning reported 7.74 inches. Anderson and the Greenville-Spartanburg AP observed measurable rain for the same seven consecutive days. The Columbia Metro AP average high temperature for July 1-7, 2013, of 84.9 degrees was 15.1 degrees cooler than for the 2012 identical period. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was three degrees below the long-term average.
WEATHER SUMMARY:
The highest official temperature reported was 91 degrees at Jamestown on July 5 and at Columbia Metro AP and Florence AP on July 7. The lowest official temperature reported was 59 degrees at Caesars Head on July 4. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 6.25 inches at Kingstree ending at 7:00 a.m. on July 2. The state average rainfall for the seven-day period was 3.5 inches.
PRECIPITATION:
Precipitation
Weekly Jan 1 Departure
Anderson AP 5.48 36.73 13.8
Greer AP 7.21 39.80 15.6
Charlotte, NC AP 2.81 28.87 7.5
Columbia Metro AP 2.19 26.98 4.7
Orangeburg AP 5.38 29.65 5.6
Augusta, GA Bush AP 1.92 32.35 9.2
Florence AP 6.41 33.17 12.2
N Myrtle Beach AP 2.28 32.17 8.9
Charleston AP 1.62 38.68 15.3
Savannah, GA AP 1.83 29.65 6.3
Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.
SOIL:
4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 81 degrees, Charleston 84 degrees.
RIVERS AND SURF:
South Carolina river stages were above normal. Ocean water temperatures at Springmaid Pier Myrtle Beach were reported at 82 degrees.
