Mid-summer heat was observed on Monday with Union and McCormick reaching 98 degrees. Early afternoon thunderstorms at the Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station brought a rainfall of 1.20 inches. Rain-producing storms increased for much of South Carolina on Tuesday. At 12:53 p.m., Florence Regional AP reported 92 degrees then a one-hour temperature fall to 76 degrees with rain and thunder. Orangeburg and Chesterfield recorded a high temperature of 95 degrees. Rainfall amounts measured for the 24-hours ending on Wednesday morning included 3.73 inches at Pinopolis Dam, 2.93 inches at Union, 2.25 inches at Chester and 2.20 inches at both Walterboro and Jamestown. A frontal boundary of cooler air made southward progress into the northern counties during the late morning hours on Wednesday. The Greenville-Spartanburg AP noted a 10:00 a.m. temperature of 74 degrees which was 8 degrees cooler than Tuesday's 10:00 a.m. value. The Georgetown AP measured one of state's heavier rainfalls with 2.40 inches. Unusually cool July temperatures moved into the southeast on Thursday morning. Chesnee cooled to 58 degrees. It was 62 degrees at Pelion, 64 degrees at McEntire ANG AP and 65 degrees at Walterboro. Despite the mostly sunny conditions, 87 degrees was the reported maximum temperature for McCormick, Batesburg and Winnsboro. On Friday, the 90-degree maximum temperature at Sandhill and Hartsville was still two degrees below the date's average. Clouds increased for Saturday. The Greenville-Spartanburg AP thermometer never made it to 70 degrees. The 66-degree high temperature reported at Pickens tied that location's second "lowest maximum" ever July day. Saturday's heavy rains concentrated across the northwestern counties. Rainfall amounts of 2.75 inches were measured at Long Creek, 2.09 inches at Keowee Dam and 1.93 inches at Walhalla. On Sunday, Lake City and Shaw AFB reported a humid 88 degrees. Strong thunderstorms around 8:00 p.m. produced intense lightning and heavy rain near Fort Jackson. Richland County Emergency Services instruments at Forest Drive and I-77 recorded rainfall rates of 1.53 inches in 15 minutes, part of a one hour total of 3.39 inches. For the week, Liberty was soaked with 4.91 inches while Little Mountain received only 0.26 inches. The state average temperature for the seven-day period was near the long-term average.
The highest official temperature reported was 100 degrees at Columbia Metro AP and Cedar Creek on July 14.
The lowest official temperature reported was 57 degrees at Caesars Head on July 17.
The heaviest official 24-hour rainfall reported was 4.43 inches at Catawba ending at 7:00 a.m. on July 16.
The state average rainfall for the seven-day period was 1.2 inches.
PRECIPITATION:
Precipitation
Weekly Jan 1 Departure
Anderson AP 1.41 20.07 -4.4
Greer AP 2.00 25.73 -0.5
Charlotte, NC AP 1.04 26.97 4.0
Columbia Metro AP 0.16 22.04 -2.5
Orangeburg AP 0.37 26.41 0.1
Augusta, GA Bush AP 0.60 21.75 -3.2
Florence AP 1.44 21.81 -1.5
N Myrtle Beach AP 1.25 21.11 -4.7
Charleston AP 1.47 25.48 -0.7
Savannah, GA AP 0.93 28.98 3.3
Weekly rainfall totals ending midnight Sunday.
SOIL:
4-inch depth soil temperature: Columbia 82 degrees, Charleston 81 degrees.
RIVERS AND SURF:
South Carolina river stages were near to below normal. Charleston Harbor reported a water temperature of 83 degrees and Springmaid Pier at Myrtle Beach reported a surf water temperature of 82 degrees.
