SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER AND CLIMATE

July 7 - 13, 2003

WEATHER SUMMARY

It was another week of mid-summer heat with scattered afternoon thunderstorms occurring almost daily. High temperatures climbed to the hottest of the year with many sites reporting readings in the middle and upper 90's. Heat index values topped the 100 degree mark. Severe storms produced high winds and hail throughout the week. On Thursday, many eastern counties sustained damage from strong winds. Florence recorded a wind gust of 67 mph during a thunderstorm on Friday. Several large trucks were toppled in Orangeburg as high winds swept through the area. Heavy rains fell along the Grand Strand Saturday causing localized flooding. Cloudy skies on Sunday helped lower temperatures for central and coastal South Carolina before late evening storms reformed and raced eastward across the state. Both Anderson and Pickens Counties observed golf ball sized hail. The average statewide temperature for the period was near normal.

The highest temperature reported was 98 degrees at Hartsville and Ft. Moultrie on July 9. The lowest temperature was 58 degrees at Salem on the morning of July 12. The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 3.77" at N. Myrtle Beach on July 12. The average statewide rainfall for the period was 1.0".

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE DATA

                Precipitation                     Temperature
                       Weekly   Jan 1  Deviation      Average  Average
                        Total   Total   From Avg      Maximum  Minimum  Average
         Greer           0.61    37.9       10.0           88       68       78 
      Columbia           3.38    36.9       10.4           91       71       81 
   Augusta, GA           1.29    37.7       12.6           91       71       81 
        Cheraw           1.06    30.7        4.9           93       71       82 
       Chester           0.99    37.4       10.8           92       68       80 
      Johnston           0.43    30.6        3.3           95       68       82 
        Sumter           0.94    33.4        6.7           92       73       83
       Clemson           0.75E   40.7       10.5           86       68       77
      Florence           1.62    30.4        7.3           91       73       82
N Myrtle Beach           4.47    34.4       12.6           86       73       79 
     Allendale           1.07    32.2        5.8           92       71       83 
    Charleston           1.12    29.5        3.4           91       74       83 
      Beaufort           0.44    33.6        8.6           94       77       85 

 
  

                       

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

SOIL

4 inch depth average soil temperature: Columbia 84 degrees.

RIVERS AND SURF

South Carolina river stages were near to above normal.
Surf temperatures at Myrtle Beach and Savannah will average around 82 degrees.